Whiz Kidz, Whiz Kids Pre-School list buildings for sale

  A broker for the company selling the Whiz Kidz Child Care building says the loss of its food contract forced the business to close.

  Whiz Kidz, 2600 W. 24th St., had its Child and Adult Care Food Program contract terminated by the Arizona Department of Education in late September. CACFP allows qualifying individuals and businesses to receive free or reduced rates on food and meals.

  The Department of Economic Security contracts with child care providers and the ADE to ensure meals are provided and funds are used correctly. If a facility’s contract is terminated by the ADE, the DES can terminate its monetary assistance food contract.

  Pat Harrington, assistant director of DES' Employment and Rehabilitation, said his agency chose to do that by Sept. 26. On Sept. 16, the ADE sent a copy of a letter to the DES that stated the CACFP contract with the owners of the Family Learning Center Corp. was being terminated because of "false or fraudulent claims," according to Harrington.

  Family Learning Corp., based in Phoenix, was the Whiz Kidz parent company at the time of contract termination.

  The parent company owns both Whiz Kidz, 2600 W. 24th St., and Whiz Kids Pre-School, 2332 S. Arizona Ave. Gary Lee, the broker for Commercial Brokers, said both buildings are for sale.

  "The majority of the kids there were on that food contract," said Lee, whose company is handling both sales. "When they lost that, they could not operate."

  The contract termination came after a series of state infractions and civil and provisional penalties were imposed upon Whiz Kidz dating from Dec. 16, 2005 to April 30, 2007. Officials with the Arizona Department of Health Services' Division of Licensing Service confirmed, however, that Whiz Kidz retained its license as of Thursday.

  Calls to Whiz Kidz’s listed number were automatically answered by a phone company message that said it was a “non-working number.” The building on West 24th Street is listed at $550,000 and the Arizona Avenue property at $250,000.

  The infractions, penalties and inspections for Whiz Kidz are listed online at http://hsapps.azdhs.gov/ls/sod/Provider.aspx?type=CC.

---
Matt Keller can be reached at mkeller@yumasun.com or 539-6857.