DENSO Land Donation Supports New YMCA Early Learning Center in Athens

Donation supports community childcare needs and expands access to early childhood education in McMinn County

ATHENS, Tenn., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DENSO Manufacturing Athens Tennessee, Inc. (DMAT), has donated approximately three acres of property to the Athens-McMinn Family YMCA that will serve as the future site of a new early learning center. The organizations recently finalized the land transfer, enabling the YMCA to move forward with plans to expand access to early childcare and education in McMinn County.

The YMCA expects to break ground on the facility in early 2027. Construction is anticipated to be completed by early 2028.

The donated property is located southwest of DENSO's Athens campus, with close proximity to Interstate 75 and other large employers. Once complete, the early learning center will serve as the home of a preschool and childcare services that will be open to families throughout the community.

The project stems from a community needs assessment conducted by the United Way of McMinn and Meigs Counties that identified a shortage of childcare in the area. In response, local community leaders began exploring opportunities to increase childcare access to support working families. The McMinn County Economic Development Authority (EDA) played a key role in advancing the initiative, helping connect DENSO and the YMCA and supporting efforts to bring the project to fruition.

"For more than two decades, DENSO has been proud to call Athens home, and we're committed to investing in the long-term success of our community," said Mark Moses, president of DMAT. "It's what drove us to donate this land for a project that will benefit families across the region. Access to quality childcare and early learning opportunities helps communities thrive, and we're excited to see this resource take shape so many can benefit from it."

U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann also played an important role in the effort, securing a $2.5 million federal grant for the development of the center.

"This project is a shining example of what we can accomplish when public and private partners come together to invest in our future," said U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann. "By expanding access to high-quality early childhood education and childcare, we're giving families in Athens and McMinn County the support they need to thrive. I'm proud to have helped secure $2.5 million in federal funding for this new center and to work alongside DENSO, the YMCA, and our local leaders to make this vision a reality. Together, we're building a stronger foundation for our children, our workforce, and our entire community."

"We're grateful to DENSO, the McMinn County EDA and U.S. Rep. Fleischmann for helping make this project possible," said Bradi Sewell, CEO and Executive Director of the Athens-McMinn Family YMCA. "This center will meet an important need in our community, expanding access to childcare for local families. It will only strengthen how we help kids in McMinn County learn, grow and thrive."

"Strong communities depend on strong partnerships," said Lindsey Ferguson, executive director of the McMinn County EDA. "We're proud to have helped bring DENSO and the YMCA together on a project that will support families, employers and the future of McMinn County, further reinforcing that our region is a great place to live, work and raise families."

DMAT, with its team of more than 1,200 team members, manufactures advanced automotive components and systems and is McMinn County's largest employer. Since beginning Athens operations in 1997, the company has remained committed to supporting the local community through investments, volunteerism and partnerships that help create a better quality of life for area residents.

About DENSO
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a 7,540.0 billion yen (US$47.2 billion) leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 170 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company's 155,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 9.2 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. For more information about DENSO's operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en/.

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 23,000+ team members across more than 40 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, DENSO in North America generated $12.7 billion in consolidated sales. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/. 

SOURCE DENSO