We will be closed on Monday, July 5, 2026 for Independence Day.
The mission of HoneyTree ELC is to be a support system for families – to appreciate, celebrate, and educate children, and create an environment where staff, parents, and the community work together to provide all the pieces for a happy, healthy childhood.
HoneyTree began with a simple idea: when children are cared for well, families and communities thrive.
In 1975, husband-and-wife team Kathy McLeod and John McLeod opened the first HoneyTree Early Learning Center in Sterling, Virginia. Kathy had a passion for early childhood education, while John brought the entrepreneurial drive to help turn that vision into reality. At the time, John had recently left the Navy, and Kathy, already a young mother and eventually a mom of seven, was ready to begin a meaningful career in childcare.
The first center struggled financially, but it gave the McLeods something even more valuable: perspective. They learned what families truly needed and what it would take to create a childcare environment where children could thrive.
In 1979, after relocating to Roanoke, the couple opened a new HoneyTree location. Those early years came with challenges, but they also revealed an important insight: children deserved spaces designed specifically for them, with room to learn, play, and grow.
That vision became reality in 1984 when the first purpose-built HoneyTree center opened in Salem. The McLeods took a huge leap of faith—pledging nearly everything they owned to build the facility. Kathy, pregnant with twins at the time, visited the construction site daily, envisioning the classrooms, teachers, and children who would one day fill the building.
After years of perseverance, HoneyTree became financially sustainable in 1989, fourteen years after the first center opened.
As the organization grew, HoneyTree developed lasting partnerships with LewisGale Regional Health System and Carilion Clinic, helping provide high-quality childcare for healthcare professionals and their families across the Roanoke Valley.
HoneyTree’s story is also shaped by the people who have dedicated their lives to its mission.
One of those leaders is Tina Kitchens, who recently celebrated 40 years with HoneyTree and now serves as Chief Operating Officer. For Tina, HoneyTree has always been more than a workplace; it’s been part of her family’s story. Both of her daughters, Kelli and Kayla, grew up at HoneyTree and eventually worked at schools. Kayla remains at the company today serving as a Regional Director.
Tina’s husband, Larry Kitchens, has also supported HoneyTree in multiple ways over the years, including leading initiatives like Financial Peace University.
Today, HoneyTree operates ten early learning centers across the Roanoke and New River Valleys, serving more than 1,000 children with a team of over 200 educators and caregivers.
One of the most meaningful parts of HoneyTree’s story is seeing generations return, parents and even grandparents who once attended HoneyTree now bringing their own children through our doors.
While HoneyTree has grown over the years, the vision remains the same as when it began:
to create a place where children feel safe, loved, and inspired to learn.