H2 New Childcare Center Opens in Marquette, Addressing Childcare Shortage
Key Highlights:
– Little Cubs Learning Center LLC has opened a new childcare group home in Marquette, with the assistance of the Lake Superior Community Partnership.
– Owner Lysa Stockwell, the first graduate of the Childcare SPARK program, was inspired to open the center after facing challenges finding affordable daycare for her daughter in the area.
– The center is licensed to provide daycare for 12 children and aims to help families find the care they need to remain or re-enter the workforce.
Crafting a Compelling 500-Word Article:
A new childcare center, Little Cubs Learning Center LLC, has recently opened its doors in Marquette, aiming to address the growing need for childcare in the area. Located at 325 Brookton Road, the center celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, with support from the Lake Superior Community Partnership.
The owner, Lysa Stockwell, is the first graduate of the Childcare SPARK program to open an in-home, group daycare. Stockwell’s journey to opening the center was inspired by her own challenges in finding affordable and reliable childcare for her daughter in Marquette. Upon facing this issue, Stockwell and her husband made the decision to retire and move to Marquette to assist their daughter with childcare.
Reflecting on her experience with the Childcare SPARK program, Stockwell expressed gratitude for the support and guidance she received. “The SPARK class gave me the opportunity to spend time with very knowledgeable people who helped me with every step of obtaining a Michigan daycare license,” Stockwell said. “It also provided the opportunity for me to make some connections in the community with people who were applying for a daycare license at the same time I was.”
With its State of Michigan license, Little Cubs Learning Center LLC is equipped to provide daycare for up to 12 children in Stockwell’s home. Those interested in learning more about the center can contact Lysa Stockwell at littlecubs906@gmail.com.
The Childcare SPARK initiative, which supported Stockwell in opening the center, is an innovative program that combines expertise from business development, childcare operations, and childhood development organizations into a business accelerator model. The goal of the program is to help interested entrepreneurs understand, launch, operate, and grow home-based childcare businesses. Ultimately, the aim is to establish new childcare businesses throughout Marquette County to address the childcare shortage and support families in accessing the care they need to remain or re-enter the workforce.
Notably, the Childcare SPARK initiative has been made possible through initial support from the State of Michigan Equity Fund and an ARPA allocation from the Marquette County Commission.
In the larger context of addressing the childcare shortage, the opening of Little Cubs Learning Center LLC is just one of several initiatives in the area. With the goal of establishing new childcare businesses and supporting families, these initiatives are crucial in meeting the growing demand for childcare services in Marquette County.