Three Rivers, Community Action Agencies are Empowering Childcare Entrepreneurs

In Minnesota, where the demand for quality child care is ever-growing, Community Action Agencies are stepping up to address this need in innovative ways. Among the leaders in this initiative are Three Rivers Community Action and MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action, which are creating pathways for individuals to own and operate their own child care businesses.

These agencies are not only providing essential direct services to clients but are also fostering an environment conducive to entrepreneurship, particularly in the child care sector.

"What I find most rewarding is we're helping people who might not be able to open a business on their own, and giving them a chance to do it," said Three Rivers’ Early Childhood Director Jane Adams Barber. "That’s most rewarding part."

Three Rivers commitment to addressing the child care shortage and helping community members toward business success and prosperity can be found in Rice County. The agency helped the mother-daughter duo Candi and Paiton Ahlman establish Little Stinkers and Thinkers Child Care.

"It's been open about a year," Adams said. "It's going good. It's always full."

The day care represents a new kind of child care service. A specialized license offered by the state gives individuals like Candi and Paiton Ahlman a chance to provide child care services in a facility instead of in their home. Three Rivers helps by subsidizing the rent.

The Little Stinkers and Thinkers is set up in a dedicated space adjacent to the Three Rivers Community Action Head Start program, reflecting a unique partnership between Three Rivers, the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), and the Healthy Community Initiative (HCI).

"It's nice that they're helping us," Candi said of organizations. "It doesn't feel like we're doing it alone."

It's not only financial support, but the organizations also provide other resources.

Two months before Little Stinkers and Thinkers opened its doors, Three Rivers helped Maddison Qual open Maddi’s Makoons in the same building. Unfortunately, after a year in operation Qual had to shutter her business. The location will not be empty for long.

In October, a former Three Rivers Head Start parent, who eventually became a Head Start assistant teacher, plans to open her own day care business and will take over Maddi's Makoon's location.

Barber said what Three Rivers is doing was inspired by a similar program in northern Minnesota, where a partnership grant helps private family child care providers work together in the same building. Although the state allows this "pod model," it is still quite rare.

Barber saw that this model could help those wanting to run a home-based child care business but who face housing restrictions, or those who don't want to operate from home and can't afford their own facility. By offering both space and financial support, Three Rivers is helping these entrepreneurs succeed.

"We didn't even know this type of business existed," Candi said. "We have had a home-based license and we were told we should contact Jane, and we did. We jumped on it right away."

Three Rivers just received an additional grant to fund another facility in Wabasha County. The program has served as a model for similar initiatives in Faribault County, where community partners are opening four new child care businesses in Three Rivers’ former Head Start site.

This expansion not only reflects the effectiveness of the approach but also highlights the growing recognition of the need for quality child care solutions across Minnesota. By leveraging community support and strategic partnerships, these initiatives are paving the way for more entrepreneurs to enter the child care industry, ultimately benefiting families and children throughout the state.

As Minnesota continues to grapple with child care challenges, the innovative efforts of Community Action Agencies like Three Rivers and MAHUBE-OTWA provide a hopeful outlook. By supporting individuals in establishing their own child care businesses, these agencies are not only addressing immediate needs but are also building a sustainable framework for the future.

The success of Little Stinkers and Thinkers and other similar ventures exemplifies the positive impact of collaborative efforts and strategic planning in meeting the demands of growing communities.

In a state where the need for child care services is significant, these pioneering initiatives offer a promising solution, demonstrating that with the right support and resources, entrepreneurs can make a lasting difference in their communities.