In the small town of Cabot in Washington County, a shortage of child care spots inspired a community group and an experienced educator to work together to open a new child care center in November 2023.
“The two largest employers in town, Cabot School and Cabot Creamery, both said, ‘Child care is an issue,’” said Lori Augustyniak, director of the Cabot Community Association (CCA). “The CCA stepped up and said, ‘How can we help?’” For the past 20 years, the CCA has pursued its mission “to enhance the educational and recreational opportunities in Cabot and support a strong local economy.”
The first step was to find a partner. The CCA hired experienced child care provider Heather Smires, owner and operator of four centers in St Johnsbury and two in Peacham under the umbrella of ABC & LOL LLC, to create a new licensed child care center, the Cabot Children’s Center. This center created 15 new child care spots and four new jobs. “We also have two high school students working with us,” Smires said. “Our student volunteers are gaining valuable skills, experience, and a sense of responsibility that encompasses the meaning and passion of high-quality care in the early childhood education field.”
According to Augustyniak, she and her CCA colleagues asked themselves, “What kinds of things can the CCA take off [Smires’] plate as an operator so she can focus on providing services?” This led the CCA to take care of the practical issues, including negotiating a lease with the Cabot Church, purchasing all necessary equipment, writing grants, and fundraising. A grant from BBF’s Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) in fall 2023 was part of the funding that has made the new center a success.
The support from the community association allowed Smires and her staff to focus all their attention on serving Cabot’s children and families. “Working with CCA has been huge,” Smires said. “We have monthly meetings, and they are very willing to help in any way they can. The team effort and the collaboration is just amazing.”
The new center has now been operating for a year. “It has been very well-received by the community,” Augustyniak said, “and we’re already looking at the need to expand.” Smires added, “We are looking for a bigger space because we are full and have a waiting list.” They also hope to add afterschool programs for older children.
As is the case across Vermont’s early childhood education and care system, hiring and retention have been the biggest challenges the Cabot Children’s Center has faced. To help address the problem, Augustyniak said, “We talked about how Heather and the CCA can work together to create a workplace where people want to be and show up.”
“Consistency is one benefit of a nonprofit owning the equipment and renting the space, making it that much easier for the center to succeed,” Augustyniak said. “I think it’s a really good model to look at across the state.”
