Empowering Women, Strengthening Families, and Growing Local Economies

In 2021, Marites MacLean applied for the Leaders for Equitable Local Economies (LELE) Initiative through the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Her proposal, “Fitchburg-Creating a More Equitable Childcare System,” addressed one of the city’s most urgent issues: a severe shortage of childcare options.

According to the project proposal, Fitchburg has about 1,200 fewer childcare slots than children under age five. This shortage has far-reaching consequences. Many working parents especially mothers face limited employment opportunities because they cannot find reliable childcare. At the same time, most childcare providers, many of whom are women of color, are often left out of the economic decision-making that affects their livelihoods.

“When we invest in childcare providers, we invest in families, in the workforce, and in the future of our community.”
— Marites MacLean, President, Empower Children for Success

From Vision to Action: The Fitchburg LELE Team

The Fitchburg LELE team includes Marites MacLean and Beth Robbins, who joined forces to reimagine childcare as a cornerstone of local economic equity. Their shared vision: to create a bilingual (English/Spanish) training program that helps women from immigrant and underserved communities open their own licensed family childcare (FCC) businesses.

• Marites MacLean: A long-time family childcare provider (retired), advocate, and coach.
• Beth Robbins: A nonprofit leader with extensive experience in systems change and community partnerships.

Together, they designed a community-centered model to close Fitchburg’s childcare gap while fostering entrepreneurship and economic mobility among women.

The Child Care Entrepreneur Stewards Training Program (CCESTP

Through the LELE Initiative, MacLean and Robbins launched the Child Care Entrepreneur Stewards Training Program (CCESTP), a bilingual program that provides:

The program was built in collaboration with key community partners:

• Comprehensive training on family childcare licensing requirements
• Mentorship and business support
• Startup grants for new providers

• Francisco Ramos, Director of Community Organizing, NewVue Communities – helped coordinate training schedules and logistics.
• Luisa Fernandez, Coordinator of Family & Community Engagement, Fitchburg Public Schools – led bilingual outreach to recruit participants.
• Empower Children for Success (ECFS) – provided startup grants for graduates who successfully obtained their family childcare licenses.
• City of Fitchburg – partnered to offer additional grant funding for new providers launching their businesses.

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, the CCESTP has graduated more than 200 aspiring childcare providers and continues to grow. The program is currently preparing to launch its 15th cohort on October 29, 2025, reflecting the growing demand for childcare and the success of the training model.

On October 15, ECFS, NewVue Communities, and the City of Fitchburg hosted a celebration recognizing the newest licensed childcare providers. The event highlighted the graduates’ accomplishments and the positive impact they are making on local families and the economy.

“This initiative doesn’t just create childcare slots, it builds opportunity,” said MacLean.
“It empowers women to become business owners and community leaders.”

Looking Ahead: A Model for Equitable Local Economies

The Leaders for Equitable Local Economies Initiative has shown what’s possible when community voices, especially women of color, are centered in local economic development. Fitchburg’s model demonstrates that supporting childcare entrepreneurs creates ripple effects enabling parents to work, children to thrive, and communities to prosper.

Through continued collaboration with ECFS, NewVue Communities, and local partners, Fitchburg is not only addressing its childcare shortage but also building a more inclusive and resilient local economy.

For more information about the Child Care Entrepreneur Stewards Training Program (CCESTP), or to learn how to support new family childcare providers, visit Empower Children for Success.