Childcare Champions Help New Mom Start and Grow a Licensed Childcare Business in Central Nebraska

Jocelyn Grube became a first-time mom while teaching kindergarten in Superior, Nebraska. She soon realized that finding childcare while working full-time was difficult. “At the start of my third year [as a teacher] I had our first baby and daycare was super hard to find. We were lucky to find a grandma who was watching her grandkids, and she was able to help us by taking in our son,” said Grube.

Grube noticed others in her community who had the same challenge. This made her wonder if it would be possible to use her education and experience as a teacher to start her own childcare business—and to be with her son full-time. However, she did some initial research and came across many obstacles to opening a licensed childcare business. She reached out to the local daycare board to see what resources might be available to help.

“They sent me some info on people who helped them. One of them was a flyer on the Childcare Champions,” Grube said. She contacted the Childcare Champions and connected with Natalie Hanna, one of the mentors. “She has been such a blessing. We started slowly setting up the childcare business in the spring [of 2025]. Then in May we picked it up and I was able to start taking three other kids, and I was licensed in September. Currently, I watch seven kids.”

Childcare gaps are affecting rural Nebraska

Childcare is a need throughout Nebraska, and especially in rural communities. With fewer providers in smaller towns, the impact of one provider closing can be much bigger. “In many rural Nebraska counties, parents are having to drive 30-50 miles just to find a provider,” said Natalie Hanna.

When a community plans for growth, childcare is seldom a priority. Yet when families consider moving to an area, finding affordable, reliable childcare often ranks near the top of their list. “Some of the first things parents ask when they are relocating is, ‘What are your schools?’ and ‘What do you have for childcare?’ Sometimes there is none,” she explained.

Without childcare, many parents are unable to go to work. “If parents can’t go to work, the economy is not going to be stimulated because you don’t have parents that have paychecks coming in. [The absence of childcare] has a snowball effect,” Hanna added.

Tackling the childcare crisis across 25 counties

Grube has found Childcare Champions to be an excellent resource for aspiring childcare providers. “Natalie [Hanna] was able to help tremendously with the paperwork. She walked me through all the steps and answered my questions. She has helped me with creating my own handbook, creating emergency plans, and really with everything. She has set me up for so much success,” explained Grube.

Established in 2022, Childcare Champions originated in Buffalo County. With the help of 6 Regions, One Nebraska, it is now serving all 25 counties in the Central Community College region.

6 Regions, One Nebraska is now handling promotion of the program so that the Champions can focus on helping providers. “When we were doing the recruiting, it was significantly harder,” explained Hanna. “By having 6 Regions, One Nebraska take on the marketing for us, we’ve been able to connect with agencies that we didn’t previously have relationships with—they bridged that gap.”

Mentorship and resources for childcare providers

The original mission of the Childcare Champions program was to help local providers raise financial resources and navigate the licensure process so that they could open a childcare business. “A lot of times those roadblocks would stop people. They would feel burned out and they would get frustrated, so they would no longer pursue their license or they would only stay open for a year or so,” explained Hanna.

The ability to talk with someone experienced in the challenges and joys of childcare is helping new providers push through these obstacles. “It’s really hard to get started,” said Grube. “Natalie was able to drop everything so many times to help me. Just the guidance from somebody who has been through childcare is so important. It is isolating sometimes in childcare. Being able to work through problems with someone who has seen something similar is such a huge benefit.”

In addition to providing guidance, the Childcare Champions program is giving providers a $2,500 stipend to put toward their childcare business. For Grube, this stipend allowed her to begin using the second story in her home for childcare.

“There’s a loft area with two bedrooms and a full bathroom, but I couldn’t use that initially,” explained Grube. “The fire marshal required a second exit off the second story, so we were limited to our main level, which was really hard.” She used the Childcare Champions stipend to build a deck on the second story with stairs going down to the yard, making it an approved second exit. This structural change opened up space for children to play and has allowed her business to grow.

A family solution becomes a community resource

Grube said one of her favorite things about running her own childcare business is watching the kids of different ages play together and learn from each other. “I love having mixed ages! I started just after my own son was a year, and it’s crazy how much he has learned from the three- and four-year-olds,” she said. “I see it with all the kids and the empathy they show. I have two infants right now, and they care for them. The mixed ages are so fun because they all learn from each other.”

By supporting new providers like Grube, Childcare Champions is strengthening Nebraska’s communities. What began as a solution for her own family has blossomed into a thriving childcare business that is benefiting several families in Superior. “I have had a ton of support and a lot of people reaching out. I’ve had to start a waiting list, especially for infants. It’s such a big need,” she added.

Interested in learning more about the Childcare Champions? Check out the program’s brochures in English or in Spanish or contact Dena Beck at dbeck@NEChamber.com.