The Care Center

What The Care Center does

The Care Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 and headquartered at 247 Cabot Street in Holyoke, Massachusetts, that delivers tuition-free educational programs and wraparound support services to young mothers and low-income women in the Pioneer Valley (Holyoke, Springfield, Chicopee). Its core academic offerings include the High School Equivalency (HiSET) program, the Bard Clemente Course in the Humanities, the Cabot Street College bridge program, and the flagship Bard Microcollege Holyoke — operated in partnership with Bard College since 2016 as the nation's first college specifically designed for young mothers, conferring an accredited Associate of Arts degree at no cost to students. The organization layers a two-generation service stack on top of academics, including on-site licensed daycare for up to 25 infants and toddlers, door-to-door transportation via four vans, meals (in coordination with Holyoke Public Schools), counseling, an on-site nurse practitioner, an arts and humanities curriculum, athletics including a signature rowing program and the Young Parents Regatta, and the Roqué House housing partnership with Way Finders providing 10 furnished apartments for parenting students.

The revenue model is donation- and grant-dependent rather than tuition-based: all participant-facing services are free, funded instead through individual donations, foundation grants (anchored by a $1M Ceres Foundation commitment within the $4M Moving Women Forward endowment completed in October 2024), corporate sponsorships (PeoplesBank, Country Bank, Health New England, Stiebel Eltron, HG&E, Scout Curated Wears, The Markens Group, Tiger Press), and government grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mass Cultural Council. Annual fundraising parties have raised $100K+ (2023), $220K (2024), ~$150K (2025), and a record $280K at the April 2026 40th Anniversary event with 400+ guests. Go-to-market is community-led and relationship-driven, relying on DTA and community health clinic referrals, word of mouth, alumni testimonials, and an outreach team that includes former students. There is no proprietary technology stack; service delivery is human-intensive and on-site, with 11-50 employees supporting a participant population that is 81% mothers, 100% low-income, 83% women of color, and 95% first-generation college students.

Operational metrics indicate strong outcomes relative to peers: a 72% graduation rate at Bard Microcollege Holyoke versus 33% nationally for associate degree programs and 8% for single mothers, 77% of graduates employed or pursuing a bachelor's degree, and roughly 50% transferring to four-year institutions including Bard, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, Trinity, Elms, Florida Southern, and Bay Path. Leadership transitioned in March 2024 when Executive Director Oona Cook succeeded Anne Teschner (who served 25 years), and the organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by Board President Sylvia Galván. Recognition includes the 2011 National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award (President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities) and the 2019 Mass Cultural Council Commonwealth Award.

Name

The Care Center

Legal name

The Care Center

Website

https://carecenterholyoke.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Education & Social Services for Young Mothers

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Pregnant & Parenting Teen Education Programs (EDAJAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA), Center-Based Toddler Care (18–36 months) (EDACAGAB), Center-Based Infant Care (0–18 months) (EDACAGAA), Family & Parenting Education (Family Literacy, Parenting Skills) (EDAAAFAF), School-Based & Community Women’s/Children’s Health Clinics (HLAFAJAO)

Keywords

• Adult education services
• Early childhood care
• Nonprofit social services
• College degree programs
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Holyoke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting the organization's mission to empower young mothers through education. The organization runs annual fundraising parties and special campaigns.
2. Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations including the Ceres Foundation ($1 million commitment to Moving Women Forward campaign) and Mass Humanities. The $4 million Moving Women Forward endowment campaign ensures the college remains free for women.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors including PeoplesBank (matching gifts), The Markens Group, Scout Curated Wears, Stiebel Eltron, HG&E, Tiger Press, and others. Sponsors highlighted at annual fundraising events.
4. Government/Federal Funding: Funding from federal sources including the National Endowment for the Arts. State funding from Mass Cultural Council's Commonwealth Award.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Care Center provides tuition-free educational programs—including high school equivalency (HiSET) preparation, the Bard Clemente Course in the Humanities, Cabot Street College bridge courses, and the accredited Bard Microcollege Holyoke Associate of Arts degree—bundled with comprehensive wraparound support services such as on-site licensed daycare, door-to-door transportation, meals, counseling, and medical care for young mothers and low-income women ages 16+ in Holyoke, Springfield, and Chicopee, Massachusetts. The organization applies a two-generation model that addresses both maternal education and early childhood development simultaneously, serving approximately 40-50 students annually at Bard Microcollege with plans to scale to 75.

Product overview

The Care Center is a nonprofit educational organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs designed to support young mothers and low-income women in Holyoke, MA. The organization operates as a multi-program platform combining: (1) High School Equivalency Program (HiSET) as the foundational entry point providing GED preparation with integrated support services; (2) Bard Microcollege Holyoke - a tuition-free Associate of Arts degree program offered in partnership with Bard College; (3) preparatory college courses including the Bard Clemente Course in the Humanities and Cabot Street College that serve as pathways to the microcollege; (4) essential support services including on-site daycare, transportation, meals, counseling, and medical care; (5) enrichment programs in arts, humanities, and athletics including a signature rowing program; and (6) housing assistance through the Roqué House program. All programs are interconnected through a two-generation approach that addresses both maternal education and early childhood development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bard Microcollege Holyoke: A tuition-free Associate of Arts degree program offered in partnership with Bard College, specifically designed for young mothers and low-income women. It is the nation's first college for young mothers and boasts a 72% graduation rate.
• Clemente Course in the Humanities
• Cabot Street College

Products and services

• High School Equivalency Program (HiSET) A free high school equivalency preparation program offering comprehensive support services including free daycare for babies and toddlers, door-to-door transportation, breakfast and lunch, laptop computers, individualized instruction, and counseling for young mothers seeking to earn their HiSET credential.
• Bard Microcollege Holyoke A tuition-free, accredited Associate of Arts degree program offered in partnership with Bard College, specifically designed for young mothers and low-income women, with comprehensive supports including daycare, transportation, counseling, meals, and an onsite nurse practitioner. The nation's first college for young mothers, achieving a 72% graduation rate.
• Bard College Clemente Course in the Humanities

Quantifiable outcome

• 72% graduation rate (vs. 33% national average for associate degree programs and 8% for single mothers)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Way FinderscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2020Regional affordable housing developer partnership for Roqué House Program - 10 two- and three-bedroom apartments for young parents in higher education. Part of Library Commons neighborhood revitalization project.
• Bard CollegeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Founding partner for Bard Microcollege Holyoke - the nation's first college for young mothers and low-income women. Bard College provides accredited Associate of Arts degree program, faculty, and academic oversight. Partnership established in 2016. The degree is free to students through scholarships and grants.
• The Markens GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Annual Fundraising Party.
• Scout Curated WearsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Annual Fundraising Party.
• Stiebel EltronminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Annual Fundraising Party.
• HG&E (Holyoke Gas & Electric)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal utility company event sponsor.
• Tiger PressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Annual Fundraising Party.
• Mount Holyoke CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-year college destination for Bard Microcollege Holyoke graduates. Frances Perkins Program offers tuition-free pathway. Multiple graduates have transferred here including Kia Diaz (now graduate student at American University) and Julisa DeLeón.
• Smith CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-year college destination for graduates including Candice Pelletier (completing bachelor's on full scholarship) and Destiny Bermudez (plans to attend).
• Holyoke Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides lunch for Care Center students through meal program.
• Hampshire CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotography courses offered at Hampshire College for Care Center students.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: Large national workforce-development nonprofit serving young adults (18–24) from low-income communities with training, stipends, and corporate internships. Comparable in serving economically disadvantaged young adults through education-to-employment pathways, but targets a slightly broader, younger cohort with a workforce rather than degree focus.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free technology workforce training to individuals from low-income and underrepresented communities. Comparable in providing free, tuition-free skills training with wraparound supports for low-income adults, but focused on tech-sector employment rather than liberal-arts degrees.
• Goodwill Industries International: Large national nonprofit operating workforce development, adult education, and reentry programs across thousands of locations. Comparable in mission around adult education and employment for disadvantaged populations, but operates at far greater scale and with a broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• College Possible: National nonprofit providing college access and success coaching to low-income and first-generation students from high school through graduation. Comparable mission around educational attainment for first-gen/low-income populations, though its model is coaching-based rather than on-site wraparound.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit dedicated to helping low-income and first-generation-to-college students earn bachelor's degrees through intensive advising and wraparound support. Highly comparable on outcome focus (degree completion, transfer, employment) and on serving first-gen students of color.
• Single Stop / Tied to Goodwill NY-NJ (Single Stop USA): National nonprofit that screens low-income students for access to public benefits, financial aid, and wraparound supports alongside college enrollment. Directly comparable on the "wraparound services + college access" thesis for low-income adult learners.
• Jeremiah Program: National two-generation nonprofit providing single mothers with children access to higher education, housing, childcare, and career development. Most directly comparable peer: same population (young single mothers), same two-generation wraparound model combining early childhood education with college access.
• HOPE Program: NYC-based nonprofit providing workforce training, adult education, and wraparound supports (housing, childcare, mental health) to low-income and homeless adults. Comparable model combining adult education with extensive wraparound services for vulnerable populations.
• Bard College (Microcollege Network): Bard College operates additional Microcollege sites and the Clemente Course in the Humanities nationally. The Care Center runs Bard Microcollege Holyoke under Bard's accreditation; the broader Bard Microcollege/Clemente network shares curriculum, faculty oversight, and the tuition-free liberal-arts mission for underserved adults.

Regional players

• Holyoke Community College: Local community college in Holyoke, MA serving the same regional student population with associate degrees and workforce credentials. Comparable regional competitor for low-income adult learners in the Pioneer Valley, though without Care Center's wraparound model and target focus on young mothers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheCareCenterHolyoke/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/CareCenterHolyoke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-care-center-holyoke
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccholyoke
• Xx.com/ccholyoke

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Care Center