Lil’ Cats Daycare and Lil’ Indians Daycare, nominated by Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas, won the 2024 Texas' Small Employer of the Year Award. Under the ownership of Nichole and Josh Hale, Lil’ Cats Daycare opened in 2016 with the initial capacity to serve 30 children. In partnership with Texas Workforce Solutions and the Coleman Economic Development Corporation, Lil’ Cats received a $72,324 expansion grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to increase child care availability in their community. When the town of Haskell was losing its only child care facility, the owners partnered again with Workforce solutions and the Development Corporation of Haskell to expand their operations and opened Lil’ Indians Daycare.
Nichole and Josh will be honored as Small Employer of the Year and Local Employer of Excellence at the Workforce Solutions Board Meeting on Wednesday, December 18 at Noon. Meetings take place at the Administrative Office in Abilene located at 500 Chestnut Street on the 12th floor.