At first glance, The Growing Years Early Childhood Center in Manchester doesn’t look like it’s financially struggling. The parking lot is full, and the hallways are loud with the sounds of infants and playing toddlers. But the main hall leads to an empty classroom because Kitty Larochelle, the center’s executive director, can’t afford what’s necessary to reopen it.

“That could fit up to 14 toddlers,” Larochelle said. “We would need four teachers for that classroom, and right now that’s just not feasible.”

Despite being at capacity and having a waitlist, The Growing Years and other early childhood education centers in New Hampshire are struggling to stay afloat. Even centers in the state’s more populated areas are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Centers barely, if at all, break e

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