Motor City Match helps Detroiter open daycare center in childhood neighborhood

• Detroit native Irene Hamilton-Sparkman opens Lil Love Bugs Daycare Center, providing high-quality early childhood education for infants through age five.

• $50,000 Motor City Match grant funded critical renovations including heating, cooling, plumbing, flooring and architectural work.

• Plans for expansion include after-school tutoring, a new playground and increased childcare capacity for neighborhood families.

• Motor City Match has awarded $21 million in cash grants; 85% of overall winners are minority-owned, 73% are women-owned, and 69% are operated by Detroit residents

DECEMBER 4, 2025 (DETROIT) – Detroit native Irene Hamilton-Sparkman walked into a vacant building on E. Seven Mile Road three years ago and saw something special: the neighborhood where she grew up and an opportunity to give it new life.

Today, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and the City of Detroit celebrated the official grand opening of Lil Love Bugs Daycare Center, Hamilton-Sparkman’s early childhood education facility at 13513 E. Seven Mile Road in the Pulaski neighborhood. The center, which opened in July, serves infants through age 5 and marks the 199th Motor City Match business to open.

Hamilton-Sparkman received a $50,000 grant through Round 27 of Motor City Match to renovate the long-vacant property she purchased in late 2022. The funding covered heating and cooling systems, plumbing, flooring, doors and architectural work needed to transform the building into a licensed childcare facility.

“I wanted to give back to my community,” Hamilton-Sparkman said. “I remember when this area was beautiful, and I wanted to bring a little bit of love back to this neighborhood.”

The daycare owner grew up just down the street from her center. Opening in the neighborhood that shaped her was a personal commitment to revitalizing a place she’s always called home.

Hamilton-Sparkman brings more than 23 years of childcare experience to the center. She started her career in the kitchen of a Head Start program before moving into classroom roles at multiple childcare facilities. In 2018, she launched a licensed home daycare in Eastpointe that grew steadily over the years.

“What makes us different is that we are not just a daycare. We are a learning facility. I believe kids can be taught at a very early age, especially when they are here every day,” said Hamilton-Sparkman. “My daycare is not just about making sure the kids are great, but supporting the parents, too. I want families to feel seen, supported and connected.”

The center operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., providing breakfast, lunch and snacks. Children start each day with conversation during meals before following a structured schedule that includes circle time with letters, numbers, shapes, colors and Spanish vocabulary. Older children work on handwriting and name recognition, while infants receive developmental support including tummy time, sensory play and guided physical milestones.

“Quality early childhood education sets kids up for success, and Irene is bringing that to the neighborhood where she grew up,” said Deputy Mayor Melia Howard prior to the event. “When parents know their children are in good hands, they can focus on their own careers and aspirations. That’s how neighborhoods grow stronger.”

The center currently supports three childcare jobs. Hamilton-Sparkman has already purchased two adjacent buildings and a lot next door, with plans to expand services to include an after-school tutoring program for grades three through six and add a new playground and dedicated parking area.

“Irene had the vision, the experience and the commitment to her community. Motor City Match gave her the financial backing to make it real,” said Sean Gray, vice president of DEGC’s Small Business Services, which manages Motor City Match. “Now she’s already thinking bigger – buying adjacent properties, planning new programs and creating more jobs.”

When Hamilton-Sparkman began searching for a building in Detroit, Invest Detroit provided support and guidance that helped her purchase the Seven Mile property and take the next step toward opening a full learning facility.

“Growing from caring for 10 children in her home to serving more than 40 in this new facility, Irene has effectively quadrupled both her business and her impact. By activating a long-vacant commercial property along a primary corridor in a Strategic Neighborhood, she’s also bringing new life and essential services back to her community,” said Derek Edwards, senior vice president of Lending, at Invest Detroit. “Irene saw a need and stepped up to meet it. She and her husband, Stacey, never wavered in their determination, even as obstacle after obstacle came their way, and we’re proud to have supported Lil Love Bugs along this two-year journey.”

Neighbors have rallied around the project, Hamilton-Sparkman notes, telling her they’re cheering her on.

“They want to see good things happening on this block,” she said. “I think we have already brought some hope back to the area.”

Through 29 rounds of Motor City Match:

• Total cash grants: $21 million (Total leveraged investment: $110 million)

• 85% of awardees are minority-owned

• 73% are women-owned

• 69% are owned by Detroit residents

About Motor City Match

Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com