WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 3
Ridgewood YMCA to offer free, in-person child
care during remote learning for working families
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Ridgewood’s YMCA will be offering
in-person child care for
families in one of the highestneed
areas in New York City.
With schools set to reopen in a hybrid
in-person and remote learning
format on Sept. 21, parents who don’t
have the option to work from home
are in need of affordable child care.
The YMCA’s program was created
in part by a donation of $500,000 by
AT&T and WarnerMedia.
The funding will allow the YMCA
— located at 69-02 64th St. — to support
and supervise students during
school day remote learning from 8
a.m. to 3 p.m., starting on the first
day of classes. Activities like physical
games and in-person projects
will also be offered to give students
time away from their screens.
“We are thrilled to provide childcare
for hundreds of families across
New York City, and grateful to AT&T
for supporting this critical program,”
said Sharon Greenberger, president
and CEO of the YMCA of Greater New
York. “The YMCA empowers tens of
thousands of kids and families every
year through childcare, after school,
summer camp programs and more.
We have continued these services
during the pandemic and are proud
to help our city recover by serving
families in need.”
This summer, AT&T also contributed
$450,000 to support virtual STEM
immersion programs for students in
all the five boroughs.
Included in the $450,000 contribution
was $100,000 to the YMCA
through AT&T’s Distance Learning
and Family Connections Fund, to
support remote services through the
YMCA’s new online content platform
YMCA @ Home, which allows New
York families find online fitness programming,
family engagement and
YMCA located at 69-02 64th Street in Ridgewood. Photo courtesy of YMCA
academic enrichment activities.
The donation also supports programs
for graduating high school
students to make sure they graduate
on time and matriculate in the fall,
as well as online ESL classes and
workshops to help new Americans
navigate this challenging time.
The program comes amid calls by
parents and lawmakers for the state
to release federal funding from the
CARES Act for childcare services.
In July, Mayor Bill de Blasio
announced the city would create
100,000 day care slots to help parents
during the school year.
On Sept. 9, de Blasio said only
30,000 of the 100,000 free child care
seats promised will be available to
parents by the start of the school
year.
By October, 70,000 slots will be
available. All 100,000 seats are expected
to be available in December,
officials said.
Priority will be given to the
children of essential workers, the
children of teachers and school staff
along with low-income and homeless
students.
Parents that expressed interest in
a daycare seat on the Department of
Education’s website will automatically
be entered into the enrollment
process.
L Shana Tova
Best Wishes for a Happy & Healthy Jewish New Year
Congresswoman
Grace Meng
Paid for and authorized by Grace For New York
L’ Shana Tova Wishing you
a Happy, Healthy and
Prosperous New Year
Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.
New York State Senator, District 15
Member of the Senate
Civil Service & Pension Committees
District Offices:
159-53 102nd Street
66-85 73rd Place
Howard Beach, N.Y. 11414
Middle Village, N.Y. 11379
(718) 738-1111
(718) 497-1630
(718) 322-5760 – FAX
(718) 497-1761 – FAX
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