York Family Day Care Center Receives Funds and Grants for New Programs

York Child and Family Day Care Center on
160 St. Photo credit: Asar John

By Asar John

The York College Child and Family Day Care Center received several funds and grants to support its growing facility of 40 children and 17 staff members over a five-year period in which the money will be used. “In October, it was announced that the center would receive $3 million in funds from the New York City Department of Education, which includes $45,000 in start-up costs, through a five-year contract, according to the Director of the center, Charlene
Dertinger (AKA Ms. Charlene). Other monies that were awarded toward the center include the $183,000 CCAMPIS (Childcare Access Means Parents In School) grant dedicated to the future afterschool program. “It [the $3 million in funds] mainly goes to payroll, start-up costs for the classrooms and supplies which include educational materials, equipment, and furnishing,” said Dertinger, adding the costs to support the foodservice vendor for meals. As for the CCAMPIS grant, dedicated to supporting the new School Age program at the center, Dertinger submitted an application to receive the grant in 2020. The program will serve 14 children ages five to ten for a new after-school program at the center from Monday through Friday from 3-6 P.M.

“A lot of CUNY centers do have after-school programs so why couldn’t we have it?” said Dertinger when asked about the
consideration to start the program. “That’s a way to expand services. We get a lot of parents that have five, six and seven-year-olds but nowhere to put them.”

The grant will also support a new Summer camp program which Dertinger said is projected to start in 2022. Although the center director said grant money could be used to hire and pay staff, it is too early to determine how else it could be used.

The UPK program, which already existed at the center since Mayor de Blasio launched Pre-K for All in 2014, is expanding to four classrooms, which house two 3k classrooms and 2 UPK Classrooms in the center at a
maximum of 38 seat capacity. “Just trying to get these things going is a massive undertaking,” said Dertinger, who has been the director at the center since 2019. “With the DOE programming, we were able to raise the bar for staffing qualifications and hire a curriculum coordinator.”

According to Dertinger, along with the new set of funding and grants, the York Family and Child Care Center is supported through federal subsidies, the state of New York, City Council funding, and York child care fees
determined by CUNY. The York College Child and Family Day Care Center received several funds and grants to support its growing facility of 40 children and 17 staff members over a five-year period in which the money will be used.
“In October, it was announced that the center would receive $3 million in funds from the New York City Department of Education, which includes $45,000 in start-up costs, through a five-year contract, according to the Director of the center, Charlene Dertinger (AKA Ms. Charlene).

Other monies that were awarded toward the center include the $183,000 CCAMPIS (Childcare Access Means Parents In School) grant dedicated to the future afterschool program. “It [the $3 million in funds] mainly goes to payroll, start-up
costs for the classrooms and supplies which include educational materials, equipment, and furnishing,” said Dertinger, adding the costs to support the food service vendor for meals. As for the CCAMPIS grant, dedicated to supporting the new School Age program at the center, Dertinger submitted an application to receive the grant in 2020.

The program will serve 14 children ages five to ten for a new after-school program at the center from Monday through Friday from 3-6 P.M. “A lot of CUNY centers do have after-school programs so why couldn’t we have it?” said
Dertinger when asked about the consideration to start the program. “That’s a way to expand services. We get a lot of parents that have five, six, and seven-year-olds but nowhere to put them.”

The grant will also support a new Summer camp program which Dertinger said is projected to start in 2022. Although the center director said grant money could be used to hire and pay staff, it is too early to determine how else it could be used. The UPK program, which already existed at the center since Mayor de Blasio launched Pre-K for All in 2014, is expanding to four classrooms, which house two 3k classrooms and 2 UPK Classrooms in the center at a maximum of 38 seat capacity.

“Just trying to get these things going is a massive undertaking,” said Dertinger, who has been the director at the center since 2019. “With the DOE programming, we were able to raise the bar for staffing qualifications and hire a curriculum coordinator.” According to Dertinger, along with the new set of funding and grants, the York Family and Child Care Center is supported through federal subsidies, the state of New York, City Council funding, and York child care fees
determined by CUNY.