Syracuse and Onondaga County Proclaimed April 4 “Expand Child Care Day” at Determination Center
See Urban CNY News Video of proclamation and comments
On April 4th from the playroom at the Determination Center childcare program, the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County issued a joint proclamation declaring “Expand Child Care Day.” The announcement comes one week before the opening of applications to the State of New York for $70 million in funding to address “childcare deserts.”
The Determination Center Child Care, is located at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 2200 Valley Drive, Syracuse
Syracuse and Onondaga County are both deemed childcare deserts because of the limited availability of childcare options for families.
The grants will help new childcare providers in underserved areas build their programs, cover startup and personnel costs, recruit, train, and retain staff, and support staff in accessing COVID-19 vaccines. Grant applications will open April 11 and run through May 19, 2022. The City, County and Child Care Solutions of CNY are urging local businesses and organizations to submit applications.
Mayor Ben Walsh “Expand Child Care Day Proclamation” Urban CNY News Video
Those in attendance included: Determination Center staff, Hon. Ben Walsh, Mayor, City of Syracuse; Bettie Graham, Executive Director, The Determination Center; Terry Manning, Finance Chair, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church; Lorie Schakow, Executive Director, Child Care Solutions of CNY; Beth Henderson, Director of Regulatory Services, Child Care Solutions of CNY
According to Executive Director Bettie Graham, “I started in 2008, I just wanted to do something for the community, get the kids off the street. This began at 228 Shonnard Street; I was told that i had to get licensed, in order to do that, so I did that. I don’t just provide childcare, I provide families with food, I provide families with clothing, housing, a little bit of everything. So, you have to support the whole family not just the child, it’s wraparound service. And even extended family when needed.”
This site opened in February 2022. Graham continues, “It’s going to help to get more kids and I can continue services for the young people. This is the pre-K site and I have an afterschool site. That program serves kids ages 5-12 located at 344 East Brighton Avenue. I also have contracted with the Syracuse City School District, i have a site on the other side of the building, it’s an alternative site for people to come to school, that don’t go to regular school.”
Bettie Graham, Executive Director, The Determination Center Urban CNY News Video
Joshua Micheal King, Regional Business Adviser to Childcare Solutions describes his role, “My job as the Regional Business Adviser, is to identify and work with potential providers. Supporting them through training and other opportunities to build sustainable business plans and access the 70 million dollars’ worth of grant funding that is available through Invest in New York Childcare deserts. I work for Childcare Solutions, whose the lead agency for the Office of Family and children services through the State of New York. I have an extensive background in social services as well as childcare and education. It was a great marriage of my skill set being able to manage this opportunity for our community.”
