Dutchess Community College Receives Federal Grant to Expand Access to Day Care for Students’ Children

Dutchess Community College Receives Federal Grant to
Expand Access to Day Care for Students’ Children

January 14, 2019 – Dutchess Community College has been awarded a $339,840 federal grant (over four years) to increase the number of students with children who receive support for child care services at the Louis Greenspan Day Care Center on the main campus in Poughkeepsie. The grant was awarded with the support of Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney through the U.S. Department of Education’s Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) Program.

The initiative — Childcare Access for Student Achievement (CASA) — will increase the number of students who receive low- or no-cost child care and will be integrated into the wraparound support services provided through the College’s recently established DCC CARES program, the goal of which is to improve postsecondary persistence and degree completion rates by reducing students’ financial barriers.

Dr. Pamela Edington, president of Dutchess Community College, lauded the initiative. “This grant provides critical resources for parents pursuing a higher education in order to improve opportunities for themselves and their families. With this support, mothers and fathers will be able to attend classes knowing that their young children are receiving exceptional, affordable care at our campus-based day care center.”

“Anyone with kids can tell you how expensive child care is – especially for folks who also are juggling the cost of college,” said Rep. Maloney. “That’s why this investment is so important. Child care costs are the biggest barrier to success for parents who want to pursue higher education. This will solve that problem, and it’s why I wrote to the Department of Education in support of this effort.”

The child care center is supported primarily through non-governmental sources, with 52% of funds coming from parent fees and donations, including support from the Louis Greenspan Charitable Trust. New York State SUNY grants and food program funds account for 30%. The CCAMPIS grant will subsidize nearly 18% of the total costs of the center.

Access to affordable, quality child care is one of the largest barriers parents face in accessing or succeeding in college. The Louis Greenspan Day Care Center was built in 1975 on the main

campus to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the children of enrolled students. With a licensed capacity of 56 children – 24 toddlers ages 18 months to 3 years and 32 preschoolers ages 3 to 5 years, the Greenspan Center is the only center in Dutchess County accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

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Founded in 1957, Dutchess Community College has earned a reputation for providing an outstanding education at the lowest tuition in New York state. Its main campus is in Poughkeepsie, with a satellite campus in Wappingers Falls. For more information, visit www.sunydutchess.edu.

Author: Harlem Valley News