Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Queens) and District Council 1707 AFSCME celebrated the saving of seven Queens day care centers from budget cuts today, preventing harmful cuts to early childhood education and saving dozens of jobs. Last night a budget deal was announced to keep 31 ACS run child care centers open.
“Restoration of these proposed cuts was the right thing to do for our working families that are trying so hard to create a better future for their children. I thank District Council 1707 for their hard work and perseverance on bringing this issue to the forefront in budget negotiations. With all parties working together, we were able to achieve success,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall.
“The early, formative years are so important to a child’s development and success later in life,” said Councilman Gioia. “Every child should have access to quality day care. These cuts didn’t make sense and would have only come back to hurt New York later on.”
Late Monday evening, the City announced it had reached a deal to save 31 child care centers run by ACS workers. The $8 million deal would save classrooms for hundreds of kids, along with saving 93 jobs in tough economic times.
Currently, the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) provides center-based child care to 22,000 low-income children ages two through five in over 300 child care centers that are fully funded by ACS.
The seven saved day care centers in Queens are:
· Queensbridge DCC (Queensbridge/Long Island City)
· Better Community Life DCC (Corona)
· Malcolm X DCC (Corona)
· Omega Psi Phi Frat ECEC (Ozone Park)
· Laurelton Springfield (Jamaica)
· Hammel Child Care Center (Rockaway Beach)
· National Sorority Phi Delta ECEC (Jamaica)
