SUNY Chancellor King Announces Child Care Center Opening at Jamestown Community College
October 1, 2024
New Center Offers Nearly 50 Spots for Students’ Children During School Year; Part of $10.8 Million Effort by Governor Hochul and SUNY to Address Child Care Deserts
Olean, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the opening of a new child care center at Jamestown Community College. The center offers nearly 50 spots during the school year and 100 over the summer months for students’ children, providing new child care options in one of New York’s child care deserts.
The center’s inauguration is part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s $10.8 million commitment to establish child care centers on SUNY campuses, from which Jamestown Community College received $1.7 million, to address child care deserts and expand access to affordable child care across the state.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "Affordable child care is imperative for students who are also parents to attend classes and finish their degrees, as well as for the residents of Jamestown who depend on child care to remain in the workforce and provide for their families. There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, including student-parents, and we are proud to work with Governor Hochul to ensure every parent seeking an education has the child care they need to succeed."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "SUNY child care centers make a huge difference for our student parents—helping them get their college degree while their children are cared for by professionals a stone’s throw from their classrooms. We are pleased to continue and expand this program so that more people have the opportunity to further their education, and pursue their dreams."
New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, "Governor Hochul’s strategic investments in child care services have far reaching societal impacts, benefitting the youngest to eldest New Yorkers. OCFS is excited to support the expansion of child care centers and the collective efforts to reduce barriers to obtaining affordable education and ultimate self-sufficiency. By partnering with SUNY Chancellor King, SUNY students will have access to convenient, high-quality child care centers right on campus."
Jamestown Community College President Daniel DeMarte said, "At Jamestown Community College, we are committed to supporting our students’ success both inside and outside the classroom. The opening of the Early Learning Center is a significant step in addressing the real challenges many of our students face in balancing their education with their family responsibilities. By providing affordable, high-quality childcare, we’re ensuring that our student parents have the resources they need to succeed in their academic and personal lives. We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership and the state’s investment in making this a reality for our community, and we thank SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. for his continued support of student-centered initiatives across the state."
Jamestown Community College Executive Director of Cattaraugus County Campus Paula Snyder said, "It has been a privilege working alongside the YMCA Twin Tiers to bring this vital service to our campus. The expertise and support provided by their team, especially Executive Director Jeff Townsend, have been instrumental in ensuring that we offer a nurturing and enriching environment for our students' children. The YMCA's longstanding commitment to community development and child care aligns perfectly with our goals, and their input has been invaluable in shaping the center’s operations. We look forward to continuing this strong partnership to serve the families of our college and the broader Olean community."
Jeff Townsend, CEO of the YMCA of the Twin Tiers, highlighted the organization's essential role in child development and early learning. He stated, "The YMCA is a crucial link in the chain of child development. We aim to be the leading provider of safe, nurturing, and affordable childcare in our region." He emphasized the YMCA's mission to strengthen kids, families, and communities through crucial programs and services. Townsend expressed excitement about the new Early Learning Center, viewing it as a significant partnership between the YMCA and JCC, and a vital resource for non-traditional students and families in need of child care services.
The New York State investment was part of Governor Hochul's 2023 Budget and her wide-reaching initiative to ensure that students, faculty, and staff on all SUNY campuses have access to high-quality child care centers. Demand for child care spots has risen significantly, and on some campuses, as many as 80% of students with dependents report they have trouble meeting their child care needs.
The new early learning center on Jamestown Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus reflects the college’s mission to foster educational opportunities for all students, including those with young children. The center is designed to offer flexible, affordable care that caters to the unique needs of student parents, allowing them to pursue their academic goals without sacrificing the care and well-being of their families. The center will serve as a critical resource in the region, helping to close the gap in child care availability in New York's rural areas.
Jamestown Community College has partnered with the YMCA Twin Tiers for several years, collaborating on various initiatives, including utilizing YMCA facilities for the college’s physical education complex. As the need for child care became more apparent among JCC’s student population, this existing relationship made the YMCA a natural fit to help expand child care services on campus. With their extensive experience in managing childcare centers, the YMCA has been instrumental in shaping the operations of the new Early Learning Center.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, SUNY child care centers offered 4,021 spots for children across 47 centers, serving 596 student parents as well as children of faculty, staff, and community members.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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