Palatine YMCA Reopens Daycare For Healthcare Workers

Press release from the YMCA:

April 6 2020

CHICAGO, IL – Emergency childcare will soon be available for the children of first responders and crucial medical workers battling to save coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in Chicago. The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago announced today that it is rapidly preparing two of its local Y centers, closed since Tuesday, March 17, 2020, amid COVID-19 concerns, to support essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic with their childcare needs. The endeavor is the latest in a string of efforts initiated by the Y to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus.

Starting Monday, April 6, the Y will reopen its Irving Park YMCA in the city and Buehler YMCA in Palatine to each receive 50 children aged between 5-12 years. First responders and health care workers will be able to drop off their children at one of the two locations for childcare assistance from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm allowing them to focus on providing essential services for the City of Chicago as it fights to contain COVID-19.

“Our nurses, doctors, paramedics, police, and firefighters are our first line of defense in this global health crisis and they are working tirelessly to reduce the devastating impact of this virus. But they have families to take care of too. This is the time to band together and pool our resources to help each other. The Y knows childcare. And we firmly believe that during times of need, it is our responsibility as a community organization to step up and lend a helping hand to those who need it,” said Denise Lam, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.

The Y will enforce a number of precautionary measures to ensure a safe environment for the children and staff, including:

• take the temperature of everyone - children and adults – upon entry,
• confirm with each participant and staff member that they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms,
• verify that there has not been any recent contact with anyone known to have COVID-19,
• eliminate large group activities,
• reduce group sizes to no more than 10 people total in a room,
• plan activities that do not require close physical contact,
• increase the distance between children during table work,
• serving meals and snacks in the classrooms to avoid congregating in large groups,
• segment large spaces such as gymnasiums and multi-purpose rooms into multiple sections to maintain a minimum of 6 feet distance,
• keep groups consistent throughout the day and, as far as possible, maintain the same groups from day to day to reduce the risk of potential cross exposure, and
• arrange for nightly deep cleaning at each site.

“We wouldn’t be offering childcare services if we didn’t feel we could maintain social distancing and keep the children and our valued staff safe. Rest assured that if anyone starts exhibiting symptoms, we will immediately remove and isolate that individual and call their family for immediate pick-up. If the individual is later confirmed to have COVID-19, we will contact the local health authority to identify all those who have had close contact with the patient for immediate quarantine. In this case, shutting down the entire program, whether temporarily or permanently, on the advice of local health experts, will also not be ruled out,” added Lam.

The Emergency Response childcare Program will cost $60 per child per day and will cover the cost of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and an afternoon snack for all participants, as well as staff salaries. The Y will be bringing back some recently furloughed Y staff - the same experienced childhood education and care professionals who typically keep young minds active and learning during the Y’s afterschool and School Days Out programming. Children will receive structured programming taken from the Y’s camp and afterschool curriculum, which includes physical activity, arts and crafts, and homework help.

Interested families are advised to register immediately as vacancies will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Financial assistance is available in certain situations and parents are advised to call Member Services at 773-905-5115 (M-F: 8 am -7 pm). The YMCA exists to serve the needs of its families and communities and believes that a family should never be denied access to services because of an inability to pay. The Y is reaching out to families in other communities to gauge interest in potentially offering the same program out of its other locations if needed.

Providing childcare to the children of first responders and front line health care workers is one example of how the Y is helping the community combat and endure the COVID-19 pandemic. The nonprofit’s other emergency response work includes repurposing some of its city sites into emergency shelters to house and help hundreds of displaced and homeless individuals practice social distancing and keep safe (see press release). The community organization also launched Y On The Go, (see press release) a new online resource of on-demand videos featuring family activities and fitness classes to help individuals stay active and healthy, and young minds learning and inspired when a visit to the local Y is not possible.

About the YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO

The YMCA of Metro Chicago is an association of 17 Y centers, five overnight camps, and dozens of extension sites located in the city and across the suburbs. We serve more than 200,000 members annually and help children, families, and communities learn, grow, and thrive through programs that promote academic readiness, character development, violence prevention, and fitness and healthy living. Our impact is felt every day when an individual makes a healthy choice, when a mentor inspires a child, and when a community comes together for the common good. Learn about how the Y is working for a better us at ymcachicago.org.

This press release was produced by the YMCA. The views expressed here are the author’s own