The YMCA of Greater Monmouth County is responding to meet emergency needs during the COVID-19 crisis. Families of first responders and other essential workers in the community can now turn to the Y for emergency child care.
The Y has received state approval to temporarily reopen its licensed child care center at the Freehold Family YMCA for children of essential workers, according to a press release.
Emergency child care is available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for children 3 months to 13 years old, and families do not need to be YMCA members to enroll, according to the press release.
“The Y is pleased to offer our hard-working essential workers a safe place for their children to learn and thrive,” President and CEO Laurie Goganzer said. “We recognize the hardship these families are facing during this crisis and we hope we can provide some comfort and peace of mind.”
Families are asked to bring their own labeled meals and snacks.
The Y is licensed to accommodate up to 40 children per day. Registration information is on the Y website and 48 hours advance notice is required. The fee is $60 per day, however, the state is currently subsidizing the cost of child care for essential workers. Scholarship and program subsidies are also available from the Y based on financial need, according to the press release.
For more information, visit www.ymcanj.org
In addition to providing emergency child care, the Y is shifting work to support critical needs in the community during the COVID-19 crisis, according to the press release.
The Y is assisting the American Red Cross with blood drives and hosting simultaneous “drop and go” food collections to support Fulfill, Lunch Break and other agencies.
The Y’s Freehold Borough Community Center is now a site for distributing crisis food boxes to families in need on behalf of Fulfill, a food bank that serves Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Additionally, much of the Y’s behavioral health care, including mental health and addiction recovery, along with social services, are now being offered remotely through telephone and video conferencing, according to the press release.