OLEAN, N.Y. — The YMCA of the Twin Tiers and SUNY Jamestown Community College are partnering to offer child care on JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus in downtown Olean. The JCC YMCA Early Learning Center is scheduled to open this fall with the capacity to serve up to 56 children.
“The YMCA of the Twin Tiers takes great pride in supporting the building blocks for early learning, as well as the physical, social and emotional development of the little people in our local communities,” explained Jeff Townsend, CEO of the YMCA of the Twin Tiers. “We feel passionately that all children should have the same opportunities to grow and develop and reach their full potential. To that end, this new Early Learning Center on the JCC campus will be a beacon for families and children in the community. In addition, this center removes a potential roadblock for JCC students that may need a safe place for their children to go while they are taking classes and pursuing their higher education.”
“Our partnership with the YMCA is a perfect example of what collaboration looks like in removing barriers to higher education and to employment,” added Holger Ekanger, JCC’s vice president of Workforce Development. “The childcare center strengthens economic development allowing individuals and families to build a better future for themselves and their families”
The first floor of the Technology Center on campus at 260 N. Union St. in Olean is in the end stages of being transformed into a child-friendly environment. The renovation includes five classrooms – two for ages 6 weeks to 18 months, two for ages 18-36 months, and one for ages 3-5. An outdoor playground will also be constructed in the green space next to the center.
New York state granted JCC $1.2 million in fall 2022 to develop child care centers on its Cattaraugus County and Jamestown campuses. The award was part of a $15.6 million state investment to address child care deserts across State University of New York and City University of New York campuses.
The Office of Children and Family Services licensed child care site will provide an educational year-round curriculum based program open 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The nursery and preschool curriculums include kindergarten readiness skills, arts and crafts, outdoor play, physical movement, and more. Nutritious meals and snacks will be provided.
Child care discounts and financial assistance are available. YMCA family members receive an additional discount when enrolling. Department of Social Services child care subsidies will be accepted at the center, as well as YMCA scholarships for families that do not qualify for subsidies. SUNY JCC scholarship funds and financial assistance for families commuting from Pennsylvania are also available.
Child registration priority is given to new and current JCC students. Those wishing to apply to JCC can do so at sunyjcc.edu/Apply.
“As our YMCA continues to expand our child care footprint in the community, we are definitely excited to be collaborating with Jamestown Community College,” stated Brianna Simms, Executive Director of Child Care. “Knowing that there is a shortage of childcare openings in Cattaraugus County, we are thrilled to see this project come to fruition and provide opportunities to local families seeking licensed child care. Located right on campus, the center features five classrooms and will have dedicated educators to help support long-term academic and social success for all children. This unique partnership will provide affordable, high-quality education-based early learning to the Olean community.”
The mission of the YMCA is youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The JCC Early Learning Center will address all three of these impact areas. All programs incorporate health and wellness into the curriculum to ensure children are developing healthy habits that will shape a lifetime of wellness.
All YMCA Early Learning Staff must undergo an FBI clearance, state criminal background check and child abuse clearance. Staff receive 30 hours of annual training, including child abuse, fire safety, water safety, and pediatric first Aaid/CPR. Staff are also trained with “Darkness to Light.”
For more information, to register your child, or to inquire about employment, contact Brianna Simms, Executive Director of New York State Child Care for the YMCA of the Twin Tiers at 585.593.3246 or BriannaS@TwinTiersYMCA.org.