Feb 4, 2010 4:46 pm US/Pacific
YMCA Helps Bay Area Residents Save On Childcare
PLESANT HILL (CBS 5) ―
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It was a grim scene both inside and outside a Montclair, N.J., YMCA on June 26 after a man shot his ex-wife in front of their 11-year-old daughter following a dispute.
CBS
Gone are the old days, when people thought of the YMCA as just a swim and gym. You can add on childcare as a Bay Area benefit.
The Mt. Diablo Region runs 21 preschool and school age sites. All day and after school programs operate in cities like Antioch, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Alamo and San Ramon. Like a lot of programs, the economy has made its mark.
More and more families qualify for "scholarships" as they're called - financial aid from the YMCA or county. Of the 600 children enrolled, the Mt. Diablo Region says half of its parents get some help for childcare.
Oscar Sanchez's daughter Natalie, has been a preschooler at the YMCA for almost a year. The landscaper said every dollar counts.
"It's less stress, paying bills and meeting rent," said Sanchez. "It helps us save a little bit more money."
In the Bay Area, the East Bay YMCA runs 50 sites in west Contra Costa and most of Alameda County. Silicon Valley has 90 childcare and after school programs, and San Francisco operates almost 50.
Rett Turner Preschool in Pleasant Hill operates 5 days a week, from 7am until 6pm. Fees may vary from location to location. In Pleasant Hill it's $770 a month for fulltime childcare.
But the YMCA says families that can't afford that can sign up for the scholarships, which are based on gross income and the number of people in the family. They may cover or subsidize as much as half the cost.
But for as much as the YMCA gives away, it must also make.
"We have a campaign every year called the Strong Kids campaign to go out meet and greet people," said Rick Callaway of the Mt. Diablo Region YMCA. "Foundations give grants, so it's all about finding money to make it work."
For many families, it works well.
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