West Broad Street YMCA Expanding Child Care: How You Can Help

There’s good news for West Savannah families stretched thin because of the economy. While work is hard to come by, more folks are trying to take up jobs to make ends meet.

Finding work often means finding someone to help with the kids. The West Broad Street YMCA is hoping to help fill the gap for more families by expanding their childcare services.

The children who spend the morning reading will soon have a lot more company as the West Broad Street YMCA steps up to help and offers a lending hand.

"We're seeing a big need in the immediate community,” says Peter Doliber, executive director of the West Broad Street YMCA. “We're also seeing people taking multiple jobs rather than one job. We're also seeing grandparents, who were the primary care giver, also having to find work,”

The expanded program is thanks to $10,000 from the city and the county. That money means care for new groups: infants and toddlers in addition to care that's already offered for more than 60 three and four-year olds.

The facility is pretty empty. That's because they have a small budget. They Y can use your help. They need anything from portable cribs, changing tables, diapers, toys for the children, puzzles, blocks...Anything you can think of that a toddler or an infant would use.

And it's more than just a service for parents, it's good for the little ones as well.

"Especially kids from low income areas. If they get this leg up at a very young age, they'll do much better later on. We see so many kids who enter kindergarten and they haven't had that training and the background so they're not as familiar with their colors, shapes, alphabet, reading and it delays them from really getting a good kick start and they get discouraged too quickly,” explains Doliber.

There's a sliding fee scale because many who live in the area are low income. Doliber says they're looking for donations for scholarships so people who truly need the childcare can get it.

If you would like to donate items or money for scholarships or if you're interested in childcare for
your children, call 912-233-1951 or stop at the Y, located at 1110 May Street.