Milford daycare center tells town council of financial difficulties
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
MILFORD - When the state dropped the child daycare voucher program last year, local not-for-profits were hit hard.
New Beginnings Daycare, Milford, is operating $15,000 in the red due to lack of funds.
New Beginnings board president Deb Gillum and board member Becky Alles attended the Milford Town Council meeting Monday to make the town aware of the daycare's plight.
Gillum also asked for the town to find out when the grant the town applied for on behalf of the daycare for the building expires. Under the grant, 53 percent of their children were supposed to be from "needy" families, Alles said. They've met that, but "now we've lost the support of the state."
Gillum said under the voucher program, the daycare received approximately $25,000 per year to pay for child care for families who otherwise would not be able to afford it. Now "we're running about $15,000 in the red."
Thanks to one person who made a large donation, Gillum said, they are able to meet payroll for now.
"We're running lean and mean but we are doing our best," she said.
As for grant money, Alles said, grants usually are not for operating expenses. They usually are specific and pay for such items as books and programs. The daycare does have fund-raisers, they receive monetary support from United Way and Kiwanis but receive no large corporate support.
"We're just very, very concerned," Alles said.
They also offer summer camp, which is helping. However, typically, Gillum said, the students who use the daycare during the school year don't attend the summer camp.
Alles said they also offer a preschool with a curriculum.
Hours of operation are 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost is approximately $85 per child.
The daycare's next board meeting is Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Alles said they'd like to see the town embrace this daycare and see good things happen there.
"We need to figure out some way to get the community on board with us," she said. [[In-content Ad]]
MILFORD - When the state dropped the child daycare voucher program last year, local not-for-profits were hit hard.
New Beginnings Daycare, Milford, is operating $15,000 in the red due to lack of funds.
New Beginnings board president Deb Gillum and board member Becky Alles attended the Milford Town Council meeting Monday to make the town aware of the daycare's plight.
Gillum also asked for the town to find out when the grant the town applied for on behalf of the daycare for the building expires. Under the grant, 53 percent of their children were supposed to be from "needy" families, Alles said. They've met that, but "now we've lost the support of the state."
Gillum said under the voucher program, the daycare received approximately $25,000 per year to pay for child care for families who otherwise would not be able to afford it. Now "we're running about $15,000 in the red."
Thanks to one person who made a large donation, Gillum said, they are able to meet payroll for now.
"We're running lean and mean but we are doing our best," she said.
As for grant money, Alles said, grants usually are not for operating expenses. They usually are specific and pay for such items as books and programs. The daycare does have fund-raisers, they receive monetary support from United Way and Kiwanis but receive no large corporate support.
"We're just very, very concerned," Alles said.
They also offer summer camp, which is helping. However, typically, Gillum said, the students who use the daycare during the school year don't attend the summer camp.
Alles said they also offer a preschool with a curriculum.
Hours of operation are 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost is approximately $85 per child.
The daycare's next board meeting is Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Alles said they'd like to see the town embrace this daycare and see good things happen there.
"We need to figure out some way to get the community on board with us," she said. [[In-content Ad]]