ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Summer means school's out, the kids are at home and families are looking to take vacations. How does all of this impact families looking for affordable child care options?
During the summer, you’ll find Sabrina Chandler staying cool at the neighborhood splash pad with her five grandkids.
“Every time they come over they want to go to the waterpark," said Chandler.
She's watching them while her daughter goes to work. She says her daughter’s had trouble finding reliable child care options.
“Sometimes it is, you don’t know who to trust nowadays," said Chandler.
It’s a growing problem for parents across the state. In New York, 60% of people live in a child care desert. That means they lack a safe place for their kid to spend time, especially in the summer.
To help combat that, Volunteers of America in Rochester is opening more rooms in their child care center. Right now, 150 kids are enrolled in day care services with VOA. The new rooms have space for 96 more kids.
“School’s closed, parents need to go to work, learning loss is a huge issue," said Dr. Junior Dillion, president and CEO of Volunteers of America. “We keep learning going, some of the vital skills kids need to learn they need to be reiterated during the summer."
VOA works with the county, state and partners in Rochester to receive funding. It helps the center offer low-cost and no-cost subsidized care options for families.