Schumer announces $750,000 investment toward affordable child care in Broome County

BINGHAMTON (WBNG) -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was in Binghamton Friday afternoon to announce he has secured a major investment towards affordable child care in Broome County.

Schumer secured $750,000 of federal funding to create access to affordable child care for local working families.

Schumer said the new federal funding he secured will directly tackle these problems by strengthening the Broome County Urban League’s childcare programs.

Currently, the Urban League serves about 200 children per year through its after-school and summer programs. But with the $750,000 Schumer secured, as well as their new partnership with the Leadership Alliance and the United Way of Broome County, the Urban League estimates it could add up to 475 additional childcare slots, more than doubling their capacity for daycare, toddler, and afterschool childcare.

Broome County Urban League CEO & President Jennifer Lesko said she is excited about the investment and looking forward to working with other childcare providers in the area.

“We really want to continue to rebuild New York and rebuild Broome County and this is the only way we can do it,” said Lesko “We want to make sure that we work with all of the providers in the area so we can all work together and make childcare a necessity for all.”

Schumer said with job openings increasing in the Greater Binghamton area, affordable child care will help parents be able to capitalize on these opportunities.

“If we are going to have lots of new jobs then we are going to need lots of new workers,” said Schumer. “What is one of the main things holding back the labor force? The lack of childcare.”

Specifically, the $750,000 in funding will help the Urban League expand its operations in Binghamton and Johnson City, provide tuition assistance for their programs to families in need and train new child staff to accommodate the new slots available for their programs.

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