Blog for July 7, 2008

July 7, 2008
Yes… I know that I’m late up-dating the blog; please forgive me. So much is happening in the child care world it’s hard to keep up with everything. Thanks for bearing with us.

On a sad note, last week I learned that I lost a friend. Dottie Millard and I served together briefly on the Board of Directors of the New York State Child Care Coordinating Council (NYSCCCC). The Council is a state wide organization of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&R’s). In the early 90’s Dottie served a term as the President of the Board and as interim Executive Director during our search for an Executive Director. I served as chair of the personnel committee. During that period the Council successfully led an initiative to have legislation passed and funded that would provide funds for every county in New York State to have at least one CCR&R program. Dottie was one of the warriors in the battle to get that legislation passed. CCR&R agencies work to expand the availability of child care services throughout the state. They work to raise the level of understanding, among our legislators, that the provision of safe, affordable and accessible child care is a fundamental need for all families. We continue to benefit from the work that Dottie did, together with many others too numerous to name here. Dottie Millard was as fine a person as you could ever meet. I pray her soul safe passage into the next life and I offer my heartfelt condolences to her family.

On another sad note, but in a different vein, the Irving Place Child Care Center closed its doors as a child care program about two weeks ago. It seems that they couldn’t hold up under the exorbitant cost of operating the center; most notably for rent and utilities. I understand that Assemblywoman Annette Robinson kept Con Edison at bay for as long as she could, but it was a losing battle. There was no way that the center would ever be able to afford the Con Ed bills.
It appears that Council Member Letitia James was instrumental in helping another local, private group work out an agreement with the owner/landlord and removing the Irving Place group. For me the sad part of this is that we have lost another community based organization led by people of color as we continue the gentrification of Clinton Hill and other parts of central Brooklyn. Our elected officials seem unwilling or unable to pay attention to the details of these situations and to offer real help and support when the media is not near by. In addition, there seems to be a strategy, by government types, to portray the leaders of these failed organizations as villains, inept or poor managers; instead of acknowledging the situation for what it is. As the economy continues to spiral downward, these small groups simply lack the money, resources and government access to maintain their organizations.

On behalf of childcarebusinessconnections.com and the local community, I want to thank Ms. Beverly Johnson and the Board of Directors of the Irving Place Center for the many years of quality child care services that they have provided to the Clinton Hill community.
I hope that you enjoyed your 4th of July holiday, now the summer is really upon us.