PRSUN Radio chats on the National Puerto Rican Day Parade

Listen to interview with parade chairwoman Madelyn Lugo and press guy Javier Gomez on the National Puerto Rican Day Parade:

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'Bronx Latino Parents Speak Out About Child Care Cuts'

Activism

The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF) recently released a new policy brief entitled, “Bronx Latino Parents Speak Out About Child Care Cuts.” The organization was joined by Council Member Fernando Cabrera, Bronx Latino parents and child care providers who spoke out against the cuts and urged the city to restore funds.
“The Bronx needs more quality child care services slots, not less. Latino children, like all children, deserve the best care possible if they are to be part of New York’s workforce in the future.” said Elba Montalvo, Founder & President/CEO of The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. “We cannot afford to have a short-sighted view of cuts to child care funding. They impact children, parents, child care providers and the economic health of our communities,” said Montalvo.
CHCF prepared the brief to share the perspective of Latino parents in the Bronx, who are being affected by the child care cuts, and provide an opportunity for them to voice their concerns and needs. The brief examines whether 31 Latino parents have the means to deal with a major cut in child care subsidies and the impact that the loss could have on children, parents, providers and the Bronx community. It recommends that the city restore all cuts to child care and support early care as instrumental in the future educational success and well-being of children from low-income families.
“The city’s proposal to further burden these families by drastically reducing child care services is one that we cannot afford. We cannot balance the budget on the backs of our children, and I stand in full support of our providers and families who desperately need these services in order to keep their families afloat,” said Council Member Fernando Cabrera.
Highlights of Survey Findings & Impact:
· When comparing the cost of basic living needs in the Bronx – housing, child care, food, health care, and transportation – to what these Latino parents surveyed make, it is clear that they could not meet their expenses if they had to pay the city’s rate for child care.1

· Many are struggling Latina mothers who make low-wages and may have faced recent unemployment. They work in jobs where it is difficult to take time off for child care. As sole income earners in the household, they are reluctant to quit their jobs and go on public assistance because they cannot find child care.

· For many Latino parents, it will make economic sense to give up the fight, quit their jobs and apply for public assistance. In simple terms, since public assistance recipients are entitled to child care, the city will end up paying child care costs on top of its public assistance budget.

To view the brief, please go to http://bit.ly/jP7Krm.



ABOUT THE COMMITTEE FOR HISPANIC CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, INC.
Since 1982, The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. (CHCF) has been dedicated to improving the quality of life for Latino children and their families. Believing that the most effective way to support Latino families is by building upon their existing strengths and fostering self-sufficiency, CHCF provides a number of programs and services to the community through Youth Development programs and an Early Care & Education Institute. Grounded in its direct services, CHCF is active on the local, state, and national policy levels around issues of child welfare, early care, education, juvenile justice, and the well-being of Latino children. We combine education and advocacy for Latino children and families to expand opportunities, amplify our voice and create shared prosperity for all Americans.

1 Pearce, Diana M. (June 2010). The Self Sufficiency Standard for New York State 2010 , prepared for the New York State Self- Sufficiency Standard Steering Committee. Retrieved from http://www.selfsufficiencystandard.org/docs/New%20York%20State%202010.pdf
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FACT SHEET

Bronx Latino Parents Speak Out About Child Care Cuts

· This policy brief, “Bronx Latino Parents Speak Out About Child Care Cuts,” by The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families, Inc. (CHCF) demonstrates the impact New York City’s budget cuts will have on the early education and care of children of working, poor Latino parents.

· CHCF surveyed Latino parents from the Bronx to understand and document their financial means to sustain reductions in child care subsidies.

· Today, the New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) provides quality, low-cost child care services to approximately 12,486 low-income children in the Bronx, many of whom are Latino.

· The city’s subsidized child care system has recently been threatened with numerous cuts, reductions and fee increases. In the Mayor’s new budget, child care advocates have importantly determined 7,000 fewer children from low income working families will have access to child care next year.


· Of the 119 child care centers now at risk of closure, 24 are located in the Bronx. This new budget will significantly impact Bronx family day care providers who will lose many school age children.

· The vast majority of parents surveyed are single women who are raising several children on their own. 71 percent surveyed reported being single parents. 68 percent reported that their household had included one parent and two children.

· While Latino parents in the Bronx strive to support their children and afford basic necessities, they face the highest level of unemployment in New York State.

· 90 percent of our Latino parents had an annual income of less than $29, 140. Nearly 43 percent earn less than $18,756 per year (or less than $1,563 per month). Some support their children on incomes as meager as $10-12,000 per year. The majority earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

· To be self-sufficient, an adult with an infant and a preschooler would have to spend $1,669 on child care monthly and earn $5,379 monthly or $64,544 annually in the Bronx. In contrast, many Latino parents with two children in the survey earned less than $20,000 annually, and have difficulty paying $20 a month on child care.

· Housing costs are the biggest reasons Latino parents surveyed could not afford child care. In follow-up interviews with three Latino parents about the costs of basic living in the Bronx, two indicated their rent was 48 to 57 percent of their monthly income.

· Nearly 80 percent of our families pay only $5 or less weekly for subsidized childcare and struggle to pay that amount every week.

· Due to the impact of the budget cuts, many Latino parents will have to choose between leaving their children with legally exempt providers, neighbors, relatives or left at home unattended. These are usually considered unsafe options and detrimental for the children’s long-term educational development.

· For other parents, it will make economic sense to give up the fight, quit their jobs and apply for public assistance.

· With the Mayor’s new budget, these children will likely face child care situations that will impact their ability for later educational achievement. The proposed subsidy cut will prevent many low-income Latino children from attending early childhood programs.

· Latino family day care providers in the Bronx have been significantly impacted by the economic situation over the past few years.

· Latino family day providers have a great significance economically to the Bronx community, as they are small businesses that provide jobs and purchase supplies from local businesses. Some will continue with a destabilized program. Many may have to shut down. As a result, hundreds of professionals will be laid off.



Recommendations

· Fully restore any cuts that will destabilize early childhood education- The Mayor and City Council must ensure a full restoration of the $91 million cut, so that child care providers remain fully funded and that future capacity remains in place for Latino children.

· Maintain parent fees at current levels- The Mayor and City Council must restore funding for parents fees so that they can be kept at current levels to minimize the impact to Latino families.


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source: The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families

Puerto Rico Sun: PRSUN Radio chats with Emmy winning standup comedian Mike Robles

Puerto Rico Sun: PRSUN Radio chats with Emmy winning standup comedian Mike Robles

To listen:

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Featured Photo: Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade Queen Krysti Ogando

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Krysti grew up in Puerto Rico and moved to the Bronx five years ago. She represented the town of Caguas in the Bronx pageant. She has an interest in communications and looks forward to the parade Sunday.

(photo of Krysti Ogando at the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Festival by Fonseca Fotography)

(NOTE: The May 15th Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade has been cancelled due to rain, president Francisco Gonzalez confirmed. New date to be determined.)

Street games are back

Community calendar

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 4th annual Street Games at Thomas Jefferson Park in Harlem, on May 7th

Parks is bringing classic back with games from the '60s and '70s! New activities this year include:

Street Hockey
Soccer Clinics
Sky Bounce Handball Clinics
Learn to Ride Your Bike (must bring your own bike)

And make sure to check out special guest appearances by:

Knicks Legends John Starks, Charles Smith, and Cal Ramsey
Meet these NY stars and get their autograph from noon – 2:00 p.m.
TV Reporter Carolina Leid (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Dance Theatre of Harlem

This event is FREE and open to all ages.

Street Games
Saturday, May 7, 2011
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson Park
114th Street off of 1st Avenue
Rain* or shine

*In the event of rain, Street Games will be moved indoors to the Thomas Jefferson Recreation Center located in the park.