Opportunity House welcomed State Sen. Judy Schwank and State Rep. Manny Guzman to the 2nd Street Learning Center on Friday for a tour of the facility and an opportunity to speak with staff and parents.
The event gave the lawmakers an opportunity to hear firsthand from parents and early childhood educators about the problems Reading area child care centers are facing. Like most child care programs across the country the Second Street Learning Center is just scraping by and only because early educators are paid so little.
“Opportunity House Second Street Learning Center is a Star 4 facility that provides safety, stability and education to the children we serve and their families. Thanks to the dedication of our staff we are able to provide excellent child care with very little financial resources,” president Modesto Fiume said. “The concern is that without access to quality early learning young children will miss out on developmental and academic benefits that can provide lasting impacts on a child’s success later in life.”
“The problems we’ve been seeing nationwide in terms of child care aren’t new, but the pandemic has put a spotlight on them,” Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11th) said. “Having an opportunity to hear from the early childhood educators and parents that are living through these challenges right here in our own community was invaluable for me. It’s important that people hear these stories and understand the scope of this problem. The 2nd Street Learning Center and child care centers like it need our support.”
“The services local daycares provide to the growing families in our area is absolutely vital as they ensure our children are receiving the care they need, while also allowing their parents to pursue their careers and earn a living,” Rep. Manny Guzman (D-127th) said. “These small daycare owners and their employees have faced tremendous adversity over the last several years, and it is crucial that we do everything we can to support these individuals so they may continue to provide high quality childcare for years to come.”
