April 24 update:

Scholarships available for child care for essential workers

New York State is using a portion of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funds to provide child care to income eligible essential workers at no cost. Essential workers who must work outside of the home and who are using a regulated child care provider will receive a scholarship for the cost of care as long as the funds to support it are available. All licensed and regulated providers who are caring for essential workers are able to participate in this new program.

In order to qualify for the scholarship, families must have an adjusted gross income at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four that equals an annual income of $78,600. 

Parents are asked to complete the following application for the CARES Child Care Scholarship via the link below. It informs parents that the application will be considered complete once the online application is finished AND the required supplemental documentation is submitted to Brightside Up, the Childcare Resource and Referral Agency (CCRA) for Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady counties. For parents that currently receive a subsidy from their local DSS to pay for child care, this scholarship can cover the parent co-pay. Parents should apply for the CARES Act Scholarship, and then contact their local Department of Social Services to get a letter stating their current co-pay. Please address any questions to Tricia Howland at thowland@brightsideup.org.

Click here for the COVID-19 CARES Child Care Scholarship Application

March 31 update: 

Y providing child care for infants, toddlers, preschoolers

March 25 update:

Parent need for child care survey

If you are a parent or caregiver who needs child care, please complete this New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) parent need for child care survey.
Based on the information you provide about your job, employer, number of children, and financial need, OCFS may be able to help you find the child care program you need. It may be a challenge to find child care due to COVID-19-related program closures. However, the staff at OCFS are trying their best to support families to find the high-quality child care that they need.
In addition, the OCFS website has several resources available.

Here is a helpful local resource

If you are looking for child care, the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (CCRR) is a great place to start. They will ask you about the kind of care you are looking for, the ages of your children, the hours of care you need and other specifics such as any special needs your child might have. Based on that information, they will be able to give you a list of providers that most closely meet your needs.
Please contact:
Brightside Up (formally Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council, Inc.)
Ms. Abbe Kovacik, Executive Director
91 Broadway
Menands, NY 12204
Phone: (518) 426-7181, ext. 323
Fax: (518) 426-9649
Email: akovacik@cdcccc.org
Website: https://www.brightsideup.org/

March 23, 2020: Y expands child care to include essential workers

The Capital District YMCA announced on March 23, 2020, that they have expanded their child care efforts, in addition to providing such services for emergency workers, to support Gov. Cuomo’s updated list of essential workers.

For purposes of Executive Order 202.6, “Essential Business,” means:

1. Essential health care operations, including:

• research and laboratory services
• hospitals
• walk-in-care health facilities
• emergency veterinary and livestock services
• medical wholesale and distribution
• home health care workers or aides for the elderly
• doctor and emergency dental
• nursing homes, or residential health care facilities or congregate care facilities
• medical supplies and equipment manufacturers and providers

2. Essential infrastructure, including:

• utilities including power generation, fuel supply and transmission
• public water and wastewater
• telecommunications and data centers
• airports/airlines
• hotels, and places of accommodation

3. Essential manufacturing, including:

• food processing, manufacturing agents, including all foods and beverages
• chemicals
• medical equipment/instruments
• pharmaceuticals
• sanitary products
• telecommunications
• microelectronics/semi-conductor
• agriculture/farms
• household paper products

4. Essential retail, including:

• grocery stores including all food and beverage stores
• pharmacies
• convenience stores
• farmer’s markets
• gas stations
• restaurants/bars (but only for take-out/delivery)
• hardware and building material stores

5. Essential services, including:

• trash and recycling collection, processing and disposal
• mail and shipping services
• laundromats
• building cleaning and maintenance
• child care services
• auto repair
• warehouse/distribution and fulfillment
• funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries
• storage for essential businesses
• animal shelters

6. News media

7. Financial institutions, including:

• banks
• insurance
• payroll
• accounting
• services related to financial markets

8. Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations, including:

• homeless shelters and congregate care facilities
• food banks
• human services providers whose function includes: the direct care of patients in state-licensed or funded voluntary programs; the care, protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in state-licensed residential facilities; those operating community shelters, and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support

9. Construction, including:

• skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers
• other related construction firms and professionals for essential infrastructure or for emergency repair and safety purposes

10. Defense:

• defense and national security-related operations supporting the U.S. government or a contractor to the U.S. government

11. Essential services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences or other essential businesses, including:

• law enforcement
• fire prevention and response
• building code enforcement
• security
• emergency management and response
• building cleaners or janitors
• general maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor
• automotive repair
• disinfection

12. Vendors that provide essential services or products, including logistics and technology support, child care and services:

• logistics
• technology support for online services
• child care programs and services
• government owned or leased buildings
• essential government services

For the complete list, visit: https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026

YMCA branches that are providing child care:
Bethlehem — 900 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054
Duanesburg — 221 Victoria Drive, Delanson, NY 12053
Glenville — 127 Droms Road, Glenville, NY 12302
Greenbush — 20 Community Way, East Greenbush, NY 12061
Greene County — 35 Rt. 81, Hope Plaza, West Coxsackie, NY 12192
Guilderland — 250 Winding Brook Drive, Guilderland, NY 12084
Schenectady — 433 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12305
Southern Saratoga — 1 Wall Street, Clifton Park, NY 12065
Troy — 2500 21st Street, Troy, NY 12180

Online registration can be found at: www.CDYMCA.org/EmergencyChildcare or call the Capital District YMCA at 518-869-3500.

In Albany, locations providing child care include:
Arbor Hill Elementary — 1 Arbor Drive, Albany, NY 12207
Eagle Point Elementary — 1044 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203
Giffen Elementary — 274 South Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12202
Hoosick Falls Central School — 21187 NY RT 22, Hoosick Falls, NY 12090
New Scotland Elementary — 369 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208
Philip Schuyler Achievement — 676 Clinton Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
Sheridan Preparatory Academy — 400 Sheridan Avenue, Albany, NY 12206

More information from the Y:

“To provide child care scholarship assistance for essential personnel during these unprecedented times, the Capital District YMCA sets a goal to raise $250,000 towards the BETTER TOGETHER FUND, an emergency childcare fund for essential personnel as defined by Governor Cuomo.

“The Y always accepts families, regardless of their ability to pay. By contributing to the BETTER TOGETHER FUND, the people of our region will make a direct and immediate impact by helping the Y provide safe, high quality care for children whose parents and guardians have no choice but to report to work. ‘This is an opportunity for us to come together for our first responders, medical professionals, and essential workers, and help care for their children and lighten their financial burden, as they must report to work and keep our community healthy and safe,’ noted Capital District YMCA President David Brown.

“Please join the Capital District YMCA by demonstrating how we come together and serve those who need us the most. Visit www.CDYMCA.org today.” 

BKW partnering with YMCA to provide child care for essential health care workers