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CB 1 Approves Child Care Center As Population Of Queens Grows

The Queens Gazette - 12/3/2017

The population in Queens has grown to more than 2.3 million, according to a July 2016 estimate by the U.S. Census, and 132,464 children under five years of age (5.9 percent) are counted in that total making day/child care a necessity for many Queens working parents.

Community Board 1 approved an application to acquire current property for Queensbridge Early Childhood Development Center, a provider of child care services to children ages two to five years old, for its continued use as a child care center.

The application was submitted by the city Administration for Children's Services (ACS) and Department for Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) for the property, located at 38-11 27th St. (Block 386, Lot 7), under provisions of the City Charter at the November 21 CB 1 meeting held at Astoria World Manor.

Administered by Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens with eligibility determined by ACS and fees on a sliding scale based on family income, the center seeks to promote children's educational, physical and cognitive growth.

Child care and early childhood care play an important role in children's development. With free, full-day pre-kindergarten to 70,000 4-year-olds at Department of Education (DOE) public schools and community-based organizations in the city, the DOE is implementing expanding pre-kindergarten programs to include three-year olds by 2021.

Beginning in the 2018-19 School Year "3-K for All" will start in Queens' District 27 (Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Rockaways) and in District 29 (Cambria Heights, Hollis, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans) in 2020-21.

"The research is crystal clear: as powerful as one year of pre-K is, two years has an even greater impact," said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña in an October 12 press release. "It also provides an added year of much-needed child care to families."

In other business, Borough President Melinda Katz is accepting applications from qualified, community-minded individuals who would like to serve on one of the borough's 14 community boards.

"Serving on a community board is a significant commitment, demanding in both time and energy," said Katz in a November 9 press release. "Civic-minded residents interested in playing a larger role in the governance of the city, helping to ensure the delivery of municipal services and serving Queens families and neighborhoods are encouraged to apply."

The application is online at www.queensbp.org/community-boards. The deadline for new applicants is January 12, 2018. A two-year term of office begins April 1, 2018.

For more information call Borough President Katz' Office at 718-286-2900.