Child care is the first recipient of Utica Prosperity Initiative's millions in public funds

Observer-Dispatch - 10/22/2021

The projects for the first phase of the Utica Prosperity Initiative were released in June, but the first implementation — complete with an oversized check — was announced Thursday morning.

The United Way of the Mohawk Valley will receive $488,000 to expand hours at child care provider Academics First on weekdays, along with adding weekend coverage.

Academics First currently offers child care from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, but will be able to expand coverage to 9 p.m. with the additional funds. Weekend coverage will be added from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Child care was the city's most supported project as part of the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative, a city statement said. '

"If you're going to lift people out of poverty, child care is the number one resource that we need to have," said Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri.

The announcement was an exciting one for the partnership with the city and Academics First, said Erin Gutierrez Matt, executive director of the United Way of the Mohawk Valley.

"In this instance, we're really excited to continue our partnership with Academics First and to help Academics First expand their operating hours to when the community actually needs them," Matt said.

Academics First, which operates on the first floor of the DeSales Center on Genesee Street, offers child care from 6 weeks to 12 years old, including care before and after school for children old enough. Different age ranges are housed in different classrooms in the renovated space, equipped with a kitchen, showers and other amenities.

The program was the idea of Kathy Hughes, a pastor at Deliverance First Ministries, and paid for through ESPRI funds, said Dietra Harvey, ESPRI administrator at Academics First.

"We're always looking for the forward action — how can we support various aspects of people, individuals and needs in our community and at Academics First we have a little bit of that in every single way," Harvey said.

From the inception of Academics First, the program estimated it would need 30 employees and has hired about 20 so far, Harvey said. The funding will fill some of those remaining positions as well as open up part-time employment opportunities.

"One of the things we're looking at is getting people an opportunity to have extra income," Harvey said. "So when those folks who are working full time right now, they don't want to particularly leave a job to come to a job but they want extra hours, we will have part-time positions available."

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The expansion of child care is part of $12 million of funding earmarked for the first phase of the Utica Prosperity Initiative. The initiative took public input on the greatest needs to be met by local, state and federal funding, including more than $60 million from the American Rescue Plan.

The city will announce implementation of the remaining projects in the initiatives first phase, along with unveiling the second phase projects, next week.

Steve Howe is the city reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. Email him at showe@gannett.com.