Dear Friends:

Our main mission at the 1199SEIU Child Care Funds and Corporation is to ensure access to quality, affordable child-care and youth programs to 1199SEIU members and the community at large. I am happy that the Child Care team is moving forward with that charge to help meet the demands of today.

This season’s newsletter highlights the different ways that our programs positively impact youth and families, from our Future of America Learning Center (FALC) graduates this past summer declaring “When I Grow Up, I Want to Be…” as they made their way to kindergarten, to sending over 700 children to sleep-away camp for an unforgettable experience. You will also meet Ashley and Sandip, who both graduated as registered nurses after participating in our Youth Mentoring Program and WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN programs, respectively. Both also benefited from our Joseph Tauber Scholarship Program to help with college costs. I’m so proud of how many lives we have touched and the successes that come along with this.

On November 14, we hosted our 16th annual Care for Kids Gala, where we had the honor of celebrating City University of New York Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and the cultural institution that is Harlem School of the Arts. We were able to raise funds for our Child Care Corporation programs, while recognizing individuals and institutions that share our love for community, and highlighting all the amazing work that we do.

With 2024 underway, we remain committed to not only making child care accessible for working parents—as it should be—but also providing our youth enriching programs and services. This includes the addition of a Child Care app for an easy application process and one-stop shopping for accessing information, providing child-care programs for Home Care members and piloting additional youth programs that give more exposure to healthcare careers.

Enjoy the newsletter and watch us get to work!

Sincerely,

Rossmery Dais
Executive Director, 1199SEIU Child Care Funds
President, 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation

On Friday, June 23, 2023, the Future of America Learning Center (FALC) proudly celebrated the highly anticipated graduation of 45 students among our three pre-K classrooms with an in-person event on site.

Each classroom’s presentation included a medley of rich activities, profound tributes and expressive slideshows reflective of the school year.

Among the pre-K classrooms, the children presented a lively showcase of song, dance and declaration of their career goals of “When I Grow Up, I Want to Be…” while being cheered on by supportive families, friends, teachers and 1199SEIU Child Care Funds staff.

Parent representatives, teachers and leadership expressed warm memories, thoughtful sentiments, positive anecdotes and heartfelt testimonials about their FALC experience and personal aspirations for the children.

The children were visibly proud, engaged and joyful in their time to shine individually and as a classroom community.

We are confident that our FALC scholars, our rising kindergartners, have a strong academic foundation, nurturing socio-emotional support and substantial value system to soar and achieve their self-proclaimed dreams.

The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) Prep Program prepares seventh- and eighth-grade students for the admissions test for entry into one of New York City’s nine specialized high schools.
Throughout the semesters, students attended admissions workshops, worked through practice materials and learned test-taking strategies to strengthen their skill sets in specialized interest areas as they geared up for the test in November 2023.

The 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation’s 16th annual Care for Kids Gala was held on November 14, 2023, at The Current at Chelsea Piers. The event’s theme was “Empowering Families, One Generation at a Time,” reflecting how our impact stands the test of time in helping families balance their essential work and family life.

The event was chaired by Nadine Williamson, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. In addition to hosting distinguished guests and community members, our gala honored Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez of The City University of New York, and Harlem School of the Arts for their extraordinary commitment to the children and students of New York City.

The 2023 event raised over $300,000 for CCF and CCC programming. We were honored to be joined in person by many of our colleagues and community members to celebrate all that we have accomplished, and look forward to many more years of uplifting our youth, their families and our communities. Thank you to all who supported our programs this year, and we look forward to seeing you November 20, 2024, for the 17th annual Care for Kids Gala!

To donate to our programs, please visit www.ChildCareCorp.org/donate.

As a new graduate Registered Nurse, I would like to thank 1199SEIU and the Youth Mentoring Program (YMP) for where I am today. This program takes a chance on the potential of young individuals like me and believes in greatness. I don’t come from a family of healthcare professionals, so to achieve something as demanding as nursing school and pass my NCLEX on the first attempt made me truly believe I have greatness in me.

My experience during the YMP opened a door to opportunities for me, and it made me realize how much I wanted to join the nursing profession. It was because of this program that I was chosen among 200 people to enter a very competitive nursing program. Every sacrifice, every obstacle I have endured was because this program took a chance on me and believed I had greatness in my future. I would not be the successful person I am today had I not been a part of the YMP.

Six years later, I never would have thought I’d be a college graduate from nursing school, with my license as a Registered Nurse and my first job as a Cardiac Stepdown Nurse at North Shore University Hospital. A true Cinderella story indeed. I am eternally grateful for all the support my friends, family and Northwell Health have offered me. I hope my story inspires young individuals to believe in greatness and tap into their true potential as well. The future is very bright, and I can’t wait to begin my journey as a Registered Nurse helping those in need with a caring hand.

My experience with the 1199SEIU WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN program has been a transformative journey that has shaped my path toward becoming a Registered Nurse. For anything to be successful, there must be a strong foundation, and the Pre-RN program has been that strong foundation for me. The self-confidence, skill sets and sense of community that this program gave me are the reasons I am a nurse today. I had the privilege of meeting like-minded individuals who shared my passion for nursing.

Together, we formed a network of friends and colleagues who provided invaluable support throughout my journey. While the journey was not without its challenges, these obstacles served as valuable learning opportunities. I learned to manage stress, communicate effectively with colleagues and adapt to the fast-paced nature of healthcare. The program’s emphasis on critical thinking and problemsolving skills proved invaluable, enabling me to make sound decisions in nursing school.

I had the chance to visit various healthcare facilities, gaining exposure to different specialties and healthcare environments. The program included Saturday classes throughout the school year where we had the opportunity to work closely with the Pre-RN coordinators to help really gear us toward a future in nursing. During this time, there were numerous informative guest speakers who taught us about the core of nursing and the constant changes of healthcare. They also educated us on loans, scholarships, college applications, resumes and so much more. I had the opportunity to be involved in health fair presentations and mini-documentaries that really helped me expand my skill set and grow as a student. These experiences broadened my perspective and solidified my passion for nursing.

I am profoundly grateful for the Pre-RN coordinators who played a pivotal role in my journey toward becoming a nurse. The Pre-RN coordinators were not just educators; they were advocates for our success. They always ensured that we had access to the resources and opportunities required for our growth and development as aspiring nurses. They celebrated our achievements and encouraged us to reach our full potential. Their influence will forever shape my approach to nursing and my dedication to helping others as they have helped me. I am blessed to say that I graduated from Molloy University with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in May 2023 and am now a New York State – Certified RN. I owe much success—and am forever grateful— to the Pre-RN program for the strong foundation they laid for me.

CCC programs support kids and teens from adolescence to adulthood, with opportunities for personal and academic development to help them reach their goals. Last year, seven program alumni who had aged out of the Anne Shore Sleep-Away Camp Program (ASC) received a CCC scholarship to attend their camp’s Leader-in-Training (LIT) or Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program. ASC participants frequently demonstrate significant growth in leadership skill development, and, often, participation in a camp’s leadership program can lead directly to employment.

• Cory Peters, the son of Nicole Lewis Peters (Stony Brook Southampton), who has been attending Greenwood Trails since 2017, attended Greenwood’s CIT Program. As a CIT participant, Cory took on duties and responsibilities around camp to develop his leadership skills and prepare for a future role as a Junior Counselor.
• Six additional children received a CCC scholarship to attend a general ASC camp program. In these instances, the child was either the underage sibling of an ASC-eligible camper or the member was no longer eligible for ASC.
• Osagiemagbon Idehen, the son of Ivie Omoruyi (One Brooklyn Health – Brookdale), attended Camp Shohola for Boys for his first campexperience through ASC.

We had another exciting summer with the Anne Shore Sleep-Away Camp Program (ASC)! ASC offers children ages 9 to 15 a wide range of summer sleep-away camps throughout the Northeast. With camp experiences focused on arts, technology and athletics, there’s something for every interest level, all in a natural setting prime for outdoor adventure. Last summer, 719 children of 590 members attended sleep-away camp (a 6.7 percent increase from 2022). An estimated 677 children of 563 members attended through one of the program’s 23 contracted camp providers, located across seven states throughout the Northeast. Additionally, four children of four members took advantage of the newly added one-week trial sessions, which were offered by select camps to first-time campers ages 9 to 11.