Children at the Campus and Community Children’s Center in Fredonia cheer for the emergency vehicles that drove by in the parade Friday. OBSERVER Photo.

Child Care Provider Appreciation Day was forced to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic. In order to thank these essential workers, a parade was led throughout Chautauqua County thanking them for the service they provide even during a pandemic.

On Friday, Child Care Provider Appreciation Day was celebrated throughout Chautauqua County. A special parade took off to thank these essential workers starting in Jamestown and ending Irving. Along the way, the parade drove by child care facilities in Mayville, Westfield, Fredonia, Dunkirk, Silver Creek, and Sheridan.

The parade made a prolonged pit stop in Irving, where state Sen. George Borrello held a press conference emphasizing the importance of our child care providers. Even amidst the coronavirus pandemic, these essential workers continue to prove how critical they are to the frontline workforce. In Borrello’s press conference he called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to disburse the remaining $133.4 million in emergency relief to the childcare system that was allocated under the CARES Act.

“We want to talk about the money that was allocated by the federal government to New York state through the CARES Act,” stated Borrello. “Emergency funding to support centers like this [Lake Shore Family Center], so far of the $163.4 million, only $30 million has been allocated by the state and none of it is here in Western New York. Well we are here to bring awareness that, that money is desperately needed and child care centers like Lake Shore Family Center and others throughout the state.”

“Right now, Child Care Centers are closing at an alarming rate. They were already strained before this crisis and now between the lack of funding and lack of support they need to maintain their services we’re looking at many of them closing and never reopening. So this money needs to be allocated immediately, which was the purpose of this funding to begin with.”

Above, a young supporter shows her sign thanking child care providers.

Child Care Provider Appreciation Day began in 1996 as a way to honor the contributions of providers who care for the children of working parents. In trying times like these, child care providers are that much more important with frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade made its way past the homes of child care providers and child care facilities to say thanks.

“While Child Care Provider Appreciation Day has been celebrated for more than two decades, this year’s event has taken on deeper meaning in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extraordinary way our registered child care providers have stepped up to provide crisis-related child care to frontline and essential workers,” said Borrello. “Many of these small businesses are struggling financially from enrollment losses related to the crisis, but are operating to help our essential workers and because they care about the children and our community. Today is about thanking them for their extraordinary contributions and requesting that the state use the remaining CARES Act funding to help sustain these providers so they can continue to provide the quality care that parents and children need and deserve.”

The child care providers have expressed how proud they are to help in times like these, especially those fighting the coronavirus on the front lines.

“We are very proud to be considered an essential business and serving essential workers,” stated Virginia Miller the director of Lake Shore Family Center. “It’s imperative now that we get some assistance in order to stay open and continue serving New York state and Chautauqua County in the high quality centers that we have.”

According to Miller, the Lake Shore Family Center is only open for essential workers deemed essential by governor and there are some Early Head Start children.

Senator George Borrello (right) and Virginia Miller pose in front of the Lake Shore Family Center sign in Irving.

Those children at facilities like the Lake Shore Family Center were able to give thanks back to the essential workers on Friday during the parade. At several locations, children made signs thanking essential workers, including emergency services. The children at the Lake Shore Family Center roared with excitement as two Irving Fire Rescue vehicles and an Irving Fire Truck paraded by the facility.

In order to keep the essential workforce going, these child care facilities are going to need this financial help, officials noted.

“It’s been a very trying time financially,” stated Miller. “Child care has already been tested financially before this crisis.”

Beth Starks, the executive director of Chautauqua Lake Child Care Center is pictured with her daughter Ella.

Children outside the Lake Shore Family Center in Irving thank essential workers. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms.

Emergency vehicles flashed their lights for children on the SUNY Fredonia campus.