YMCA extends program for families needing child care before school starts

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The YMCA is extending its summer program to accommodate families who need child care before in-person classes start in the Wayne Township and Warren Township school districts in Marion County and the Hamilton Southeastern district in Hamilton County.

Some school districts have delayed the start of classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving some parents scrambling to find child care.

Mark Lantz, YMCA senior program director of the youth development team, talked with News 8 on Tuesday. He said the YMCA will help any school district surrounding each of their locations.

“Right now, it’s child care, and we know that as schools go virtual we need to be there for the community and our families again so we’ll adapt our programming to that as we move forward,” Lantz said.

Seasonal staff will work through Labor Day to run the program. Staff members say the YMCA will be a more-structured environment by making sure e-learning assignments get done.

“We want to make sure that our spaces are conducive to learning and adapting for some of the rooms that we have in our facilities and once again work with our community partners such as the churches and the schools for kids to have a safe, fun, learning environment.”

Each YMCA location will have a specific drop-off and pickup site. Staff members will check the temperatures of children before they will be allowed inside the centers, and everyone will be required to wear masks.

The YMCA will also work with local churches to maximize social distancing guidelines.

“Our group sizes are very small so our largest group size is 10 kiddos. Most of the group sizes are about 6-8 kids in total,” Lantz asid.

The YMCA and the administration from each school district is discussing more on how the extended after-school hours will be operated.