Wu Yee Children's
Services
24th Annual Banquet
Spotlights
San Francisco's Child Care Crisis

April 21, 2001 Hotel Nikko 6pm

San Francisco -

San Francisco is experiencing an alarming crisis in child care.

A recent Needs Assessment done by the Child Care Planning and Advisory Council of San Francisco showed that San Francisco has an estimated 21,762 infants and toddlers but only 573 infant and toddler spaces in licensed child care centers to care for them.

The lack of licensed care forces particularly low income families into a spiraling crisis of inability to work, to secure housing and provide food, and to create a proper environment in which to build a solid foundation for their children's futures.

The huge shortage of child care is the result of the cost to open a center, the expense to operate the center, and the low salaries of child care providers. For example, the Wu Yee Children's Services recently opened the Chinatown Infant Center to serve 28 infants from low income families.

The cost of the Chinatown Infant Center was $1.3 million and the annual cost to care for an infant is $13,908. If a family's income is 75% of the State Median Income or less, they may qualify for subsidies through several programs. However, these subsidies do not cover the entire cost of caring for the child.

For instance, the California Department of Education subsidy for an infant from a low income family is only $10,200. In addition, child care providers are some of the lowest paid professionals in the state, resulting in one out of every three providers leaving the field annually.

As a result of these factors, parents cannot find quality, affordable care for their children.

At Wu Yee Children's Services, we are dedicated to making nurturing, linguistically and culturally appropriate care available to all children.

If everyone United Around Children, no child would be lost and every child would receive the solid foundation needed for a bright future.

On April 21, 2001 Wu Yee Children's Services will hold its 24th Annual Dinner at the Hotel Nikko to honor Leaders in Child Care - those who work tirelessly to create quality, affordable, available care for all children - and to unite public support around our commitment to children.

For more information for dinner tickets, sponsorships, and to donate an item to the silent auction, please contact Ashley Cole at 415-391-4721. http://www.wuyee.org
Wu Yee Children's Services, 831 Broadway Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94133.