[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 78 (Tuesday, June 16, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6427-S6428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF GREENWICH SCHOOL AGED CHILD CARE, INC.

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to today in honor of the tenth 
anniversary of the founding of Greenwich School Age Child Care in my 
home state of Connecticut.
  As you know, child care has been a top legislative priority for me 
during my tenure in the Senate. After numerous hearings, debates, 
forums, and even passage of the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
(CCDBG) Act that I authored in 1990, I know that our country's working 
families continue to struggle with the issue of child care. Thousands 
of low-income children are

[[Page S6428]]

on waiting lists for affordable child care, and much of what is 
available is of poor quality. Every day, parents face tough decisions 
about how their children will be cared for when they can't be with 
them.
  Ten years ago, in response to the child care needs expressed by the 
community, Greenwich School Age Child Care was created by a small, 
dedicated group of parents who understood the importance of safe, high 
quality child care services. At that time, there were no available 
services for before- and after-school child care within the community's 
schools. Since that time, the effort has grown from one school-age 
child care program in North Mianus Elementary School, to programs in 
all 10 public elementary schools. All of these programs accept children 
in grades kindergarten through fifth grade, in most instances offer 
both before- and after-school programs, and are open for the entire 
school year. This enables working parents to leave their child at 7:30 
a.m. and return up to 6:00 p.m., knowing that their child will receive 
healthy snacks and loving care in a stimulating environment right in 
the school.
  I share the belief of Greenwich School Age Child Care that quality 
child care should be available to all low income and disadvantaged 
families who need it. Greenwich School Age Child Care is to be 
commended for their innovative efforts to make available quality child 
care affordable. The scholarship fund they established through the 
Board of Education, private donations, and CCDBG dollars is critical 
for low-income families who otherwise could not afford a safe and 
educational environment for their children.
  I am proud to be a member of the Greenwich School Age Child Care 
advisory board. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that their 
investment in quality child care pays off many times over, in terms of 
both the employment productivity of parents and the safety and well-
being of children. I congratulate Greenwich School Age Child Care on 
the huge success of their first ten years, and wish them continued, 
long lasting success in the years to come.

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