When the Buffalo State Child Care Center’s washer and dryer simultaneously gave out in 2013, it could have been a small catastrophe. Grants from the State University of New York that cover the center’s operational costs arrive months into the fiscal year, often as late January. But this was early fall, and there was no extra money in the kitty.
Luckily, the center could rely upon the campus Child Care Fund to replace the appliances that clean approximately 20 loads of crib sheets, blankets, clothing, and stuffed animals per week.
“The first few months of the fiscal year are always the toughest,” said child care center executive director Jennifer Minet. “We can put off our outside vendors for a couple of months if need be, but our staff’s paychecks cannot wait. This is why the Child Care Fund is crucial when we have big-ticket items to pay for.”
This fund is of one of many in which Buffalo State community members contribute as part of the annual Faculty and Staff Appeal.
Nestled on the west side of the campus, the Child Care Center enrolls up to 82 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers each year. More than half are children of Buffalo State students, many of whom could not attend college without outside child care.
“Because of their income level, we are able to help defray the cost of tuition for most of our students’ children, but that cuts down on our tuition revenue,” Minet said.
Maria Garrity, a systems programmer in Computing and Technology Services, took her son to a child care center in 1993 when she was a single mom pursuing her master’s degree.
“I hold the Child Care Fund close to my heart because I had to balance motherhood, a career, and school,” said Garrity, who now contributes to the fund each year through payroll deduction. “I couldn’t have done it without a nearby child care facility. I am pleased there is a child care center here at Buffalo State for students to use while pursuing an education.”
The center is a definite bonus for the campus. In 2012, it was awarded accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and when it was evaluated, the center achieved an almost perfect score on its assessments. Only 2 percent of child care programs in the area have this national accreditation.
In addition to providing excellent and convenient child care, the center serves as an educational lab. Students majoring in elementary education, psychology, and speech-language pathology work with the center’s children for course projects. Other students are employed as teachers’ aides.
All of the center’s educational activity—from toddlers learning to count to education majors learning to lead a classroom—is boosted by the Child Care Fund.
To contribute to this or any of the numerous funds within the 2015 Faculty and Staff Appeal, contact Claire Collier at (716) 878-5206.
View a full list of funds and scholarships.
