Write a commentMayor Billy Barlow has announced the City of Oswego will offer free child care to city residents in response to the closing of Oswego City schools through a partnership with the Oswego YMCA and Little Lukes.
The program will allow for open child care slots through Little Luke’s and the Oswego YMCA to be paid for by the City of Oswego to make child care more accessible to Oswego families following the sudden closing of schools due to COVID19. Oswego County declared a State of Emergency on March 15th and closed schools county-wide.
“The sudden closure of schools has placed an unexpected challenge on Oswego families who do not have child care arrangements. Local government needs to protect residents and reduce the stress people are facing at this time and we can do this by offering direct assistance to those who need it,” said Mayor Billy Barlow. “We are stepping up to provide free child care to Oswego families with priority to those working in the medical field, to ease the challenge and ensure our children are safe while allowing for parents to continue working to earn an income,” Barlow said. “I applaud and appreciate Little Lukes and the Oswego YMCA for stepping up to serve our community as we all work together to get through this trying time.”
“Little Lukes is devoted to supporting the community during this unprecedented event and appreciate the leadership of Mayor Barlow to make sure the children of emergency workers are safe and cared for,” said Ed Alberts, Little Lukes Administrator.
We are proud to be part of this true team effort between the YMCA, the City of Oswego, Little Lukes and Oswego Health to keep the public safe. If our health care workers and first responders aren’t staying on the job, this crisis gets worse, so we’re committed at the YMCA to support those health care workers and first responders,” Executive Director, Kerrie Webb, said.
Barlow made the funding available through an executive order on Monday. The program will fund child care slots through at least April 14th when schools are tentatively set to re-open. Families looking to take advantage of the program should contact Little Lukes at 315-342-4600 or the Oswego YMCA at 315-342-6082 directly. Priority will be given to families with parents working in the medical field and employees of the City of Oswego. Slots will then be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.
Mayor Barlow also announced the City of Oswego will not require businesses participating in the small business commercial loan program to make payments for the next three months. Barlow amended the City of Oswego sick leave policy to not charge employees any sick time should they have to quarantine or are diagnosed with the coronavirus. Barlow said the city is slowly scaling back employees at City Hall and allowing employees to work from home.
