Child Care for Those Who Care for Us

The Heart of the Valley YMCA is shifting operations to serve our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Y has moved health and wellness services to a virtual platform available to all at www.ymcahuntsville.org and opened two branch facilities for child care exclusively for employees providing services essential to the community during this public health crisis.

“The YMCA has always been more than a gym. We are providing child care services to those essential workers so that they are able to take care of all of us. Financial assistance is available, and no one will be turned away due to their inability to pay,” said Jerry Courtney, Heart of the Valley YMCA President/CEO.

Essential workers as defined by the Alabama Department of Public Health have both partial and full day child care available at the Southeast Family YMCA in Huntsville and the Hogan Family YMCA in Madison.

Care is provided from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday for children ages six weeks through eighth grade. Children will enjoy games, arts and crafts, and playtime outdoors with Y Staff in a safe and healthy environment. School-age children will be able to view the live-stream classes by Huntsville City Schools at the Southeast Family YMCA.

The Y is providing five days of child care for $135 for both members and non-members as well as hourly care at the rate of $5 per hour with a four-hour minimum. Scholarships are available.

Essential worker categories as defined by the Alabama Department of Public Health include: State and Local Governments, First Responders (including EMS and Fire Services), Law Enforcement, Hospitals, Nursing Home/Long Term Care Facilities (including Assisted Living and Specialty Care Assisted Living Facilities), End Stage Renal Disease Treatment Centers, Pharmacies, Financial Institutions, and Grocery Stores.

Online registration and scholarship information is available at www.ymcahuntsville.org/CARE.

“Let’s work together to support friends, colleagues, and neighbors,” Courtney said. “Only by coming together can we best handle this crisis and come out a stronger community afterward.”