YMCA unveils child care program for doctors’, first responders’ families
The YMCA of Southern Nevada is unveiling a program that will use its currently empty facilities to house child care activities for children of medical professionals and first responders.
Mike Lubbe, president and CEO, said the emergency program will serve the children of medical providers, as well as police, fire, military and essential personnel who may be working overtime or extended shifts while their children are home because of school closings.
“They need, in order for them to go to work and provide these essential services, (child) care,” Lubbe said.
On Monday, the YMCA closed and deep-cleaned its four facilities as a precautionary measure. The program is to begin within the next several days at the Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA, 4141 Meadows Lane, and, if warranted, expand to other YMCA locations.
The child care program will run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week and be aimed at children ages 3 to 12, Lubbe said. Programming would be similar to the Y’s other “school’s out” after-school and summer programming, “but we’re not, at this time, opening it to the general public.
Activities will conform to social distancing guidelines. “You’re dealing with smaller groups,” Lubbe said. “That 6-foot rule, that’s the kind of thing we can do with larger buildings like ours. We don’t have the public coming in now, and some of these buildings are 70,000 square feet, so you can divide and conquer, so to speak.”
Staff and children also will be required to receive a health screen and sanitize their hands before entering, and registered nurses and volunteers will monitor children and staff throughout the day.
The program will include meals, “and balance between some academic work and other activities, again keeping in mind … keeping kids a little more separate,” Lubbe said.
The cost hasn’t been determined as of Wednesday, Lubbe said, but “there will be a fee, just to meet our staffing costs.”
People interested in the program are asked to visit lasvegasymca.org/covid-19-updates. For additional information, email Erica Stegall, youth and family director, at estegall@lasvegasymca.org.
