Inland child care agency expanding capacity
By MELISSA EISELEIN
The Press-Enterprise
Family Service Association recently opened a new child development center in Riverside and is expanding services at another Riverside site and in Hemet.
And still, the nonprofit agency based in Moreno Valley can't keep up with the need for no-cost and low-cost child care services.
"It's hard. There's not enough money but the need is still there," said the agency's child development director, May Eslava.
In a three ZIP code area of western Hemet alone, an estimated 150 to 300 children are in need of full-day child care, Eslava said.
That need is mirrored in many other Inland communities, she said.
The association operates 13 child-development centers in Riverside, Rubidoux, Mead Valley, Moreno Valley, Hemet and Cabazon, and hopes to one day expand into San Bernardino County, Eslava said.
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Melissa Eiselein / The Press-Enterprise
Sarah Valdez, 4, of Hemet, right, traces as Jasmine Pando, 4, of Hemet, chats with her teacher at Family Service Association's childhood development center in west Hemet.
Family Service Association also provides meals for seniors and mental health services to low-income families.
In June, the association bought a former YWCA building in Riverside and plans to triple the number of children previously served at the site.
The Alvord site in Riverside was recently enlarged from four to six classrooms, Eslava said.
In west Hemet, two new classrooms are under construction, which will provide learning opportunities for an additional 48 children ages 3 to 5. The classrooms are expected to open in October, Eslava said.
The additions are being funded through government grants, she said.
Krystal Morley, of Hemet, said the child development center has been a blessing for her family, including her 4-year-old grandson Jamesyn Hunsucker.
"My son is a single dad and he has three kids. Without this place, Jamesyn would have nowhere to go but with me," Morley said. "I have an illness and it's hard to take care of him by myself."
Day care is not the only reason to enroll a child in one of the centers, Eslava said.
"Teachers are not baby sitters," Eslava said. "Even in the infant classroom we have curriculum. If the baby needs to learn to crawl, we give them an activity to support that."
Hemet hairdresser Maria Corral said the low-cost child care program allows her to go to work, while providing a valuable education for her 4-year-old son, Ernesto.
"I have him here mainly to learn English. I don't speak English to him at home. I don't want him to forget his mother language. I want him to be bilingual," Corral said. "When he comes home, he tells me his colors in English and I tell him what they are in Spanish."
For the full-day program, parents must have a job or be seeking employment. They also must meet state income qualification, which are based on the household size. For the half-day program, parents only need to meet the income guidelines, Eslava said.
Early learning centers
Family Service Association operates 13 child-development centers in Riverside County.
Cabazon
Cabazon Child Development Center, 14580 S. Broadway St., 951-849-7535
Hemet Child Development Center, 41931 E. Florida Ave., 951-925-2160
West Hemet Child Development Center, 790 W. Acacia Ave., 951-925-2160
Mead Valley
Mead Valley Child Development Center, 21091 Rider St., 951-657-2889
Moreno Valley
Alessandro Child Development Center, 23750 Alessandro Blvd., Suite G101, 951-653-6100
Hemlock Child Development Center, 23270 Hemlock Ave., 951-786-3985
Moreno Valley Child Development Center, 21250 Box Springs Road, 951-786-3985
Riverside
Alvord Child Development Center, 8230 Wells Ave., 951-637-5587
Arlanza Child Development Center, 7940 Philbin Ave., 951-352-2810
Highgrove Child Development Center, 459 Center St., 951-369-0979
La Sierra Child Development Center, 4601 Pierce St., 951-343-0979
Magnolia Child Development Center, 8172 Magnolia Ave., 951- 687-9922
Rubidoux Child Development Center, 5765 42nd St., 951-274-7940
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