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Press Releases

January 23, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: pressoffice@acs.nyc.gov, (212) 341-0999

NYC Administration For Children’s Services Announces Reopening Of Sandy-damaged EarlyLearnNYC Site

Hamilton Madison Site, Serving 52 Children, Reopens With Help Of United Way NYC Funds Secured By ACS

NEW YORK, NY -- The Administration for Children’s Services announced the reopening of Hamilton Madison House EarlyLearnNYC Center at 253 South St. in Manhattan, which had been closed after sustaining extensive damage during Hurricane Sandy. ACS secured a grant from United Way of New York City, which was used in part to fund repairs to the facility. The center serves 52 children from the Lower East Side and Chinatown, who had been temporarily relocated to other centers since the storm.

“Through the generosity of United Way of New York City, ACS and Hamilton Madison House were able to reopen this facility and provide the children and their families the high-quality care, services, and support they have come to expect,” said ACS Commissioner Ronald E. Richter. “We hope that this allows these young people to regain a sense of normalcy following the uncertainty caused by Hurricane Sandy.”

"I am happy to be here at this homecoming, and to announce the reopening of these centers which are so important to the children and families of the Lower East Side community," Council Member Margaret Chin said. "We know that city-subsidized daycare and child care are in high demand in lower Manhattan, and especially in Chinatown and the Lower East Side. I want to thank United Way of New York City for helping Hamilton Madison House get back on their feet after Hurricane Sandy, and for bringing these much-needed services back to our community."

The United Way of New York City grant secured by ACS funded repairs to the South Street facility, including mold abatement, replacement of electrical outlets, wall replacement, and repainting. The grant will also fund repairs at a second Hamilton Madison House facility, located on Market Street, which remains closed due to storm damage. The Market Street site, which serves 32 children and their families, is expected to reopen by the end of January.

In total, the $300,000 grant from United Way of New York City will fund repairs, furnishings and infrastructure support at a number of early child care sites located in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens that were damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

“We’re thrilled to reopen the doors to our South Street center and to welcome back the children and families we serve there,” said Mark Handelman, Executive Director of Hamilton Madison House. “Repairs are underway now at our Market Street center, so we hope to reopen that facility soon and bring that same sense of normalcy to the children and families there as well.”

ACS’s facilities team has worked closely with Hamilton Madison House to identify damage and direct repairs at both the South Street and Market Street facilities. ACS performed initial inspection at both sites, identified necessary work, and provided technical assistance to ensure that all work met City standards. ACS also coordinated with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the FDNY to ensure that temporary alternatives sites were viable to serve children and their families following the storm.

“Affordable and high-quality early education and child care is essential to working parents, and lays the groundwork for children’s success in kindergarten and beyond,” said Sheena Wright, President and CEO of United Way of New York City. “This grant, made possible by contributions to the United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund, is an important step in the recovery of families in Sandy affected neighborhoods.”

“We’re grateful for the support from United Way of New York City in helping ACS and Hamilton Madison House fulfill our shared mission of serving the City’s children and families,” said Myung Lee, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Early Care and Education at ACS. “I’m happy that we can once again provide these essential, high-quality services to this neighborhood and help families here get back to their normal routines.”

ACS's Division of Early Care and Education administers the largest publicly funded childcare system in the country, serving approximately 100,000 infants, toddlers, and school-aged children. Families interested in learning more about ACS’s early care and education services can visit http://www.nyc.gov/acs