editorial@post-journal.com
Children enjoy a socially distanced picnic lunch at the Chautauqua Lake Child Care Center.
Submitted photos
Families across Western New York know the pressure of securing quality child care, often times being placed on waiting lists before their children are even born.
In Chautauqua County, that pressure has led to the region being referred to as a child care desert, a census area with over three times more children than licensed child care enrollment spots, with 20 child care centers and school-aged child care programs and 49 home-based providers.
“Access to high quality, affordable child care was a challenge for families long before COVID,” said Tory Irgang, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation executive director.
jyoung@post-journal.com
Pictured are donation bags ready to be distributed in the God s Pantry December giveaway at First Covenant Church.
Submitted photo
The dedicated volunteers operating God’s Pantry at First Covenant Church in Jamestown are continuing to persevere through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
Since its inception 14 years ago this February, God’s Pantry has evolved to fit the needs of the community it serves. That mission continues to change in response to COVID-19.
“The church is supposed to feed the hungry, so that is how we run it. God tells us to feed the hungry so that is what we do,” coordinator Nancy Stein said. “I have the best volunteers in the world, because they come in an are so incredibly faithful.”