For the low-income (and even medium-income) families that the Marks JCH serves, childcare costs are a monolithic burden that impacts their children’s quality of life and educational potential, as well as parents’ ability to maintain employment. These families face significant barriers: language obstacles, unfamiliarity with bureaucratic systems, and limited knowledge of the educational resources that could dramatically reduce their financial burden and support their children’s development. With the city’s skyrocketing early education costs, understanding and accessing available benefits has become not just an administrative task, but a critical economic necessity.
Through the recently received grant from New York City, Marks JCH is helping parents navigate the city’s early childhood education options and enroll their children in high-quality programs. The Marks JCH provides personalized assistance that goes far beyond simple translation. We are guiding families through complex enrollment processes, helping them understand programs like 3K for All and Pre-K for All, which can save families thousands of dollars while providing high-quality early education.
By hosting targeted outreach events, conducting neighborhood canvassing, and building strong partnerships with local agencies, Marks JCH ensures that immigrant families are active, empowered participants in their children’s educational journeys. Our comprehensive approach includes screening for eligibility, facilitating MySchools and MyCity platform navigation, and connecting families with appropriate early childhood education programs. With this exciting new initiative, we are helping families build pathways towards educational opportunity and economic stability.
Our all-day, Early Childhood Center is grounded in best practices in early childhood education, helping 3-5-year olds build the skills they need to enter kindergarten ready to learn. We offer enrichment classes such as swimming and developmental play for families and young children. We support parents, starting with expectant mothers, through workshops that teach the essentials of parenting and help young families form supportive friendships