Public Service Projects

School Age Child Care Scholarship Program
The Colonie Youth Center (CYC) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization formed in 1965 by a group of parents and teens that were interested in developing wholesome activities for children in the Town of Colonie. In the last 42 years the organization has developed three major areas of service: school age child care, counseling, and recreation.

Two of CYC's most vital School Age Child Care (SACC) services are the Beforeschool Program and the Afterschool Program. Also known as Latchkey programs these services provide working parents with affordable quality childcare for their children during non-school hours. Currently, the CYC SACC Department offers 12 Beforeschool and 14 Afterschool programs all located in the Town of Colonie. These programs are offered everyday that school is in session in the school buildings of the North Colonie, South Colonie, and Maplewood School Districts. Each site is registered with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. They serve approximately 800 children per year with at least 50 of the families falling into the category of low-and moderate-income.

The School Age Child Care Scholarship Program provides partial scholarships to those low-and moderate-income families who need before-school and after-school childcare but are unable to afford them. The majority of the families in need of financial assistance are single-parent families where the parent is employed in an entry-level job.

Bright Horizons Adult Day Services
Colonie Senior Service Centers, Inc. (CSSC) was established in 1981 as a duly authorized 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. For over 26 years, the organization has served seniors and their families in the Town of Colonie and greater Capital Region. CSSC offers many programs and services including Bright Horizons Adult Day Service Program. Bright Horizons is a structured, cost-effective, and comprehensive community-based social adult day services program which provides functionally impaired individuals over the age of 60 with socialization, supervision, and monitoring; personal care; and nutrition in a protective setting between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at three locations in the Town of Colonie. This program allows physically and mentally frail older persons to remain with their family and in the community, providing social and emotional support in a secure and supervised day program. Bright Horizons provides an effective, efficient, and flexible solution for both caregivers and seniors to allow the elderly to age in place.

For many seniors and their families the minimal cost of this program is a fraction of the cost they would incur to have the services of a home health aide. They recognize the value of the program and have the ability to pay. For others the benefits are highly valued, but they lack the ability to pay. CSSC works with both the Albany County Department of Aging and Catholic Charities to provide charity care for 8 to 10 families, but CSSC still has another 8 to 10 families who would benefit from Bright Horizons but who cannot afford this service. Block grant funding will be used to provide scholarships to these low-and moderate income seniors.

 last updated 7/2/07

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