NYS gives more than $10 million in childcare grants to 4 Long Island nonprofits
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul sits in on a class at the College Child and Family Center in Jamaica in January before speaking about childcare. Credit: Newsday / Howard Schnapp
Four nonprofits on Long Island have been awarded more than $10 million in state grants to expand quality childcare in New York, which has long faced shortages of childcare providers and high daycare costs.
The Jewish Early Learning Center in Merrick was awarded roughly $4.8 million; the Chabad of Islip Township Inc. received $861,734; and the Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore was awarded $4 million, officials said.
Long Island Head Start, which says it serves over 1 million families a year, received $989,176, according to the state.
Across the state, the grants will support 37 projects totaling $106 million to create new childcare infrastructure or broaden licensed programs, state officials said in a news release. Funding for the work comes from the state’s Child Care Capital Construction Funding Program, which helps colleges, nonprofits and other entities construct and revamp childcare centers. The projects must be completed by 2029.
On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said the funding awards will give “more families access to the care they need while supporting working parents and strengthening local economies. "
“Access to affordable, high-quality childcare is essential for children, families and New York's economy," Hochul said in a statement.
Experts have told Newsday that high childcare costs and the lack of child care infrastructure have forced parents to make difficult decisions, such as leaving the labor force to care for their children. They say the burden of those decisions often falls on women’s shoulders.
On Long Island, childcare costs are some of the highest in the nation. In 2024, the median cost of infant care at a daycare was $21,000 a year, according to a state Office of Children and Family Services report.
Moreover, 23 census tracts on Long Island in 2023 were considered to be “childcare deserts," areas lacking childcare services, a 2025 report from the state comptroller said.
Newsday's Victor Ocasio contributed to this story.
Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday. She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University.
