“I am a single mom of six kids - two that attend the YWCA’s preschool program, two in the school age program, and two that have aged out of YWCA care. I use two childcare programs for my children at the YWCA and my kids who receive after school care. The YWCA has helped me get all my paperwork done, so that I can receive the funding that I qualify for, and get to work to provide for my family. Without their assistance I would have no where for my kids to go during the day, and no way to keep a steady income.
My two children in the preschool program love it - they love going to school and I love to see how they learn and grow at the YWCA. The teachers provide a fun, educational environment that I am truly thankful for. I know they will be ready for kindergarten when the time comes. They work on writing and school based skills, and as my older children have moved through the program, I can see that it’s preparing them for school. My children in the school age program love coming to the YWCA in the summer and on school breaks. The YWCA always works with my school calendar, not just the Rock-Island Milan calendar.. This has been a true life-saver for me, as I can drop everyone off in the same place in the morning and not have to worry about the quality of care they receive during the day. And my kids love being there! They love to swim, go on field trips, and do all kinds of fun activities.
The YWCA really goes above and beyond for my family. Karena helps me get my paperwork done and helps me get my funding done right. When I had surgery last year, she took my kids to my house at the end of the day because I wasn’t able to pick them up. I have no one else to help with things like that, so it was so nice to have staff that really cared about me and my family, and who were willing to help like that. The YWCA also sends home all kinds of supplies for my family, like shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, and other daily necessities for my family - even for my kids who don’t go to the YWCA. They also help coordinate donations around the holidays, which my kids love.
The teachers and aids are so friendly. They make it a great place for my children to learn and grow. They let me know when there’s a problem, but give me help to fix it. And they really care about my kids. It’s a good feeling to know that when I leave for work, my kids are in a loving, caring environment. I don’t know what I would do without the quality care the YWCA has given my children.”