Every year, Child and Family Services assists families experiencing challenges during the holiday season through their Adopt-a-Family Program. With the support of donors, wish lists with gifts and essentials for hundreds of people are fulfilled, allowing them to join in on holiday fun and create lasting memories with their loved ones. The Western New York regional team was honored to give back and make a meaningful difference for families in their community during the holiday season.

Schenectady Day Nursery (SDN), a longtime QUALITYstarsNY participant, just held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate an expansion project that will increase access to high-quality early childhood education for families throughout Schenectady County, an area recognized as a child care desert due to its limited child care options.

On November 7, QUALITYstarsNY was featured on Buffalo's local news program, Daytime Buffalo to discuss the support we provide as New York State's Quality Rating & Improvement System. Quality [...]

QUALITYstarsNY participants Yasmill Ledesma, education coordinator at Discovery Village, and Sandra Jenkins, teacher at St. Peter’s Child Care Center, Inc., were recently honored with the Child Care Council of Westchester Early Education Hall of Heroes award. This award recognizes early childhood professionals who invest significantly in the future of our youngest learners and their communities. Yasmill and Sandra talked with QUALITYstarsNY about what this award means to them, the lessons they have learned throughout their career and what they look forward to.

Jessica Dean of Jessica's Daycare in Monticello, NY is a participant, ambassador, and advocate of CACFP. As part of her work with the initiative, she understands the value of providing children with healthy and well-balanced meals. In her early childhood program, Jessica works with her children to grow various herbs, vegetables and fruits, which she uses to prepare colorful and nutritious meals.

In July, QUALITYstarsNY participating program Small World Daycare and Preschool hosted New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins at their center in Yonkers. Stewart-Cousins is President Pro Tempore and Majority [...]