Elected officials and Uptown residents best reopening of Day Care Denied Contract by the administration for Children’s Services

New York .- On Thursday City Council Member Mark Levine,State Senator Adriano Espaillat, and dozens of parents and local residentsgathered to celebrate the re-opening of Nasry Michelen Day Care Center (Nasry) at the Upper Manhattan MentalHealth Center. Nasry is the first Dominican-founded daycare in New York Cityand a single-site provider that’s served Harlem for over 30 years. In July2015, they were forced to move from their previous location in Hamilton Heightsafter the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) deniedtheir Early Learn contract in favor of a large, well-resourcedprovider.

$80,000 inCity funding to allow Nasry to move to a new location in the Harlem communityat the Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center. The funding helped supportcritical jobs and prevented the daycare from being shuttered indefinitely.Senator Adriano Espaillat, a native of the Dominican Republic, has also beenoutspoken throughout in his advocacy for New York City’s first Dominican ledday care to remain open.

Nasry will now be able to serve 30 children ages 2-4until the end of the their current contract. Council Member Levine is currentlyworking to help Nasry expand their program to serve up to 100 childrenbeginning in the fall of 2016.

“For more than 30 years, Nasry Michelen Day Care has beena fixture in our community, and their long history of service is a classic NewYork City success story,” said Council Member Mark Levine. “I’m thrilled thatNasry Michelen will continue to serve families in our neighborhoods who havecome to trust the positive, nurturing environment they provide young children.I’m proud that we were able to secure critical funding that will allow thisneighborhood institution to continue its operations.”

"Nasry Michelen Day Care has been an important partof our community for more than three decades, and when word spread it wouldhave to close their doors, we knew that we could not let that happen. I am veryproud to have worked with these great parents and staff, and Councilman MarkLevine, to help give Nasry Michelen Day Care a new lease on life. Now it cancontinue to help our children grow for generations to come. This is a great dayfor this program and the community it serves," said State Senator AdrianoEspaillat.

“I want to thank Council Member Levine and all of oursupporters for helping us win the fight to keep our center open. We love thiscommunity, the children we serve, and we want it to stay open for many moreyears,” said Nasry Michelen, Executive Director and Founder of Nasry MichelenDay Care Center.

Council Member Levine fought for and secured $980,000 inCity funding to allow Nasry to move to a new location in the Harlem communityat the Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center. The funding helped supportcritical jobs and prevented the daycare from being shuttered indefinitely.Senator Adriano Espaillat, a native of the Dominican Republic, has also beenoutspoken throughout in his advocacy for New York City’s first Dominican ledday care to remain open.

Nasry will now be able to serve 30 children ages 2-4 untilthe end of the their current contract. Council Member Levine is currentlyworking to help Nasry expand their program to serve up to 100 childrenbeginning in the fall of 2016.

“For more than 30 years, Nasry Michelen Day Care has been afixture in our community, and their long history of service is a classic NewYork City success story,” said Council Member Mark Levine. “I’mthrilled that Nasry Michelen will continue to serve families in ourneighborhoods who have come to trust the positive, nurturing environment theyprovide young children. I’m proud that we were able to secure critical fundingthat will allow this neighborhood institution to continue its operations.”

"Nasry Michelen Day Care has been an important part ofour community for more than three decades, and when word spread it would haveto close their doors, we knew that we could not let that happen. I am veryproud to have worked with these great parents and staff, and Councilman MarkLevine, to help give Nasry Michelen Day Care a new lease on life. Now it cancontinue to help our children grow for generations to come. This is a great dayfor this program and the community it serves," said State SenatorAdriano Espaillat.

“I want to thank Council Member Levine and all of our supporters for helping uswin the fight to keep our center open. We love this community, the children weserve, and we want it to stay open for many more years,” said NasryMichelen, Executive Director and Founder of Nasry Michelen Day Care Center.