World of Money Teaches Teens the ABCs of Financial Literacy

The Child Care Corporation and the 1199SEIU National Benefit Fund’s Financial Wellness program teamed up with World of Money (WOM) to offer an online financial education program for the children of 1199SEIU members. Through the program, children age 15 to 17 learn the ins and outs of the financial world through a self-guided online curriculum designed to give them the tools to develop healthy money habits, avoid common money mistakes and make better financial decisions in the future.

This spring, 352 students enrolled in a four-part financial mini-series with topics including Money Mindset, Broke Celebrities, Needs vs. Wants and Rich vs. Wealthy. Students access a special World of Money curriculum, along with videos, quizzes and activities to help them better understand money matters outside of a traditional school setting.

14th Annual Care For Kids Gala Championed Essential Workers and Healthcare Leaders

The 2021 Care For Kids Gala took place as a virtual fundraiser on Wednesday, December 8. The gala’s theme, “Child Care Strong: Strengthening Working Families,” encapsulated the work of the 1199SEIU/Employer Child Care Corporation (CCC) during the COVID-19 pandemic and its continued mission to support our members and their families. Gala honorees included Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, then-Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Henry R. Muñoz III, the former DNC Finance Chair and co-founder of SOMOS US; and Tim Wentworth, then-Chief Executive Officer of EverNorth.

In addition, CCC honored Schenna Tannis, RN, MSN, FNP, CCRN, WCC, Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, and other healthcare heroes who have played an important role in guiding us through this unprecedented health crisis.

The 2021 event raised over $400,000 for CCF and CCC programming. We were honored to be joined virtually by our distinguished guests and many of our colleagues and community members to reflect on the efforts and successes of the past year, and we look forward to holding our 2022 Gala in person at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, on Tuesday, December 6. Save the date!

CCF Looked Toward the Future with 2021 Child-care Benefits Registration

After most in-person programs were suspended midway through 2020, the Child Care Funds (CCF) charged ahead with alternative program offerings and remote learning opportunities. Looking to the future, CCF adapted the 2021 child-care benefits registration period to meet the needs of members and enforce COVID-19 safety precautions.

In addition to offering limited appointments for in-person registration, the Funds provided members the opportunity to sign up for benefits and programs online using My Account or by scheduling a virtual registration walk-through with a CCF team member. By the end of the registration period, which ran from August 25, 2020, to November 11, 2020, 17,616 members registered for 2021 benefits, and 16,698 were approved for funds in the coming year.

As guidance surrounding COVID-19 evolves, we will continue to adapt and restructure in order to offer a complete slate of benefits and programs in the year ahead, including our popular camp, reimbursement, and academic and personal development programs.

Fun with Learning Carries on at FALC!

After closing its doors in March 2020, the Future of America Learning Center (FALC) hit the ground running with a remote curriculum and distance learning events that included a virtual version of its annual Science Fair. Over the summer, FALC celebrated 53 Universal Pre-K graduates at online ceremonies in which students sang songs and shared their dreams for the future.

In the fall, FALC reopened for in-person learning with a thorough safety protocol in place. With physical distancing and lessons about wearing masks and hand-washing, our staff worked hard to put safety first for FALC instructors, students and their families.

In honor of Multicultural Awareness Month in October, FALC projects focused on themes of community, family, culture and heritage. At a time when social issues involving race and culture became front-page news, students learned about racial equity and the role community leaders play to bring about change.

Moving beyond the community, students and their families learned about their personal backgrounds with “All About Me, My Family and My Heritage” projects that traced their individual history using maps. Children learned about cultures different from their own during activities that explored multicultural attire, food, games and traditional dance. The learning unit culminated in Thanksgiving celebrations that showcased different cultural traditions and ways that families connect during the holiday season.

Career Skill-building Goes Virtual with WorkForce 2000 and the Youth Mentoring Program

Our youth programs have helped thousands of students reach their academic goals and explore their career interests, and have given them a behind-the-scenes look at a variety of jobs in the healthcare industry. But what do you do when face-to-face learning is not an option? Go online!

Last summer, 223 teens participated in the WorkForce 2000 (WF2) summer professional development program. Students logged into Zoom for interactive sessions that focused on college prep and remote coursework assistance. Twenty students participated in WF2’s Pre-RN Program, which allows students to explore careers in nursing, with a curriculum geared toward students’ acceptance into nursing school. The Pre-RN students stepped up to revamp their final projects on midwifery to accommodate virtual programming due to the pandemic.

The Youth Mentoring Program (YMP) also launched a four-week remote learning experience during the summer. Instead of an in-person internship at the hospital or nursing home where their parents work, YMP students dived into a virtual development program that taught them about financial literacy and time management, along with skills to help them build resumes and professional portfolios of work. The course ran in conjunction with WF2, and a combined 250 teens collaborated during the joint venture.

Between the two programs, students created 17 live videos, which included interviews with first responders (as public service announcements about their COVID-19 experiences), along with relevant information and tips for virus prevention.

The programs held a virtual closing ceremony on July 30 to showcase finished projects and to award certificates to participants. Bridging the two programs helped students feel more connected in the world of virtual learning, while ensuring they continued to receive professional development skills to support their plans for the future.

CCF and CCC Respond to COVID-19 Emergency Child-care Needs

Even as all in-person activities were canceled last spring due to COVID-19, the Child Care Funds (CCF) and Child Care Corporation (CCC) continued to deliver remote programming and essential services. When financial and child-care needs grew during the pandemic, we were able to provide emergency child-care financial relief to both members and non-members.

In partnership with our donors—the JPB Foundation, Segal Family Foundation, Element Capital, PAC, Robin Hood Foundation and Mastercard Impact Fund—the CCF and CCC assisted more than 7,500 members and other healthcare workers with emergency child-care financial relief in the amount of $3.5 million.

The Child Care Resource and Referral Services (CCR&R) team also helped members without child care find alternative providers throughout the five boroughs and Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties. Within the first seven months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1,300 1199SEIU members received referrals, affording them much-needed peace of mind and support as they worked on the frontlines. Many of our members were adversely affected by program cancellations and summer day camp closures, and our staff provided 4,000 stipends in lieu of approved benefits to support their child-care needs, totaling nearly $7 million.

To measure the effectiveness of the Funds’ COVID-19 response, our Assessment and Compliance Department administered a survey to more than 24,000 healthcare workers.

In addition, we learned that many families are spending $250 a week or more on child care or are facing financial hardship caused by unpaid leave from work, caring for children forced to stay home due to program and school closures.

At the start of the new year, the Funds had a waiting list of more than 1,000 healthcare workers in need of support. We anticipate the pandemic will continue to impact the child-care and financial needs of our essential workers, and we remain committed to providing support when and where it’s needed most.