BCW Member the Child Care Council of Westchester Secures $100K Grant to Launch Workforce Training Center

The Child Care Council of Westchester, a member of The Business Council of Westchester (BCW), has secured a $100,000 grant from Empire State Development through the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council initiative, marking a major step forward in strengthening the region’s childcare infrastructure.

The Child Care Council of Westchester is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $100,000 grant from Empire State Development through the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council Initiative. This funding will contribute to the development of a Child Care Workforce Training Center serving the Mid-Hudson Region.

“This investment strengthens the industry immediately while setting off a ripple effect that improves child development, stabilizes families, supports the workforce, and fuels long-term community and economic growth,” said Laura Newman, Child Care Council of Westchester Executive Director. “We’re grateful that the REDC recognized the potential in this project and has made this transformational impact possible.”

MHREDC Co-Chairs Dr. Marsha Gordon and Dr. Kristine Young said, “Child care is economic infrastructure — when providers have the training and resources they need to deliver quality care, working families thrive and regional economies grow stronger. This investment in the Child Care Council of Westchester reflects our commitment to building a workforce ecosystem in the Mid-Hudson Valley that works for everyone, from the child care professionals on the front lines to the parents and employers who depend on them.”

The Center will be located inside the Child Care Council’s new office space at 520 White Plains Road in Tarrytown, where the organization will relocate in June 2026, and include a child care training simulation room as well as two training classrooms. The simulation room, only the second in the state, will provide hands-on best practice learning opportunities and serve as a model for home-based child care providers to optimize their own educational areas. The child care workforce training rooms are nearly 1,500 square feet of flexible, modern space for in-person and online learning that will help child care providers meet regulatory requirements, strengthen their businesses, and provide excellent care. Ultimately, this will help ensure an adequate supply of child care to meet the needs of the region’s working parents.

For more information about the Child Care Council of Westchester or the new Workforce Training Center, call (914) 761-3456 or visit www.childcarewestchester.org.

This announcement builds on ongoing collaboration between the BCW and the Child Care Council of Westchester. Working with the Child Care Council of Westchester, the BCW has been a constant proponent of ensuring that childcare is a priority on all levels of government. Working parents, particularly women, depend on the availability of affordable, quality childcare in order to work, and the BCW has continually stressed the importance of it as an economic development tool. Just last month, the two organizations co-hosted a childcare roundtable that brought together the Commissioners of the New York State Department of Labor and the New York State Office of Children & Family Services, along with business leaders from across sectors. The discussion underscored the vital role childcare plays in supporting businesses, workforce retention, and economic competitiveness statewide.

As the project moves forward, the new Training Center is poised to become a cornerstone resource for childcare providers, and a powerful catalyst for sustainable economic progress in the region.

About the Child Care Council of Westchester
The Child Care Council of Westchester is a 501c3 nonprofit resource organization founded in 1968 that champions the healthy development of children, families and communities by promoting quality early care and education. A unique “one stop” agency for child care, the Council connect parents with quality child care and related financial resources, supports child care providers with training and business best practices, assists employers with resources for their workforce, and advocates for policies and funding that supports the needs of families and care providers.

About Empire State Development 

Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.