On Sept. 23, Hudson County Community College’s Human Resources Department hosted a virtual informational session to discuss the New Jersey School Age Tuition Assistance Program designed to support working families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With well over 15 attendees, the session introduced various ways in which the State of New Jersey’s Department of Human Services and Division of Family Development is working to ensure that working families receive the proper childcare funds needed for children of school age, 5-13 years-old, who are now participating in remote learning.

Led by both Anna Krupitskiy, Vice President of HCCC’s HR Department, and Carmen McGuire, HR Benefits Manager, the virtual conference touched upon two tuition assistance programs: The New Jersey School Age Tuition Assistance Program and the Child Care Subsidy Program, and the ways in which they will benefit lower income families.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, working class families are facing more challenges than ever. With the transition from in-person schooling to remote learning for many school aged children as well as the reopening of businesses and local jobs, parents and providers like HCCC student Wendy Diaz are finding before/after school childcare to be crucial especially considering what it may entail.

“Finding someone to watch over your kids during something as serious as this pandemic has been extremely hard. I have to not only worry about whether or not my child is being cared for to the best of the babysitter’s ability, but I now have to worry whether or not my child is being protected from COVID-19. It is stressful to say the least,” Diaz said.

Many before/after school childcare programs now have to provide proper equipment such as masks, hand sanitizers and gloves to ensure the safety of children during the pandemic, and some are even going as far as to provide laptops for children to use during their remote learning.

The New Jersey School Age Tuition Assistance Program as well as the Child Care Subsidy Program have been introduced and will run until December 30th, in order to assist not only licensed childcare centers but also registered family childcare providers during these trying times.

For more information on how to apply for the childcare tuition assistance programs as well as the various assistance programs New Jersey’s Department of Human Services offers, visit childcarenj.gov