We're Launching Child Care Initiative to Close Mohawk Valley’s Growing Care Gap

If you’re a working parent in the Mohawk Valley, you already know the struggle. Finding reliable, high-quality child care in this region has become one of the hardest parts of going to work every day. We are stepping in to change that.

The gap isn’t just a family problem. When parents can’t find care, they can’t show up for work. Businesses lose good employees. The regional economy takes a hit. Our new Child Care Initiative addresses all of it.

A Regional Partnership Built Around Workforce

We are launching the initiative in partnership with the Oneida County Industrial Development Agency and Griffiss Local Development Corporation, both partner organizations of Mohawk Valley EDGE. The first child care location will open in Rome, NY in 2026.

The initiative is designed with employers in mind just as much as families. Businesses across the Mohawk Valley have identified child care access as a top challenge for recruiting and keeping employees. By treating child care as a workforce strategy, aiming to give employers a real solution while easing the pressure on families who have been going without.

In Their Own Words

“Child care has become one of the defining workforce challenges of our time,” said Steve Bulger, ICAN CEO/President. “Families cannot succeed, businesses cannot grow and communities cannot reach their full potential when parents lack access to quality care for their children. This initiative reflects ICAN’s commitment to meeting emerging community needs with innovative solutions that strengthen both families and the regional workforce.”

Built on a Proven Foundation

We are not new to serving children and families in this region. For years, the organization has delivered community-based services in homes, schools and communities across Central New York. The Child Care Initiative builds directly on that track record, bringing our expertise in social and emotional development into early childhood settings.

The Rome location is just the beginning. We see this as the first phase of a broader effort to close the child care gap across the Mohawk Valley and expand access to early childhood services for families who have long gone without.

Interested in signing up or have questions reach out to ChildCare@ican.family.