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SF Opens Free Emergency Child Care Centers

Beginning March 16 all SF rec centers and libraries close to become child care centers
By - posted 3/13/2020 No Comment

Mayor London N. Breed today (3/13 at 2:02pm) announced that beginning Monday, March 16 the Recreation and Park Department and the San Francisco Public Library (updated as of 3/20 the SFPL has not yet been converted to child care services due to staffing issues) will begin to operate libraries and indoor recreation facilities as emergency care facilities for children of parents on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak and low-income families. Read More

Registration Required – Official Invitation Required

To ensure our facilities can comply with social distancing recommendations, please register for emergency youth care centers ahead of time starting Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Who is eligible

  • Healthcare Workers
  • Disaster Service Workers
  • Low-Income Families

Invitations to register have been offered to families that meet certain criteria and is non-transferable.

The decision comes in the wake of public school closures and other safety measures the City is undertaking to respond to the spread of COVID-19. Parents on the front line include San Francisco-based hospital staff, Department of Public Health employees, and activated Disaster Service Workers.

“During this time, health care workers and other essential staff need to be able to keep working and responding to this public health emergency,” said Mayor Breed. “With this change to our libraries and recreation facilities, young people whose parents need to respond to COVID-19 will have a safe place to go. I want to thank the Library and the Recreation and Park Department for stepping up to provide this critical service for San Francisco families.”

The centers will operate through March 31st.

All childcare centers will follow social distancing recommendations. DCYF will provide three healthy meals a day to all participants.

  • San Francisco Recreation and Park’s recreation facilities will serve grades K through 8, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  • The San Francisco Public Library will provide homework help and educational enrichment for youth grades 6-12, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – On Hold
  • The Office of Early Care and Education is continuing to provide support and guidance for existing private childcare providers for children 0-5.

Eligibility

Healthcare Workers
San Francisco Department of Public Health employees and staff at the following San Francisco-based hospitals:

  • VA Medical Center
  • Kaiser SF
  • Chinese Hospital
  • CPMC – Van Ness
  • CPMC – Mission Bernal
  • CPMC – Davies
  • St. Mary’s Medical Center
  • Saint Francis
  • SF General
  • UCSF – Parnassus
  • UCSF – Mission Bay

Disaster Service Workers
Employees of the City and County of San Francisco who are activated as Disaster Service Workers (DSWs) to help with the City’s coronavirus response.

Low-Income Families
Low-income working families impacted by the loss of youth care and meals due to school closures may register their school-age children for emergency care facilities.

Youth Care Locations

Pre-school Children can receive childcare services from First 5 San Francisco.

Children grades K-8 can attend 37 Recreation and Parks recreation facilities for recreation and learning activities akin to a summer camp experience, following social distancing recommendations. See below for locations

Youth grades 6-12 can attend any San Francisco Public Library location for homework help and educational enrichment. – on hold

All facilities are large enough to maintain a 6-foot distance between youth. DCYF will provide three healthy meals a day to all participants.

K-8 Child Care Locations (Recreation and Parks facilities)

All childcare centers will follow social distancing and related COVID-19 sanitation and hygiene recommendations. DCYF will provide three meals a day to all participants. Detailed information on emergency youth care locations, eligibility and registration will be forthcoming at https://www.dcyf.org/care.

In addition to the suspension of regular recreation programming, Recreation and Parks is also suspending all community meetings, volunteer events, and both indoor and athletic field permits (including all games, practices, clinics, tournaments and any other activities that would cause individuals to gather in close proximity), effective Saturday, March 14 through the end of March. Pools will also close.

The Sharon Art Studio, Conservatory of Flowers, and Carousel in Golden Gate Park are closed through the end of March. All San Francisco Youth Baseball League (SFYBL) games are cancelled through March 31, as well as the remainder of the Indoor Soccer League season. Summer day camp registration, originally scheduled for March 21, is postponed to a date to be determined. The Golden Gate Park Senior Center remains closed and senior programs are suspended citywide.

All other parks, trails and open spaces remain open. Community members are encouraged to use parks, but not to congregate.

All 28 Library locations will be closed to the public starting at 6 p.m. today and remain closed until March 31. The Library’s robust digital services will continue to give card holders 24/7 free access to eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, movies, classes and more.