Subscribe to MWCC News MWCC has received a four-year, $317,388 federal grant to continue its Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program, which provide childcare subsidies and other support services to eligible students.
The grant, part of $9.2 million allocated in September by the U.S. Department of Education, was awarded to 58 postsecondary institutions in 28 states to establish or support campus-based child care services.
The grant program assists students with reliable child care needs so they can remain focused on their studies, said MWCC CCAMPIS Coordinator Deirdre Moran said. Established at MWCC in 2009, it is the only CCAMPIS program funded in Massachusetts.
“Child care costs are approaching $200 a week for many parents and CCAMPIS can help with those expenses. That’s a huge savings for our students,” Moran said.
The CCAMPIS program at MWCC provides childcare subsidies to eligible students who are enrolled part-time or full-time at MWCC’s Gardner, Leominster or Devens campuses. Participating students can select from more than 100 pre-approved childcare providers, all of which fall within a 15-mile radius of one of the three campuses. Other services provided to participants include academic advising, regular monitoring of academic progress, career counseling, employment information, and referrals to community support services.
Awards can be used for child care services for all age groups: infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as before and after-school care for school-age children. Students eligible to receive services for their children through CCAMPIS must be eligible for Pell grants, which are awarded based on financial need.