Subscribe to MWCC News The Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce an award from the Elden E. Bjurling Charitable Foundation. The award is made in support of the Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) Child Watch program, which provides enrichment for the children of MWCC students while they attend to their academic requirements.
The Child Watch program supports parenting students seeking childcare while they are in class or attending other activities at MWCC. Prior to the Child Watch program, parenting students struggled to attend classes during their children’s February and April school vacations. Both scheduled and drop-in services were added at other times as well to allow parenting students to attend class, meet with advisors, join study groups, and participate in other activities at MWCC
The $27,500 award from the Elden E Bjurling Charitable Foundation will enable the Child Watch program to fund three additional staff members, providing over 1,600 hours of coverage, including evening hours which are in high demand.
“The Child Watch program has been an amazing benefit for our students,” stated James Vander Hooven, President of MWCC. “It directly increases educational access and equity for parenting students, eliminating a major obstacle on their journey to a degree.”
The introduction of the MassRecconect free community college program for adults who are 25 and older has led to an increase in demand for Child Watch, which grew over 300% in its first year. The spring 2024 enrollment saw an increase of 58.4% in new student enrollment, and recent campus student survey results show that close to 50% of students are parenting, and 15% find that childcare is an obstacle as they pursue their education.
“The rapid growth in demand for the Child Watch program demonstrates that access to childcare is vital for parenting students to succeed in college,” stated Ann Reynolds, Academic Coordinator and CCAMPIS (Child Care Access Means Parents in School) Advisor. “Expanding the Child Watch program in the wake of the recent enrollment growth will allow parenting students to achieve their goals.”
The Elden E Bjurling Charitable Foundation, established in 2021 following the death of its namesake, is a private foundation operating and granting funds for charitable, educational, scientific, or literary purposes in Gardner and surrounding cities and towns. A lifelong Gardner resident, Bjurling was an active member of the community as well as the President and Owner of the Smith Funeral Home in Gardner until 2007, following his father who owned the funeral home up till his death in 1972. He was also the President and Owner of Wheelen Supply Co., Inc. and the President of the B.M.W. Lance Corporation.