The Roxbury Day Care Center, Inc. was founded in 1973 as a private, non-profit child care center, providing care for 25 preschool children in rental space in a local church. The clientele was the working poor from Roxbury and the surrounding communities. Funding was from Title XX, United Way of Northern New Jersey, and parent fees. Over the years, the enrollment in the preschool program increased from the original 25 to 45 children.
After a concentrated community effort spanning five years, the Board of Directors was able to raise the funding necessary to obtain a mortgage to build a new building designed exclusively for child care. The new Preschool Center was opened on September 13, 1999, serving 91 children ages 3 months through 5 years. Funding was obtained for Infant/Toddler scholarships from the Morris County Community Block Grants, the Morris County Human Services Administration, and the United Way of Northern New Jersey. Previous funding from a Contract from the Division of Family Development (formerly SSBG), the State Child Care Food Program, and the United Way of Northern New Jersey was continued into the new building.
Currently, the Preschool Center serves 91 children and employs a staff of 32. Client fees are determined on a sliding fee scale, based on the family’s gross annual income and family size. Approximately half of the total spaces are reserved for income-eligible clients, with the remainder of the spaces utilized by full-paying families. The Center consistently maintains full enrollment, with waiting lists for many classrooms.
The Center opened the first Before and After School Program (BASP) for latch-key children in 1980. Children in this program are in a safe, structured setting both before and after school hours, while their parents work, rather than being left home alone. This program opened with 25 children in grades kindergarten through 6th and was housed in one classroom in one of the Roxbury Township elementary schools.
The Before and After School Program has grown dramatically over the years, and currently provides care for children in 6 sites: 5 in Roxbury Township elementary schools. Care is provided for children in kindergarten through 6th grade. Funding is from parent fees, donations, and the United Way of Northern New Jersey.
In 2001, the Center again addressed a formerly unmet community need by offering a Summer Camp Program for children in grades kindergarten through third. This program currently offers full day care for 45 children in kindergarten through sixth grade for nine weeks each summer. The Summer Camp is housed in a local Roxbury school, and provides a full camp experience to children whose parents must work during the summer. Funding from the United Way of Northern New Jersey provides scholarships for children from income-eligible families.
The Roxbury Day Care Center, Inc. has provided over 30 years of quality child care to meet the needs of the community. The Center has been and remains committed to excellence in child care.
