Inflation has caused many childcare centers to raise prices. However, Pelham Children’s Center (PCC), a nonprofit organization, has continued to follow its mission of providing affordable childcare to all through fundraisers and community involvement.

Gregory Spock, vice president of community relations for the center, said that as well as inflation causing challenges for the PCC,  the Covid-19 pandemic has caused multiple closings and other problems.

“A lot of people are in desperate need of childcare, and a lot of centers have closed or shifted hours because of the pandemic,” said Spock.

Spock has a personal story with the PCC, with his son attending. Spock said he and his wife “knew that childcare was such an important part, a basic human right, to be able for both of us to work.”

Many people learn about the PCC through word-of-mouth or the events held by the center throughout the year. “The word of mouth is really the best way people get to know the center,” Spock said. “They talk to parents they know have kids there or have gone there in the past and get really high praise. We’re proud of that reputation.”

According to Spock, the PCC is trying to provide the affordable care that it has in years past and is continually adjusting so that parents don’t face rising costs. In contrast to other childcare centers, the PCC is a full-day center, located inside the Daronco Town House on Fifth Avenue. It has stayed strong through closings due to the pandemic and has not shifted its hours, as other centers in nearby towns have.

To deal with these challenges, the PCC created a subcommittee to work on fundraising during the year. In addition, the PCC formed another committee to look at the compensation, hours and overall quality of life and experience of the teachers because they’re really the heroes, according to Spock. The center’s management realized it needed to make some positive changes.

“We try to look at things from other perspectives rather than just turning around and saying ‘we have rising costs’ because everyone has rising costs because of inflation,” said Spock. “We’ve tried to look at the perspective of not raising the prices of tuition for the parents and the care but rather finding other methods. “