Three north county libraries receive funding for caregiver programs

CELORON – Three north county libraries will share a $40,000 state grant to implement the Capable and Connected Caregivers program.

The announcement was made during the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library Association's annual meeting held recently. More than 100 librarians, library staff members, board of directors, trustees and supporters of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library Association attended the meeting.

"A $40,000 grant is being shared by the Ahira Hall Memorial Library (Brocton), Dunkirk Public Library, and Darwin R. Barker Library," said Janice Dekoff, association executive director. "CCLS is acting as the financial agent to facilitate the transmission of funds from CRCF to the libraries."

The Capable & Connected Caregiving program meets these caregivers where they already are -- in their local libraries -- and gives them practical training, peer connection, and ready-to-use resources. Piloted across three geographically and demographically distinct Chautauqua County libraries, this program is designed to be replicable, community-owned, and built to last beyond any single grant cycle."

A CCLA report shows that in Chautauqua County, 17% of residents live below the federal poverty line, higher than the New York State average of 13.7%. Additionally, none of the three pilot communities have licensed, center-based infant and toddler slots. Nationally, 32.7% of grandparents living with grandchildren under age 18 serve as their primary caregivers.

"Across Chautauqua County, thousands of children are in the care of people who didn't set out to be caregivers --teens watching siblings after school, grandparents stepping in full-time, and library staff receiving children without the tools to engage them," Dekoff said. "In communities like Brocton, there are zero licensed childcare centers and only two small home daycares, both at or near capacity. Informal caregiving isn't a gap in the system. It is the system.

Dekoff said that the new program aims to deliver training, resources, and peer support through three programs hosted at local libraries:

-Teen caregivers can take part in hands-on workshops at local libraries with first aid, CPR and AED certification; emotional regulation skills, safe snack prep, allergy and medication awareness, as well as resume ready credentials and peer connection.

– Grandparents and senior caregivers can receive child development training and autism/special needs awareness; peer support groups, playgroups, and access to community resource hubs; confidence-building for hesitant caregivers; activity bags to take home.

– Library staff can receive awareness training, child engagement tools, and activity bag inventory; professional development opportunities working with the community, diverse families and individuals with special needs.

"Libraries are the natural hub, trusted, free, accessible, and already present in every community," Dekoff said. "Some of the training includes protocols for connecting families to the broader community resource network; programming is specifically designed to address childcare needs during school breaks, nontraditional hours, and enrichment opportunities outside traditional care settings."

– Reed McElfresh, library association board president, said the association has focused on providing training and financial resources to libraries within the association, focusing on sustainable funding and sustainable funding training and strategies.

"Our association has focused on securing sustainable funding and training for our associate member libraries," he said. "With so many libraries being non-profit and not receiving local governmental funding, it is imperative that we help them find solutions to sustainable funding."

For more information about the CCLA, visit clsny.org

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