PHOENIX — School closures across Arizona left a lot of parents who can't miss work scrambling to find care for their children.
To help with the last-minute need, the Boys and Girls Club is stepping in and opening their doors.
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley CEO Marcia Mintz said they're giving healthcare and essential workers relief, while schools are closed because of coronavirus concerns.
“During this very unusual unprecedented time, we are opening our clubs to ensure our healthcare employees, first responders and essential workers have a place for their kids to go so they can continue working and serving the community," Mintz said.
The centers are also open to serve families that are not able to telecommute for their work and children that rely on the school systems for daily meals. Mintz says they made the decision along with other state leaders.
"We understand," she said. "We did not make this decision lightly. We made it in consultation with the Arizona Department of Health.”
About 25 local clubs between Metro Phoenix and East Valley are taking in kids during normal school hours, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale have closed their clubs.
It’s a move that comes at a big financial cost.
“We need several hundred thousand dollars a week to be open at the level we’re open," she said.
With safety in mind, best sanitation practices are repeated over again. The kids at this Phoenix club know the drill.
And as to how long the Boys and Girls Clubs expect to stay open, the situation is fluid.
“We’re going to be open as long as the Arizona State Department of Health and the CDC says it’s safe to be open for our kids and our staff," she said.
For a list of which locations are open, click here.
