New York Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed the launching of a pilot program to help and empower single parents overcome poverty.
The governor’s proposal, the Family Empowerment Community College Pilot Program will support up to 400 single parents attending SUNY and CUNY community campuses every year.
The program provides opportunities for single parents to attain higher education, land good-paying jobs, and eventually lift their family out of poverty.
Program participants will receive on-campus child care and intensive personalized advisement. They will also get educational supports such tutoring and counselling, and assistance in transitioning to a four-year degree.
Ensuring single parents have the necessary resources to succeed
In a statement, Cuomo said, “Access to child care can make all the difference in the life of a single parent who often has to choose between going to classes or caring for their children.”
“By providing child care and other important resources to single parents attending SUNY and CUNY schools, we are opening new doors to opportunity and making a critical investment in the future of our State,” he added.
