Rayitos de Sol is Expanding!
Mano en Mano is excited to share that Rayitos de Sol Bilingual Childcare will be expanding! This past month Mano en Mano purchased land next to our Milbridge office location, which will eventually become the future site of the center.
Rayitos de Sol opened in January of 2021, to provide culturally and linguistically relevant childcare to families in the Milbridge area. For the past year, the center has been operating out of the Mano en Mano office, and currently provides services to 11 families (12 children).
The center acts as a bridge to connect families from different backgrounds so that language and culture are valued and appreciated by all. Over the course of the past year students have received bilingual care, education, and enrichment activities that focus on celebrating each child's unique culture and identity.
The new space will increase the center's size and reach drastically- growing from an operational capacity of 12 students, to 40 students. The center will also provide after school programming for children ranging in age from infant to elementary. Additionally the new center will employ 8-10 staff, offering opportunities for individuals interested in working in the childcare field to earn a living wage and receive benefits to support both their personal and professional development.
Single parent households and families of low income are disproportionately impacted by the lack of affordable childcare which often limits access to career opportunities, professional growth and financial autonomy. Rayitos de Sol accepts financial aid through the Maine Child Care Subsidy Program and supports all families with their applications. Additionally the center offers scholarships to migrant families arriving to the area for seasonal work so that they can access child care throughout the harvest seasons. As the center grows to serve additional families, it will help fortify the workforce and economy of the region, having a positive impact on families and children for generations to come.
With support of the Good Shepard Food Bank, Mano en Mano recently opened a food pantry for community members and families of Rayitos de Sol to access culturally relevant and nourishing food. This pantry provides families in the area access to culturally relevant foods that are often difficult to find in grocery stores in the area. It is open to all community members, and is available Monday- Friday 9am-6pm. Once construction is completed on the new building, it will be based out of the new site.
Currently, the Director of Rayitos de Sol, Juana Rodriguez Vazquez is in the process of finalizing the design of the center, and planning to demolish the existing structure on the property in the coming months.
Do you want to support Rayitos de Sol as the center grows?
Donate today!
