WASHINGTON - Parents across Washington are scrambling to find affordable child care after learning that more than a dozen city-run day cares are shutting their doors.
Robin McKinney is a single mother of seven who struggles to make ends meet. Her day care bill for her 2-year-old daughter is taking a tremendous hit as Mayor Adrian Fenty works to privatize 13 District-run child care facilities.
"That's a big impact on my family, meaning more money coming out of my budget in order to get childcare," McKinney said.
McKinney's day care on Alabama Avenue closed late last month as part of the reorganization that will take the responsibility of running these facilities away from the District Department of Parks and Recreation and outsource it to private companies.
Of the 13 facilities, six are to be taken over by United Planning Organization. The fate of the seven others remains unclear.
Some worry that will drive up cost for patrons and put people like Darlene Williams out of work.
"I don't have a job," Williams said. "You have to pay your rent, you got kids in college. My kids went through D.C. Parks and Rec and they are successful. Mayor Fenty don't care anything about us."
McKinney will now take her child to a private facility, which will cost her $100 more a month, she says. She has no choice, as she doesn't know if her daughter's former facility will reopen and how much it will cost.
"A half a loaf of bread is better than no loaf at all," McKinney said. "Of course it makes a difference. That's a hundred dollars more to go to my seven kids, so yes, it's a big difference when you already have a set budget for your family and household."
The mayor's office issued a statement Tuesday afternoon. It didn't directly respond to criticism about the change, instead stating: