The NEST on Young Street Set to Open in Renovated Home with DAY ONE Educator at the Helm; Partners Announce $100K Grant to Expand into County's First 24-Hour Child Care

A groundbreaking collaboration between a hospital, housing group, bank, and nonprofit is tackling the region's child care crisis head-on. Today, these four partners gathered with elected officials and community members to celebrate the completion of renovations at The NEST on Young Street (Nurturing Early Success Together), marking a major milestone for a new, fully renovated home that will serve local families while creating a path to business ownership and homeownership for a local early educator.

The innovative partnership between Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Hudson River Housing, DAY ONE Early Learning Community, and NBT Bank, is creating Dutchess County’s first 24-hour child care model. During today’s ribbon cutting, the partners announced a $100,000 grant from the Dutchess County-Poughkeepsie Land Bank that will fund the renovation of an adjacent property, making round-the-clock care a reality. The NEST will help hospital workers and other essential employees whose shifts don’t fit traditional care hours, while also serving families throughout the community.

At the heart of this project is DAY ONE, a local nonprofit that helps community members become high quality early childhood educators and business owners through its paid Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway (TAP). TAP participants earn while they learn, gaining hands-on classroom experience and graduating with the credentials and confidence to lead their own programs. DAY ONE TAP graduate Danielle McClinton will own and operate the licensed Group Family Day Care at 2 Young Street, live on-site in the renovated home, run her own business, and work toward eventual homeownership.

“I never imagined owning my own business was possible in early education. DAY ONE believed in me and gave me the tools to do this. Now I get to welcome families into this beautiful space and give their children the joy and learning they need during the most important years of their lives. I’m so proud to be doing this work right here in my community,” said Danielle McClinton, DAY ONE TAP Graduate and Business Owner

DAY ONE brought the partners to the table, and each played a critical role. Vassar Brothers Medical Center owns the property and is leasing it to Hudson River Housing, which renovated the vacant home. NBT Bank and loan funding by the Leviticus Fund provided seed funding for the work completed by Hudson River Housing, and their general contractor, Gutierrez Building Corp. The newly announced $100,000 grant will allow the partners to renovate the adjacent property at 6 Young Street. This will enable around-the-clock availability, helping families across the community find care that works with 24-hour work schedules, addressing one of the region’s most pressing workforce challenges.

“We’re thrilled to be part of this innovative partnership that brings together housing, child care and community support under one roof. At Vassar Brothers, we know that when our workers and their families have access to stable housing and quality child care, it strengthens not only our hospital but the entire region. This project is a powerful example of what’s possible when we come together to invest in the health and future of our community,” said Susan Browning, president of Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

"Hudson River Housing is honored to be partnering with Vassar Brothers Medical Center and DAY ONE Early Learning Community on this exciting project! Revitalizing a vacant property into much needed affordable housing and quality childcare is a big win for our community and we are so thrilled to be a part of it! We are also grateful to NBT Bank for providing the funding to get the project started, to the Leviticus Fund for additional financing support, and to our general contractor on this project, Gutierrez Building Corp. This innovative collaboration has been a wonderful example of what can be achieved when we work together with a bright and positive vision for our youth and community!" said Christa Hines, CEO of Hudson River Housing.

“NBT Bank is honored to play a supporting role in this partnership between Hudson River Housing, DAY ONE and Vassar Brothers Medical Center to expand the availability of childcare and promote entrepreneurship in Poughkeepsie,” said John Davies, Hudson Valley Regional President for NBT Bank.

“This project is a powerful example of what collaboration can accomplish for our city. When local partners come together to invest in our families, our workforce, and our neighborhoods, we create lasting change. By expanding access to quality childcare and supporting early childhood development, we’re giving our children the strongest possible start in life. The NEST on Young Street represents hope, opportunity, and the kind of innovation that moves Poughkeepsie forward,” said Mayor Yvonne D. Flowers, City of Poughkeepsie, NY.

Child care challenges cost the U.S. economy $122 billion annually in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue, according to a 2023 ReadyNation report.

"This is a local solution to a nationwide problem,” said Madeline Henriquez, DAY ONE’s Executive Director. “Communities everywhere are struggling with the same issues we faced in Poughkeepsie--not enough high-quality early learning, especially for families working non-traditional hours. What we're proving here is that you don't need to wait for massive funding or new construction to do something. This partnership is a model that can work in cities and towns across the country."

So far, more than 100 people have completed DAY ONE's apprenticeship pathway, and more than 500 children are now receiving high-quality and joyful early education in surrounding communities. DAY ONE students score twice as high on kindergarten readiness exams compared to national averages, with over 95% of Pre-K students achieving "kindergarten-ready" proficiency in math.

High-resolution photos and video are available upon request. Contact Blake Bond-Upson (bbondupson@doelc.org) or Julian Vinocur (julian.vinocur@finnpartners.com).

About DAY ONE Early Learning Community

DAY ONE Early Learning Community is a nonprofit organization based in Poughkeepsie, NY that combines high-quality early education for children from birth to age five with career-building opportunities for adults. Through its Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway (TAP), members within the community train to become early educators while earning a living wage. DAY ONE’s classrooms support joyful, brain-building learning during the most critical years of development, and help families build greater stability at home. It’s a full-circle approach that supports learning, stability, and opportunity.

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The innovative partnership between Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Hudson River Housing, DAY ONE Early Learning Community, and NBT Bank, is creating Dutchess County’s first 24-hour child care model.