At UHS Child Care on Thursday, October 24, a plaque was unveiled by UHS President and CEO John Carrigg to dedicate the center's playground to New York State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo.

The dedication ceremony was held in recognition of Lupardo’s unwavering commitment to early childhood education and family support, which was instrumental in opening the center. The state-of-the-art playground was made possible by a $300,000 Assembly grant secured by Lupardo.

“If you ask any of our physicians, nurses or any other parents who are here today, they will tell you that keeping kids moving and strengthening their bodies really fuels their minds and lays a foundation for a lifetime of good health,” said Mr. Carrigg. “So thank you, Donna. Thank you for your support. This playground and child care center is made possible because of your expertise and unwavering advocacy for the wellbeing of our kids and families.”

The playground is part of the center's educational curriculum that is one of the most highly-rated nationwide. One of the most unique features of the playground is that all classrooms – from infancy through pre-kindergarten -- have separate entrances to their individual play areas, which cater to the skills of each age group.

“Everybody who is attending here, and everybody in our community who loves this place as much as I do, knows that we have a lot going for us; we have a lot of heart and soul. We’ve never given up on this place for a second. And to see something like this thriving, the kids enjoying the playground, I’m very, very happy about it. I’m very happy we all came together to help our community grow and thrive,” said Assemblywoman Lupardo.

UHS partnered with Bright Horizons to open the center on April 1, 2024, for UHS employees and the greater community. To learn more about UHS Child Care, click here.

Read for the Record Day

Prior to the playground dedication on Thursday, Assemblywoman Lupardo joined John Carrigg inside the UHS Child Care center to participate in Jumpstart’s 19th Annual “Read for the Record Day.”

The 2024 Read for the Record book selection, Piper Chen Sings, is a story about a young girl who loves to express herself through singing but is struck with self-doubt and nervousness when asked to perform a solo in front of an audience. Thankfully, Piper’s “Nai Nai,” or grandmother, helps her find her voice on stage. Carrigg and Assemblywoman Lupardo each read the story to classrooms within the center, including infant and pre-school.

Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is the world’s largest shared reading experience, celebrating early literacy and supporting children’s early language and social-emotional development.