The first five years are critical to children’s healthy development. But for children whose families are experiencing homelessness, stress and uncertainty can often interfere with their ability to learn and master new skills.
We created our Voyager Child Development Center (Voyager) to provide reliable, quality, onsite childcare for infants and pre-school children at our San José Family Shelter. Voyager is State licensed and free of charge to families staying at our Shelter.
By providing a safe and loving environment for their young children, we allow parents to concentrate their time and energy on seeking employment and permanent housing.
In the last fiscal year, parents who were unemployed when they entered the Shelter and who enrolled their children in Voyager secured work at a rate 15% higher than the general Shelter population.
Our Program Model
Voyager is open Mondays through Fridays, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Voyager’s Infant/Toddler Care program serves children ages 6 weeks – 2 years. The Preschool program serves children ages 2 – 5 years. For most of these children, Voyager is their first childcare experience.
Our Center Director and Childcare Teacher are assisted by nursing students, occupational therapy interns, and community volunteers with training in social work, education and child development. These dedicated volunteers help us to maintain low child/adult classroom ratios that facilitate individualized learning.
Voyager staff coach parents on the importance of early learning to later school readiness and success. If students demonstrate special needs, then staff develop a plan with parents to address those needs.
Get Involved
Interested to volunteer at our Voyager Child Development Center? Click here to learn more about opportunities.