Call it a negative ending to the Positive Beginnings daycare centers. But Eyewitness News has learned a few centers will stay open thanks to a last minute bailout from the Y.M.C.A.
On February 12th, the company sent a letter to employees at their 40 locations saying they would not be paid for the last two weeks they worked.
"All I knew we weren't going to get paid," said Nancy Gonzales. She works at 440 Labor Street and out of the blue, she was out of work. The parents who paid for her to teach their children were also in the dark. "Parents are asking questions like where is our money going?"
On top of that, the single mom of two didn't know how to pay her rent or buy food. "They still don't understand that mommy was not going to get paid," said Gonzales. "As of today, I'm still trying to make ends meet."
But the Y.M.C.A. pulled off a miracle by keeping at least two pre-schools open and saving 30 jobs including Gonzales'.
"This was a difficult decision, brought about by harsh economic conditions," writes Tyler Mercer, a spokesman for Positive Beginnings. "Positive Beginnings has worked diligently to find other providers to make sure the children are taken care of."
But Gonzales still wants to see her last paycheck. "It's not a positive end," she said. "They brought us in saying positive beginning and we end up with a negative ending," added Gonzales.
Positive Beginnings says they are working with creditors to pay workers. Still no word on when that will be.
The other 38 daycare sites could remain open thanks to school districts, and other agencies.
