YMCA of El Paso offering free drop-in child care services to help caregivers get vaccine

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — If you have felt too busy to get a COVID-19 vaccine, there’s a new program that could help. The YMCA of El Paso is offering free drop-in child care services for caregivers as they go get their COVID-19 vaccine.

The service is available at the YMCA’s three El Paso locations Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., as well as from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The service is also available on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Parents and caregivers can bring their child to one of the participating locations between those hours, fill out some paperwork and staff will supervise the child until they return from their appointment. The service is completely free.

YMCA of El Paso CEO and President Bill Coon said the goal is to make it easier for parents to get their shot.

“It is a problem,” he said. “How do you corral three kids in a doctors office and if you've got a baby and two toddlers, how do you juggle all that? The YMCA wants to help parents juggle their kids.”

Coon said more than 500 YMCA locations are participating nationwide. The program is a response to a new White House initiative that aims to remove barriers that might prevent people from getting the vaccine. 

“We know that vaccinations here in El Paso, drive-through and the whole nine yards, it's really quick and there's not a big waiting line right now,” Coon said. “But we just wanted to make sure that parents feel comfortable getting vaccinated and if they didn't want their children to be part of that or they've got so many crazy things in life going, we wanted to make sure they're taken care of and get that vaccination.”