Crisis Nursery, Jeremiah’s Place, opens April 21

It could be for the new mom in town with no support system during an emergency. Or for the family with a deployed dad. Or for any family with children at risk for child abuse or simply without daycare help when they’re expected on the job. Now there is an option for for families in crisis who need daycare: Jeremiah’s Place.

The city’s first crisis nursery opens its doors Monday, April 21 to provide short-term temporary day time care for up to 45 children from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“We know there’s a need,” says Jeremiah’s Place Executive Director LouAnn Ross. “Every week a child dies as a result of child abuse and very often it’s something that–if a parent just had a minute or if there was a more reliable child care choice–would not happen, particularly for kids under the age of six because they don’t have an outside network where they can rely on people.”

The crisis shelter, located at the Kingsley Association building in East Liberty, is part of the nonprofit organization, Jeremiah’s Place, that has 60 centers across the nation with some hitting the 30 year mark. The East Liberty location received their child care certificate and will be licensed as a residential facility capable of keeping children for up to 72 hours.

The 3,500 square-foot space is loaded with mostly donated items including 715 pairs of pajamas from WYEP 91.3’s Holiday Hootenanny & Pajama Jam event, 4moms infant rockaRoos, and furniture from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.