Anna House at Belmont Park Racetrack
By Stuart Chenkin

For the thousands of fans who flock to Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetracks the sight of the horses flying down the homestretch is quite exciting. However, there is a part of the racetrack that very few fans ever get to see. It’s called the backstretch and it’s home to the hundreds of horses who race at the tracks. The horses have to been fed, and groomed and walked and their stalls cleaned. Its hard work and starts at 5AM for the thousands of backstretch workers at the track. The majority of whom are Hispanic.

 

They have come to the United States to make a better life for themselves, but more importantly, for their children. While they are working, most of the parents had few choices where to leave their young children. They usually left them with older siblings, who would miss school, or with adults who were insufficiently prepared for this responsibility. The unique nature of the backstretch prevented them from using existing child care centers. They start work before sunrise, and the horses have to be tended to seven days a week. In addition, the employees could not afford the high cost of private child care.

In 1998 a group of women-the spouses of horsemen- had a strong desire to give back to those who make racing possible. Diane Bomze, Fay Donk, Suzee Bailey and Tina Mott, with the support of The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, started the Belmont Child Care Association. The early going was tough, but they never gave up and thanks to a chance meeting at a dinner party at Suzee Bailey's Anna House, a dream was to become a reality. At the party was Michael Dubb, a Long Island developer and philanthropist, he overheard the conversation about the desire for a child care center at the track and offered his support. To use his words, "it became a passion for me."  The New York Racing Association donated the land on which the 7,500 square foot center was built. Horse owners Laura and Eugene Melynk donated $1 million. In appreciation the center bears the name of their daughter, Anna. Thanks to the Melynk, and others like them, $3.5 million was raised and ground for Anna House was broken in April 2002 and opened in January 2003.

Today, 52 children, ranging in age from six weeks to five years are cared for at Anna House. Their day starts with a nutritious breakfast, followed by activities. The older children go outside to The Lemon Drop Kid Playground, donated by the late thoroughbred horse owner Jeanne Vance. Mid-morning the children have a nap, and then a hot lunch. At 1PM the parents return for the children, many of who, do not want to leave Anna House.

In June 2004, Anna House graduated their first pre schoolers. They are now in the Elmont elementary school district kindergartens, and the reports on their progress have been glowing. They all knew how to write their names, knew the numbers up to 100, the alphabet and in general were prepared for the work. Sixteen more children will graduate in 2005 and the teachers at Anna House are confident they too will be as equally prepared.

In addition to providing child care to the families, The Belmont Child Care Association has many other activities at Anna House. They have ESL classes for the parents during the day while their children are cared for. Knitting classes were a popular event for the parents who made hats, scarves and blankets. Two of the blankets were given to the annual auction The Belmont Child Care Association holds each August to raise funds for Anna House, and each garnered several hundred dollars. In December they have a shopping extravaganza where the children of the backstretch select gifts for their parents, siblings and relatives. The gifts are donated and volunteers help the children pick them out, wrap and tag them. It is the most popular of all the events at Anna House with over 300 children participating each year.

It costs approximately $15,000.00 a year to service a child, an amount no backstretch employee could afford. Public funding for day care is scarce at best. So The Belmont Child Care Association relies on donations. The Belmont Child Care Association is fortunate to have Thoroughbred Charities of America contribute to this noble cause. In the word of Donna Chenkin, Executive Director of the organization: "our mission is to create quality child care for our children. Rather then see our children as just needing more social services; we recognize that despite the hardships in their lives, these children come to us with ideas, interests, and curiosities that we need to flourish."

If you would like to learn more about Anna House, or make a tax deductible donation, call Mrs. Chenkin at 516 488-2103.