Controversy in Madera County - an after school program closed down in the community of Yosemite Lakes Park, leaving families with very few options for child care.
The program was run at the Recreation Center just off Yosemite Springs Parkway.
Each day after school, the Recreation Center in Yosemite Lakes Park is filled with children. Thirty-five to forty elementary and middle school kids.
"I love that it's a place for me to hang out with all my friends some of which I don't get to see at school," said eleven year old Gloria.
"It's fun, it's entertaining, get to do a lot of stuff, see your friends," said nine year old Ernest.
Ernest and Gloria have been coming here for the past several years. The after school program is funded by the Yosemite Lakes Park homeowners association, at no cost to the families.
"Here in YLP we are short on child care. There are not a lot of places for these kids to be," said Veronica Longcor. She supervises the after school program.
But this is her last day. And the last day for the after school program.
The board of the homeowners association voted to shut it down.
"Its very hard its very, very hard. Because a lot of these people and a lot of these families because there's no other place for these kids to go these kids will be going home alone," Longcor said.
The program has been around for four years. But it came under scrutiny in August, according to the board, after someone questioned how it was being run.
"We wanted this program to work," said Bob McDonough. He is the acting president of the homeowners association.
He says people that the board considers experts told them the after school program was a liability. And they needed to shut it down.
"Either that or spend a small fortune to turn this into a legitimate day care center and we just don't have the money to do that," McDonough said.
Parents say other child care options in YLP are full or too expensive.
"The moms, you can't see them right now, we're all working together we're just going to do our best to figure it out. But we all do work," said Melissa Marino, whose son attends the after school program.
Families say they'll figure out over the next few days and weeks what they'll do with their children now after school.
The program was run at the Recreation Center just off Yosemite Springs Parkway.
Each day after school, the Recreation Center in Yosemite Lakes Park is filled with children. Thirty-five to forty elementary and middle school kids.
"I love that it's a place for me to hang out with all my friends some of which I don't get to see at school," said eleven year old Gloria.
"It's fun, it's entertaining, get to do a lot of stuff, see your friends," said nine year old Ernest.
Ernest and Gloria have been coming here for the past several years. The after school program is funded by the Yosemite Lakes Park homeowners association, at no cost to the families.
"Here in YLP we are short on child care. There are not a lot of places for these kids to be," said Veronica Longcor. She supervises the after school program.
But this is her last day. And the last day for the after school program.
The board of the homeowners association voted to shut it down.
"Its very hard its very, very hard. Because a lot of these people and a lot of these families because there's no other place for these kids to go these kids will be going home alone," Longcor said.
The program has been around for four years. But it came under scrutiny in August, according to the board, after someone questioned how it was being run.
"We wanted this program to work," said Bob McDonough. He is the acting president of the homeowners association.
He says people that the board considers experts told them the after school program was a liability. And they needed to shut it down.
"Either that or spend a small fortune to turn this into a legitimate day care center and we just don't have the money to do that," McDonough said.
Parents say other child care options in YLP are full or too expensive.
"The moms, you can't see them right now, we're all working together we're just going to do our best to figure it out. But we all do work," said Melissa Marino, whose son attends the after school program.
Families say they'll figure out over the next few days and weeks what they'll do with their children now after school.