- We are honored to once again be joined by Karimah Hagans, who is Executive Director of Turning Point Community Services.

Karimah, great to have you with us again.

- Thank you.

It's great to be here.

Thank you, Steve.

- Yeah, the website is up, this is part of our initiative on childcare, information that people need to know about affordable, accessible, quality childcare.

The website is also up right after Turning Point for the First 1000 Days Policy Coalition, which is a coalition committed to childcare.

Karimah, tell everyone what Turning Point is and what you're evolving to as it relates to childcare.

- Absolutely.

Turning Point Community Services is a nonprofit organization that helps women and their children who are homeless and survivors of abuse by providing housing and supportive services.

We are known to operate the only family shelter in Irvington, and we are a full service organization.

We're not just a shelter.

So to your point, we are developing our new after-hours childcare program that we are so excited to launch just because we know that there's a need for that type of service in this community.

- What type of hours are we talking about?

- I like to say we're after the nine to five, so we're five to nine.

In our show-- - Hold on.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Hold on one second.

5:00 PM to nine in the morning.

Childcare.

Explain how that works.

- Absolutely, so the program is in our shelter facility, as I mentioned, in Irvington.

So it's really an extension of our afterschool program that we already offer to our children.

So we offer that from three to about 5:00, 6:00 PM.

And this new initiative, this new program is really just an extension of that.

And that's just because the mothers that we serve, they don't work traditional hours.

So traditional childcare really is not suitable for them.

So our program is to be able to fulfill their need and they need that after hours, that non-traditional service.

- Tell folks, Karimah, at what happens if parents, disproportionately moms, who have so-called non-traditional hours of work, what happens if they don't have access to the kind of quality, affordable, accessible childcare that we've been talking about for several years now.

- Steve, I can't tell you enough how many moms I have seen who have had to resign from their place of employment just because they did not have access to childcare.

So what is happening is they're having to quit their jobs, they're having to lose their income, which is now keeping them in that state of homelessness and that just doesn't make sense.

So they need these type of services so they can build their income, so they could increase their income, so they could come out of this homelessness status.

- You know, Karimah, for an organization like yours, and by the way, go onto the Turning Point website to find out more, there's a whole range of services that they offer in addition to the very important childcare services, this initiative that Karimah is talking about, it's a pilot initiative, but also onsite clinicians offering individual, family, and group therapy, life skills classes, cooking, nutrition, financial literacy, GED prep, right?

Job readiness programs.

So I'm curious about this.

You're a not-for-profit leader.

Our production company is a not-for-profit, but different.

So help folks what it's like these days in 2025 to be a leader in the not-for-profit community, and why are you smiling?

Is it happy every day?

- It's not happy every day, but we have to smile, right?

Because we have-- - Because?

Why is it not happy, A?

And B, why are you smiling no matter what?

- Because-- - What's the alternative?

- I think I could speak generally, right?

For us, nonprofit.

I feel like we're on a rollercoaster ride, right?

And in this time, in 2025, we don't know what's going to happen.

But we have to stay positive because we have to have a smile on our face, especially for the families that we serve.

We have to let them know that everything is gonna be okay, even when it may seem like it's not gonna be okay.

So I always have a smile on my face because it is our job to think creatively, to think outside of the box.

And if anything, this year, that is what has been pushing us to do.

So we're fortunate for foundations to, you know, encourage our way or fund our new initiative and our new programs that are a little bit outside of the box because we have to during this time.

- So you're not, are you relying on state and or federal funding?

- Our funding pie is diverse.

We do receive state and federal funding, so we know what's going on with that funding.

But you know, we do also rely on foundation, grants, individual donors as well to help us continue our programs.

- So help folks understand this.

It's so interesting how you laid this out and talked about it.

You talk about the economic social implications, community implications of parents, disproportionately women not being able to work, you said just leaving their jobs, talk to folks more specifically.

There are real, and we've had business leaders come on and talk about this, people understand the economy in the state and in communities like yours.

In Irvington, right?

- Yeah.

- What are the more specific economic implications, the impact of parents who have to, quote, quit their jobs, and no more revenue coming in in that way as it relates to the economy of a community?

- Yeah, so I think I could just speak about, you know, if our families are unable to work, if they're unable to do these jobs that are beneficial to our community, then how are they being fulfilled, right?

So I think this kind of domino effect that will affect all of us really if we're not able-- - How do you keep your home?

How do you pay your rent?

How do you buy the food need?

How do you... - Right, I mean, how do you live?

How do you become efficient?

How do you be sustainable?

It doesn't make sense.

So we need these type of programs.

They need this type of help to help them overcome these barriers and obstacles that they're facing.

- You're optimistic.

- Always.

- Because you have to be.

- Because you have to be, and because why not, right?

I like to be optimistic.

I like to think creatively, think outside of the box.

There's an answer to this problem.

There's an answer to this homelessness crisis.

And I believe that we can solve that answer.

- If what?

- If people are willing to think, allow us to be creative, allow us, you know, fund us for these new initiatives like after-hour childcare, to allow us to continue to fulfill our mission, not take away our funding.

That is really the big piece.

And if we are allowed that, that platform to do so, then we could really solve this problem.

- And if we just cared a little bit more.

Karimah Hagans is the executive director of a great organization, making a difference every day, Turning Point Community Services.

This is part of our First 1000 Days Initiative.

First 1,000 days from when the woman is pregnant until that baby two years old.

1,000 days.

We're talking about childcare, public awareness.

It's a multi-year initiative and we have more work to do.

Karimah, thank you so much.

We appreciate it.

- Thank you, Steve.

- You got it.

I'm Steve Adubato.

That's Karimah.

We'll see you next time.

- [Narrator] Think Tank with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by Kean University.

The Turrell Fund, a foundation serving children.

Citizens Philanthropic Foundation.

Congress Hall.

A Cape Resorts property.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

New Jersey Children’s Foundation.

United Airlines.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

And by The Adler Aphasia Center.

Promotional support provided by Meadowlands Chamber.

And by Insider NJ.

- Are you looking to be a part of a dynamic, forward-thinking business service organization?

At Meadowlands Chamber, every day we connect, collaborate and innovate, helping to drive business and economic growth in the greater Meadowlands and New Jersey.

I invite you to visit our Meadowlands Chamber headquarters, an open office facility with access to resources for our members' businesses and networking needs.

Together, we will build the chamber of the future, and the next generation of leaders.