Losing a Day-Care Center

Regarding the March 23 Metro article "NE Residents Protest Closure of D.C. Day-Care Center":

Holy Name Catholic Church and Catholic Charities are to be commended for their three decades of operating the Model Cities Child Development Center in the Trinidad neighborhood of Washington. It is disappointing that a pillar of support in the community that helps children learn and parents work would be replaced by a program serving only 4-year-olds because the church can obtain market rates for rent.

High-quality infant care is hard to find and afford. Terminating the child-care program casts aside infants as well as the needs of working parents. Children do not begin to learn at 3 or 4 years of age. Research shows that approximately 80 percent of brain development occurs between birth and age 3.

I hope it's not too late to reach a better community investment decision, one that meets the needs of parents, children and the church.

LINDA K. SMITH

Executive Director

National Association of Child Care Resource

and Referral Agencies

Arlington