When it came time to explore childcare options in Tucson, Daniel Crumbo’s decision was easy, “My son was pretty fussy, he only liked me. But I handed my son to Miss Stephanie, and he just melted into her.”
From then, in 2016, to today, two more of Daniel’s children have gone through the Tucson J’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program, all the way from infancy through pre-k. “It’s an excellent program,” said Daniel.
While the ECE program may have originally brought the Crumbos to the J, it has become a “hub” for the family.
Daniel and his wife Liz are regulars in the Fitness Center. “We’re very J-centric. I’ve got three kids on the swim team. I’m in the gym every day. I’m friends with everybody there,” said Daniel with a smile.
But earlier this year, everything changed.
“We were on a federally funded scholarship for the last two years. But a lot of federal funding is being pulled, and we were one of the families that lost it. We have five kids, one in college, and my mom was just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, so we’re taking care of her, too. And then it was just at the beginning of summer, just like that– you’ve lost all your funding, and we didn’t see it coming.”
“I talked to Joline and Amy, and within a week, they said, ‘we’ve found something for you.’” That something was scholarship funds that would ease the financial burden Daniel and his family were facing and ensure they didn’t have to leave the community they call home.
“It really touched me because we are a family that’s been here for ten years, and we’ve built personal relationships. I felt really taken care of and safe the whole time. I knew it was going to be hard, but I knew we’d figure out a way through.”
“This is so rare. I knew that I could trust they weren’t going to tell me one thing and do something else. And I’m really, really appreciative of that,” said Daniel.
Every year with generous support from donors, the Tucson J awards roughly $450,000 annually in scholarships to families and individuals in need. Donations received through the Arizona State Tax Credit program go to scholarships specifically for Early Childhood Education, JCare afterschool program, and Camp J, so children across Tucson and from all backgrounds can have access to the excellent childcare all kids deserve.
“It’s been rough. It was just kind of one thing after another. But the J was something I could count on. Even through Covid, Miss Demaris drove by with signs, honking her car. It’s something I’ve always appreciated,” said Daniel.
Daniel values the Jewish education his children have received through the ECE program, which reminds and connects him to his step-grandmother, but also enjoys the diversity of the J’s staff and members. “You meet people at the gym, people on the swim team that you would never have known before. You have people like me mingling with retirees in the gym.”
At the end of the day, Daniel says it best: “Community is the connections.” Whether it’s poolside, in the parking lot, or enjoying a signature event, the Tucson J is where connections are made, people of all ages thrive, and everyone belongs.
