NYer of the Week: Lois Lee

On February 10, 2017, Lois Lee, Director of CPC Queens School-Age Child Care Center @ PS20 and CPC Queens Corona UPK, was featured as NY1's "NYer of the Week". Lois has been a staple in the child care field for over 45 years working with countless low income and immigrant youth and families.  Lois has created a safe learning environment that caters to the social, physical, intellectual, creative, cultural and emotional development of children with the support of their family and CPC's program staff. 

Current and former students spoke about the impact that Lois has made on their lives during the segment. "When I first went into the program, I was very shy, and I used to be very naughty,'' said participant Viven Chen. "Ms. Lee tells us to use our words." Carson Yiu, a former participant and now founder of Outer Borough (Taiwanese style street food featured at Smorgasburg) said, "Lois was one of the first selfless women I've ever met. She was like a mother to me, maybe at times more than my own mother, because she was available to help me develop my skills."

On February 2, 2017, Lois was also honored at the CPC 52nd Annual Lunar New Year Celebration with the Service Star Award. During her acceptance speech Lois reflected on the many families that she has touched. Her testaments embodies her passion for the work that she and all of CPC does each day.

"I share this Service award with everyone here who has committed their lives, time and energy to be education and social service providers. ...DOE school administrators and even safety agents say:  "Give Lois the most difficult children (the one who stole from neighbors, who burned down their apt) and she will turn them around; special needs teenagers at a job fair where 50 potential employers turn them down, give them to Lois, she will accept them...." [This is] for all the CPC student alumni, who have succeeded in life thru hard circumstances (went into the military, mom couldn’t afford to send son to college, then returned from Iraq and graduated valedictorian, the foster child, the abused children). I look at my alumni staff/students and how one became an engineer who designed the new NYPD Police Academy. I look at each person... as if you were my own child and how would I want you, my child, to be treated.  Every child has a dream to be loved, belong, and be recognized as a person of worth. We help fulfill those dreams. That’s why the work continues after 46 years of service, with our Satellite Babies project. These children have full rights as American born citizens born to immigrant families but have experienced post traumatic stress. We are facing challenging times, but CPC is up to the challenge. We will fight the good fight, when we see injustices, we will say something, when we see someone in need, we will do something to help and ease the burden...."

To watch the NY1 segment click here

To learn more about CPC Queens COMPASS @ PS20 click here 

To learn more about CPC's School-Age Child Care Services click here