Investing in Harlem’s Future
A conversation with Dr. Sanayi Canton, founder of Chloe Day School and Wellness Center.
Chloe Day School and Wellness Center creates a comprehensive and nurturing place for children and their families
NEW YORK - “No bank would lend to me.” This is a hard reality for many aspiring entrepreneurs. But how to bring in better opportunities to one’s community when the resources are not readily available?
As a Harlemite who grew up in poverty and became a mother at 16, Dr. Sanayi Canton knows, firsthand, how poor working families struggle to get the education and mental health resources their children need to thrive. Now, as a mother of six boys and wife, Sanayi Canton has several master’s degrees, a Ph.D., and has served many years as an educator, ordained minister, and volunteer in New York City. All these experiences have equipped her to tackle her next self-imposed challenge—add business owner to her resume.
In 2018, Dr. Canton was awarded a grant by the New York City Department of Education to create the Chloe Day School and Wellness Center. But she would only receive funding after she obtained New York State required licenses and certifications. To get those, she needed to complete costly renovations to open and operate the school.
“I did not have the capital to renovate the space in order to get the license and acquire the grant funds.”
But two great things happened. First, she was able to leverage a long-time relationship with an Orthodox Jewish community in the Brooklyn—Congregation Luminous. They loaned her more than half of the funds she needed to complete the modifications.
“They invested in me. They are a religious institution, and they wanted to help children in my community.”
Second, UMEZ made a UMEZ Small Business loan for buildout and renovations and provided her with technical assistance throughout the loan closing process. Dr. Canton learned about UMEZ from Gale Brewer, the borough president of Manhattan.
“I was very grateful to UMEZ because without them I would not have been able to make this dream a reality.”
With these funds, Dr. Canton has been able to continue the remodeling of the Chloe School, even when the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted work plans.
“COVID has made things even harder. You cannot get doors for the school, for example. They weren’t making doors. The department of buildings, the place where I get licenses to do the work, is working virtually. The process that would normally take 3 to 4 weeks now takes 10 to 12 weeks.”
Even with these hiccups, Dr. Canton says the school is on track to open by fall 2021.
The Chloe Day School and Wellness Center has a capacity for 78 children and their families. It features two classes for 4-year-olds, two classes for 3-year-olds, and one class for 2-year-olds.
“Our wellness programs happen in the evenings and on Saturdays to support working families create a haven where families can begin the process of thinking about mental health.”
Dr. Canton says the Chloe Day School and Wellness Center focuses on the wholeness of families and not just aspects like education or work, “so we can demystify mental health.”
Learn more about UMEZ Small Business Loan and other financial products by visiting, https://www.umez.org/small-business-loans.