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When Rajina Mooliya’s youngest son attends public school next year, she said he’ll be ahead of peers because of his daycare program.

“When he goes to first grade he’s just going to repeat everything,” she said of 5-year-old Akshay Mooliya.

But Mooliya’s excitement grew into concern after Akshay’s day care center, Better Community Life, announced it no longer had the funds for kindergarten class.

Mooliya joined day care teachers and their union leaders June 16 in support of restoring funds to city-supported centers in Queens while discussing cost cutting alternatives with Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside).

Marshall and Gioia announced the city restored $8 million to its budget in support of day care centers like Corona’s Better Community Life. The move helps 31 centers remain open, but financial shortfalls have forced the centers to eliminate some programs.

“This is the lifeline for mothers,” Marshall said of the daycares. “They’re climbing the ladder and we want them to get to the top.”

Teachers voiced their concerns for working parents that can’t afford private centers, have children that public schools can’t accommodate, or have demanding jobs that require time away from home.

Nettie Trusell of Corona’s Malcolm X Center told attendants at the meeting how her daycare was now informing parents of possible changes to programs due to budget cuts. Half of her class is on a waiting list for public schools, she said.

“I know my parents are concerned for their children,” she said. “When September comes around, this is going to be a mess.”

Constance Brown of the Omega Center wasn’t able to attend the meeting but sent a representative and voiced her support.

“We are able to serve the children in the community and they depend on this service,” she said of the centers. “These are low-income families we help.”

Brown said her facility hasn’t received the new budget, but it is already considering what programs and materials may be cut from their center.

“This is going to be a commitment from the community,” she said.

Mabel Everett, President of Local 205 and an educator, said that although funds were restored, the fight to preserve the day care centers isn’t over. The centers receive funds based on the number of students they have enrolled.

Daycare centers are facing barriers to enrolling new students, she said, from bureaucracy battles with city organizations to miscommunication in the Department of Education. Her center, which currently houses 110 students, will have 40 by September.

“By the grace of God, we’ll get enrollment up,” she said.