In a few days, Congress will be identifying funding priorities that will address the economic crisis our nation is facing since the beginning of the pandemic. We need to tell them:
Child care, “the workforce behind the workforce,” must be a Congressional priority and adequately funded.
While the CARES Act provided much-needed assistance to child care programs that were closed and those that were opened to serve children of essential workers during the first few months of the pandemic, that funding dries up at the end of this month. The future of child care will be in danger come August. Centers that are open are facing higher costs linked with ensuring the safety of children and staff, for cleaning supplies, PPE and additional staff. They are also experiencing lower enrollment, because either parents remain unemployed and do not need child care or they are uncomfortable sending their children to group care right now.
Without federal help, the future of child care throughout our state is in jeopardy. And when child care is in jeopardy, so is our economy’s recovery. Parents will not have access to the programs they rely on to care for and educate their children so that they can go to work.
We need to tell the entire New Jersey Congressional Delegation to be child care champions and urge Speaker Pelosi and other Congressional leaders to provide $50 billion to stabilize the child care industry in the next stimulus package so that families can return to work knowing their children are safe!
Click here to sign our petition and send an email to your Congressional representatives.
