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How to put kids first this election
Child care was among the many important government services that were long long undervalued. Now, for businesses and voters, child care tops the list of things to support.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Clark, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass) recently penned an Op-Ed stating, “Access to child care, or the lack thereof, cuts across almost every sector and business struggling to reopen in a safe and timely manner. And we need to acknowledge the repercussions of failing to address this challenge. There is no tenable path forward out of this economic crisis without first addressing this issue.”
This is precisely why PCCY fights every day to ensure we expand access to high-quality early childhood education programs. This is also why we are stepping up our game to ensure early childhood education is a priority of those who want your vote this November 3rd.
PCCY recently helped to launch a new organization, Children Matter Action Fund, so that early learning would be at the top of every candidate’s issue list. The Action Fund is pressing candidates to speak to the need for affordable, high-quality child care and pre-k for every 3- and 4-year old so that voters know which candidates will invest in young children as they cast their mail-in ballot this fall.
The Action Fund has reached out to every candidate running for a Pennsylvania House or Senate seat with a pledge to be signed, stating that, if elected, they will be legislative champions by fighting for our children to have guaranteed access to high-quality care and early learning options. And candidates are asked to complete a survey so voters can learn more about a candidate’s views on this critical early investment.
The Action Fund is also giving child care providers a say in the matter. Who knows the challenges the sector faces better than the women and men who risk their lives each day during the pandemic to show up to work to educate and care for our children? They deserve a platform, and over the next two months the Action Fund is giving it to them and the parents they serve.
So how does this work? In the 33 communities with the “hottest” PA House and Senate Races, the Action Fund and its partners are hosting virtual Candidate Conversations featuring child care providers, business owners, and community leaders speaking to candidates directly about how access to child care and pre-k creates a better future for Pennsylvania. The first one will be in the Philadelphia region on September 24 as candidates in Montgomery County will take the (Zoom) stage to discuss with voters how they’ll put our children’s future first.
As the election season unfolds, the Action Fund will be pressing the importance of early learning on all media platforms. It will tout the candidates who commit to making our children’s future their primary focus in Harrisburg. It will post the signed pledges and surveys so voters can educate themselves and share the news about these candidate’s positions. Find those results here: https://childrenmatteractionfund.org/candidate-support/
At PCCY we will support this extraordinary effort by sharing the information and using every last ounce of our energy to reach parents who depend on child care and ensure they fulfill their constitutional right to choose who their elected leaders will be. If you would like to help reach these parents, we need volunteers. Contact us at info@childrenfirstpa.org or download these GOTV postcards and share them with parents yourself.
The future of our children and economy depend on what we do over the next two months. We’re fired up and ready to go. Are you?
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