ACT (Advocate for Child Care Today) NOW!
The National Child Care Association (NCCA) works diligently to advocate for our members and child care professionals but we NEED YOUR HELP! Now is the time to advocate for yourself by calling or emailing your legislators (links below)! Share with their office your story of how rough it is now with COVID-19 and what is needed for you to survive through this and long after it.
NOW more than ever providers, early childhood educators, parents, businesses, etc. MUST be vocal about the situation that licensed child care is facing. Without your participation there are not enough voices to change where we are headed. Please use the letter provided below to contact those in control of your future.
There are 129,000 licensed child care centers and 115,000 licensed/registered homes that, on a normal day take care of 12M children. Congress comes back into session next week. Let’s light up their email and phones with a unified message. If you want and expect change you must ask for it NOW more than ever.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed our way of life for an indefinite period of time. Families and child care programs across the country are struggling with how to adjust to this new reality and what it means for parents and children, especially when this crisis ends.A number of national organizations are forecasting that many providers will remain closed after the COVID-19 crisis, leaving many parents without a child care center when they need to return to work.
ALL licensed child care providers, early childhood educators, parents, and business leaders must act now to prevent this. We need your help. Use the template below or create your own with a similar message for your personal story. MOST importantly, CONTACT your elected officials and tell them to support all licensed child care providers in the US so they survive this crisis and can help support the economic recovery.
The National Child Care Association is advocating for you during this crisis. We are in regular contact with our advocacy partners/agencies in Washington, D.C. to let them know your perspective and your challenges. It is time for YOU to ACT and we are making advocating as easy as possible. Together, standing with our more than 129,000 licensed programs and 115,000 licensed/registered home child care settings serving over 12M children, we are seeking more support from government so parents will have their child care program of choice available when this crisis subsides and all Americans can return to work.
Our leaders in the US Legislature must hear from enough of YOU in a unified voice in order to be a priority to them. YOU are their constituent, the voter. Your voice and issues matter and this is a critical time in the world and in our industry.
Please use the template letter below to help tell your story. Adapt it as you wish and send it as an email to YOUR Legislators (NOTE: Use the links highlighted here to find your leaders).
US Representatives | Senators | Governors
You can copy the text in the letter and paste into your email. Be sure to enter in the bottom section all of your information such as name, name of business, business address and home address.You can also post your email on social media & tag your elected officials.—
Thank you to Christi Puesch, Executive Director of the Maryland State Child Care Association for providing us with this important information!
Dear (add your Governor and/or US Legislator’s name):
I am your constituent and I run a child care center in (add your city’s name). Like so many in our state right now, I am struggling, along with families and children, with the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. I wanted to tell you my story and ask that you help ensure the child care providers of (add your state’s name) have the resources they need to remain in business until the crisis ends so we can care for the children and do our part in the economic recovery we all hope will be on the other side of this.
As I hope you will agree, child care is an essential function and serves as a backbone of our economy. Without it, too many parents would be kept from working and generating the economic activity to keep the stock market going and tax revenue flowing. We are a major employer, a very essential service provider that allows other businesses to flourish and we also educate, nurture and prepare our youngest children with foundations for next steps in life. We are also taxpayers and play and significant role in our communities.
Many businesses in my industry have also stepped up to do their part in this crisis, taking on health risks by keeping their doors open to provide care for the children of frontline health care workers, first responders, and other essential workers -we are serving while making it possible for all brave individuals to help serve (add your states name for their residents) during this critical time.
In best of times, child care programs like mine operate on razor thin margins and teeter on the edge of financial health. Many in our industry are in fact nonprofits. The federal and state programs announced to date are simply insufficient to help child care businesses. The federal Paycheck Protection Program in the CARES Act only provides eight weeks of payroll assistance, if providers are accepted and the money does not run out. It does not cover 100% of payroll costs, such as FICA, FUTA, and other taxes.
Federal SBA Economic Disaster Loans only provide help for payroll, rent, mortgages and utilities. Those loans will put my business deeper in debt, and does not cover all overhead, like insurance, food, supplies, taxes, and curriculum materials. Not all providers are even eligible.
Other states have recognized the critical role that child care plays in their states and have stepped up to institute plans which will reimburse child care providers for lost tuition due to this unprecedented event. We urge you to take similar action in (put your States name here). Without additional support, many child care businesses like mine will close and leave too many parents without child care when they need to get back to work.
Thank you for your leadership in this difficult time. Please help ensure child care for all families and help thousands of small businesses, such as mine stay afloat and continue to be viable after this crisis.
I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy.
Name
Business Name and Address Home Address
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Thank you for helping “America Go Back To Work”!
Cindy Lehnhoff
Legislative Advocate & Executive Director, NCCA