400 Reasons Why We Need $400B for Child Care NOW!

Oct 18th, 2021

TAKE ACTION NOW

Child care is essential: Without child care, there is no work. Mothers, fathers, parents, and caregivers should be able to provide for their families knowing our children are safe and nurtured. But because of a long history of racist policies, our child care system in the US has never been given the money it needs. Families should be able to afford care and care providers should make a living wage. We have the historic chance to make this happen.

President Biden’s Build Back Better plan includes $400 billion dollars for child care. This is life-changing money. And we have 400 reasons why this money is needed now! We CAN create a better, more fair child care system.

Scroll down to hear directly from parents, kids, caregivers, and child care providers. Remember our voices when voting YES on Build Back Better to support the Care Economy!

Our Goals:

  1. Guaranteed child care for every family who needs it
  2. Reducing how much families pay for care, especially communities of color
  3. Fair pay and benefits to child care workers and early educators

Hear directly from parents, families, providers, and child care advocates across the country! We’ve been sharing our reasons why this funding is so important on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Look for the hashtag #450BillionReasonsWhy and #BuildChildCare, or click on the links below.

NOW is the time to make our voices LOUD so our leaders can’t ignore our needs. For our families, our kids, and our child care providers: CLICK HERE TO ADD YOUR OWN VOICE!

Scroll or click to see what families, child care providers, and kids are saying:

California

San Francisco

Los Angeles

San Diego

Alameda

Alhambra

Antioch

Arcadia

Bakersfield

Baldwin Park

Benecia

Berkeley

Ceres

Chula Vista

Daily City

Davis

Delano

Fairfield

Foster City

Fremont

Fresno

Gilroy

Haward

Huntington Park

La Quinta

Manteca

Marin

Monterey County

Monterey Park

Newbury Park

New Port Beach

North Hollywood

Novato

Oakland

Ontario

Orange

Palmdale

Palm Springs

Pittsburg

Pleasant Hill

Pomona

Redding

Richmond

Rocklin

Royal Oaks

Sacramento

San Bernadino

San Bruno

San Gabriel

San Jose

San Mateo

San Rafael

Santa Maria

Santa Rosa

Solano

Stockton

Taft

Tracy

Vacaville

Windsor

Arizona

Florida

Illinois

Iowa

Missouri

New York

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Washington

Wisconsin

It’s been since 1943 that the US invested real money in child care. The Latham Act created a universal child care program for women to be able to support the war effort in World War II. Since then, child care has been neglected. In 1971, we got *so* close. The House and Senate passed the Comprehensive Childcare Act, which would have invested billions in child care. But President Nixon vetoed the act.

We can’t forget that child care has never been funded anywhere close to the level that families and child care providers need. So now, when our leaders are talking compromise and cut backs, we need to remind them that it’s past time to invest in child care!