Vote in Primary Elections…check!
Contact legislators to support education funding…check!
Become a Child Care Voter…check?

Together so far this year, we have successfully lobbied for a state budget that supports kids and families, rallied for education equity while the Commonwealth Court heard stirring testimony in the historic fair funding trial, and showed the impact of the child care crisis on children.

Whew! It’s been a whirlwind more exciting than the roller coasters at Hershey Park or on beach town boardwalks.

Let’s build on our momentum as we gear up for the General Election only four months away.

We know from experience how elections have consequences and today’s stakes are very high. The additional $1 billion for education in the budget is great news but we’ve seen a time when a newly elected governor slashed $1 billion from education in his first year. (A decade later and our kids are still reeling from the aftershocks.) 

Everything is at risk in this election, including the almost $200 million increase for pre-k and child care. A large portion of those funds were one-time, federal American Rescue Plan dollars meaning that they may be wiped from the state ledger next budget season.   

Thankfully a new grassroots movement to help parents is gaining momentum in Pennsylvania and it’s your vehicle to be a voter for kids: Child Care Voters.  

Child Care Voters is an active community that connects people to information and action around child care in the election. (It is not partisan and does not endorse candidates or make political contributions.)

Child Care Voters will mobilize 10,000 parents and many others to deliver a powerful message to candidates: “You have to support great child care to get my vote.”

Just take a look at what Child Care Voters has in store for voters who care about early learning – a dozen state legislative candidate forums to get candidates on the record, community events to educate and connect with voters, and GOTV activities to inspire people to get to the polls. That’s a lot to do in four months and why we need your help today.

Take the first step and join the Child Care Voter Facebook group, 一世nstagram page, or email list. Then, stay connected and sign-up to attend candidate “conversations” or engage voters.

We can’t compete with the high-profile campaigns with expensive media buys and an army of paid staffers so we’re relying on a thriving grassroots effort to band together and raise children’s issues to the top of candidate agendas.

Because if not us, then who? And if not now, then when?