Make our voices heard in Albany and in Washington!!  Earlier this year, Congress passed a federal budget that included the largest ever one-year increase in funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant . This brought over $100 million to New York State. But while other states have used this grant money to address waiting lists and provider pay, New York had to designate the vast majority of funds to meeting federal requirements for background checks and fingerprinting. (The state had avoided compliance for several years through waivers, but with new federal funding came the threat of large penalties for non-compliance). Child care advocates across the country are working to ensure this new funding level continues in the 2019 federal budget. If it does, this will mean New York State can then have the resources to address the priorities we have been stressing: increased subsidy dollars; an increased market rate forumula; and funds to help child care providers increase pay for child care educators.  Ple are Please ask federal candidates if they will pledge support for maintaining the new level of CDBG funding, and ask state candidates if they will fight to allocate those dollars to these priorities. 

ESCCC Twitter Handle:
@EmpireStateCCC, 
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Sample Tweets:

•  These sample tweets are in the process of being updated. Until they are, please feel free to use the messaging and hashtags, but replace the targets ie instead of tweeting @NYSA Majority or @NYSenate, tweet @ a candidate for statewide or federal office. Thanks for your patience. ​
• The cost of #childcare is driving women out of the workforce: http://ow.ly/tauL308XdWM  Share your story @ https://www.empirestatechildcare.org/share-your-story.html ​

• Stable, affordable, #childcare is a MUST for the economy. #FundChildCare & #FacilitatedEnrollment @NYSA_Majority & @NYSenate. <insert image>
• ​Nearly 60% of people who teach and care for our youngest children are eligible for and participate in  some type of public benefit.  #FundChildCare #FacilitatedEnrollment @NYSA_Majority @NYSenate <insert image>

• Access to affordable #childcare isn’t just good for families, it’s good for business! #FundChildCare & #FacilitatedEnrollment  <insert image & tag individual legislators from the list>
• Across #NYS affordable #childcare is a critical work support for families. Please #FundChildCare! @NYSA_Majority & @NYSenate <insert image>
• 65% of American kids under 6 have both parents in the workforce . Tell our leaders quality #childcare is a necessity. #FacilitatedEnrollment #FundChildCare <tag individual legislators from the list>​
• Affording #childcare is a catch-22: either spend the majority of your income or leave the workforce -> reducing your lifetime earnings by 20% #FundChildCare & #FacilitatedEnrollment
• U.S. businesses have lost $4.4B to employee absences resulting from breakdowns in #childcare. #FundChildCare #FacilitatedEnrollmen
• New York has the resources to help make quality #childcare affordable. Investment in child care pays for itself AND helps reverse income inequality. Make Child Care a Priority! #FundChildCare #FacilitatedEnrollment

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