TAKE ACTION-ARPA FUNDING ENDS 10/1- Contact your Legislators and Urge them to Invest in Child Care

The End of ARPA Funding and What it Means for Child Care

WATCH:
September 29 CBS News Philadelphia Featuring Children’s Village’s Mary Graham

(copy and paste into your browser—story starts at minute 9)

https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/live/video/20230929215714-cbs-news-philadelphia-at-6pm-part-1/

ADVOCACY ALERT
An Urgent Message from Mary Graham, Executive Director, Children’s Village

There has been a great deal of press, both locally and nationally, about the end of federal pandemic support funds via the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and how this end will affect child care.  In addition ot the CBS News feature linked above, you can read the front page article from The Philadelphia Inquirer HERE. Our federal and state legislators need to be contacted immediately to stop additional child care programs from closing! Please act NOW!

Children’s Village continues to operate TODAY because we received these funds for three years.   We received PPP Loans (payroll protection plan loans) that totaled almost $1.8 Million.  We received an ARPA grant of almost $1 M (which was used to significantly increase all staff wages in October 2021, plus allowed us to make a one-time contribution to staff’s retirement account). In March, the state increased the reimbursement rates.  

Without these supports Children’s Village would have closed. Without continued support like this, all child care businesses (non profit or for profit) are at risk.   We know that we were seen as an invaluable and needed industry during the COVID pandemic. We are STILL an invaluable and needed industry.

Without child care, America will not work. Employees in child care centers cannot continue to subsidize the cost of this needed service. Volunteer members of Board of Directors cannot donate the money needed to keep programs afloat.  Foundations can only provide a stop-gap effort. This country supports public education, public roads, public bridges, public safety.  It needs to support children, starting at birth.

Please take time to contact your state and federal legislators. Tell them to invest in child care—so children, families, and communities can thrive. Share your story. Nothing makes more of an impact than hearing from voters.   

FIND and CONTACT YOUR Pennsylvania LEGISLATORS HERE

FIND and CONTACT YOUR New Jersey LEGISLATORS HERE