FFYF Hosts “Child Care Means Business” Event in Conjunction with the Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus

The following co-hosts also joined FFYF for the evening – thanks one and all!:  Bipartisan Policy Center, Care.com, Child Care Aware of America, Early Care and Education Consortium, First Focus on Children, KinderCare Learning Companies, Moms First, National Association of Counties, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association for Family Child Care, Save the Children, Start Early, TOOTRiS, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and YMCA.

 “A good education is so important in this country and good child care and Head Start and PreK is the solid foundation for that. Now and in the coming years, we have to do everything to protect funding for it because it’s so important for children and their families.” – Caucus Co-Chair,  Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX)

“There’s no greater investment than in a child’s first five years. When you invest in kids, when you invest in their formative years, it invests in physical health, psychological health, emotional health, intellect and social skills. It’s all the ingredients kids need to thrive and be successful….and there’s a ripple effect all the way down. But you need child care affordability and accessibility. One without the other doesn’t work.”  – Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)

“Child care means business. It really is a critical part of the infrastructure and such an important investment for children, families, and the economy.” – Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-WA)

Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), who recently introduced the bipartisan Affordable Child Care Act. Rep. Davids thanked the crowd and told them advocates have an important job. “If you get the support of just three more Members, that can mean the difference between legislation passing or not.”

And Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), who has championed the bipartisan Child Care Investment Act, chatted with advocates from across the country about the importance of affordable, accessible child care.

The evening was moderated by FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling, who told members, staff, and advocates, “We need an ‘all of the above’ strategy to give families a wider range of options to meet their child care needs. This includes investing in trusted federal programs and expanding child care tax provisions. This will not only provide young children with vital opportunities to learn and grow, it also strengthens family finances, supports a thriving workforce, and boosts the economy.”