Tell the DC City Council: NO CUTS TO CHILD CARE

Call DC Council Chairman and Mayoral Candidate

Vince Gray and Tell him to say “NO” to

Mayor Fenty’s proposed CUTS to Child Care!

Please take just a couple minutes from your day and call Vince Gray to urge him to restore the cuts that Fenty has proposed to the child care subsidy program. Call before Tuesday so that he has heard our message loud and clear before he begins the Child Care budget hearing that day. Call any time and leave a message – let’s fill his voicemail with messages about child care!

His number is (202) 724-8032 – go ahead and call now! Here’s a sample script:

“Hello Chairman Gray, my name is ____________. I am calling to urge you to restore Mayor Fenty’s proposed $8 million cut from the Child Care Subsidy program. Since taking office, he has cut the budget so much that parents are struggling to find a place for their children in child care – and many still haven’t! And, child care centers can now hardly afford to provide this vital service to their communities.

We CANNOT afford another cut! Child Care Subsidies allow working families to keep their jobs while giving their children the care and education they deserve. We need your leadership. Show DC residents that you care about our children and working families especially in this time of financial hardship! Thank you.”\

Thank you for calling! Please ask your friends and family to make a call too! It only takes a couple minutes, but when all our voices come together, we can have a big impact!

Don’t forget: Child Care affects us all, even if you don’t have kids. When our city’s children have quality child care, they are more likely to be prepared to enter school, to graduate high school, to stay out of jail, and to go on to college – these are the facts! This makes a better DC for all of us.

If you want to see a brighter future for DC, we must invest in DC’s children – pick up the phone and remind Vince Gray to make the right decision! Call now: (202) 724-8032

Background:

Mayor Fenty has already cut $22 MILLION from the child care subsidy program. Now, he wants to take another $8 MILLION. The Council, led by Chairman Vince Gray, now has the opportunity to restore this funding before a final vote on the budget. On Tuesday, April 27, Vince Gray will hold a hearing about the Child Care budget. He needs to hear from you, too! Please call before Tuesday so he knows how we feel when he questions the people in charge of the Child Care program.

AND, if you’d like to testify at the hearing on Tuesday morning along with members of Empower DC’s Child Care for All Campaign, please contact Ben at (202) 234-9119 or ben@empowerdc.org. Even if you’ve never testified before, Vince Gray needs to hear from you! Call Ben for more information and to prepare your testimony – we’d love for you to join us on Tuesday!

Thanks, and have a great weekend!