Parents, Providers and Teachers to urge elected officials: Fair Funding for Child Care

Parents can't afford to pay; teachers can't afford to stay; funding is the only way

ROCHESTER, NY (10/16/2018) (readMedia)-- As we head into NY's FY 2019-2020 legislative budget session, parents and providers are taking action in Rochester sharing stories of hardship and strife due to child care "deserts" and lack of adequate funding with elected officials. At this event, they will be writing letters to the Governor and planning to also take their stories and their message to our elected officials in Albany and Washington D.C. Their message: Parents can't afford to pay; teachers can't afford to stay; funding is the only way.

This is one of several actions taking shape across the state with support from the Empire State Campaign for Child Care https://www.empirestatechildcare.org/

Date: Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Time: 6 – 7 p.m

Place: Workers United Hall

750 East Ave.Rochester, NY 14607

KEY FACTS:

  • In NY, child care costs as much or more than rent or a mortgage and rivals college tuition.
  • More than 60 percent of NY's families live in child care "deserts" (where there is more need than supply.)
  • More than 60 percent of those in the workforce earn so little that they rely on at least one source of public assistance.

Nancy Cordero, a Group Family Child Care Provider in Rochester says: "You can't operate a quality early learning and care program on the cheap. Parents are already paying what they can afford or more than what they can afford. Operating costs go up but the state's reimbursement rates have been flat since 2014. NY needs to follow the lead of the federal government and make a significant increase in funding for child care in next year's budget."