These state senators need to hear from you that child care providers should be adequately compensated in order to serve more meals to low-income kids. Child care providers take on many roles. They are teachers. They are mothers. They are nurses when they need to be. In California – where over 20% of children live in poverty – they are also a safety net for the children in their care. Join us on National Child Care Provider Appreciation Day this May 10th to show your appreciation for all that they do by asking the legislature to more adequately compensate child care providers for serving healthy meals to low-income kids.
Activate your network to join a statewide call-in day on May 10th
These California state senators need to hear from you that just like school meals the cost of serving meals to low-income children in child care should be supplemented. Activate your network to call and email members of the California Senate Budget Subcommittee 1 on Education on May 10th. The below three members of the subcommittee will decide whether or not to fund child care meals in the senate’s proposed state budget:
- Senator Richard D. Roth (D-Riverside) P: (916) 651-4031
- Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) P:(916) 651-4020
- Senator Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga): 916.651.4023
Sample script:
Hello. My name is ________. I live in ______, CA. I am calling to ask Senator ______ to fund child care meals in the state budget. California supplements the federal reimbursement for public schools to serve school meals to low-income children, but does not extend the same support to meals served in preschool and child care. California has some of the country’s highest costs of labor and living, yet today the federal assistance offered for child care meals is the same for California as it is for all other (less expensive) states. This makes California’s supplement critical to ensuring that young children have access to high quality, healthy meals and that our child care providers are adequately compensated.
Sample tweets and posts to share throughout the day:
- #FundFoodWithCare: Child care providers are our most important teachers and need to be adequately compensated to put high quality, healthy meals on the table for low-income kids @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP
- I support the CA Assembly in their efforts to #FundFoodwithCare in this year’s budget. Help us bring 72 million meals to CA kids who need it most. #FundFoodwithCare #CABudget, #CALeg. @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP @CAFoodPolicy
- CA has one of the highest costs of living in the U.S. Many struggle to put food on the table. Funds from @CALeg can provide thousands of meals to hungry kids. #FundFoodwithCare @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP
- Providing meals in child care is not optional for providers like me — I want the food I serve to be nutritious. #CALeg must fund CACFP so I can provide #FundFoodwithCare @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP @CAFoodPolicy
- Nutrition is an essential part of any child’s day, but many CA parents struggle to feed their families. The state can help. #FundFoodwithCare @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP @CAFoodPolicy
- As a family child care provider, I do everything in my power to ensure children have enough to eat, but compensation has not kept up with the rising cost of living. @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP you must #FundFoodwithCare. @CaFoodPolicy
- “My kids both grew up in a CACFP day care provider’s home. Being in the work field as a parent, I could not have asked for more peace of mind that they were in better hands.” Oga Pulchak — CA parent. #FundFoodWithCare in the #CaBudget, #CALeg. @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP @CAFoodPolicy
- Family child care providers like me cut into our limited budgets to feed kids in our care. The state used to help with CACFP, we need that commitment again. @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP #FundFoodwithCare @CAFoodPolicy
- CA has the highest child poverty rate in the U.S. and our kids are suffering. With #CALeg support we can bring healthy meals to 200,000 kids. #FundFoodwithCare in #CABudget. @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP @CAFoodPolicy
- For households struggling with food insecurity, CACFP providers often offer a child’s only guaranteed healthy meals. #FundFoodwithCare in the #CABudget, #CALeg. @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP @CAFoodPolicy
- I support restoring access to healthy meals for kids in child care. @GeneralRoth @SenatorLeyva @MikeMorrellGOP we need a stronger future for CA’s most vulnerable children. #CaLeg #FundFoodwithCare. @CaFoodPolicy.
Add your logo to the budget request letter:
To sign onto the budget request letter, please use this form or email your logo to Melissa Cannon
Questions: Contact Elyse Homel Vitale at 510.433.1122 ext 206, or visit www.cfpa.net/ab842
