Help Make Child Care A National Priority

NOW is the time to connect with your elected officials. Congress is currently on recess and home from Washington D.C. You can help reinforce the importance of early care and learning programs in our state, and across the nation.

Here are some ways you can advocate for these programs in Alaska:

· Arrange a face-to-face meeting with your member of Congress. Ask for a meeting to discuss why early care and learning programs are important to you, your family, and your community. (Sample scheduling request)

· Invite your elected official to meet with a local thread office, Alaska’s Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. (sample letter – from Child Care Aware of America)

· Write a personal message to your elected official, advocating for funding of early care and learning programs. At a loss for words? We have created some Talking Points to help you craft this message.

· Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, stating why continued funding is important. Want help with what to say? (sample letter to the editor – from Child Care Aware of America)

· Send a digital message to Congress showing your support of funding for CCDBG and Head Start Programs. Child Care Aware of America has an online form to help you send to your Congressional Representative.

Find out who is your elected official. This link will help you know who represents you in the State Legislature in Juneau and in Congress in Washington D.C.