Start your week with a phone call for child care!

We are certainly in for some changes in the next session of Congress. But let's not let the sitting Congress off the hook just yet. They're in their offices today, making decisions about what is important enough to move before they leave for the holidays. I think child care rises to that level of importance - don't you?! Here's the call to action from the National Women's Law Center , the Early Care and Education Consortium, NAEYC, the Center for Law and Social Policy, and other national organizations:

300,000 children could lose child care and Head Start if you don't call today!

Congress is back in Washington today and has limited time to do some important work: ensure that funding is not cut for child care and Head Start before the end of the year. Watch this video and share it with your friends and coworkers! Then, call Congress!! As many as to 300,000 children shouldn't be dropped from child care and Head Start, and we need to create the Early Learning Challenge Fund to encourage states to do even better for young children and families.
Congress is considering appropriations bills that could go backwards in spending for child care and Head Start, and would lose the Early Learning Challenge Fund. Tell Congress to move forward and fund the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

Quick Tips for your Call to Congress!
1. Call 1-888-460-0813

2. The first person to answer the phone will be an operator who will ask how you want to be connected. Tell the operator the name of your Member of Congress. (Not sure? Look it up here.)

3. Once you are connected to the office of your Member of Congress, a staff person will answer the phone. Tell the staff person:

• My name is (name) and I am calling from (city, state) and I am (your role - a parent, a voter, a child care director, a Head Start teacher, etc.).
• Don’t drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure that continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included.
• We are counting on you here in (state). Thank you.

4. Then, hang up and ask five friends or coworkers to make a call as well.

Thank you for taking five minutes to do this! It will make a world of difference to 300,000 kids and their working families!