GREEN COUNTY — On April 4, Supporting Families Together Association held their Advocacy day with the United Way and Child Care Resource and Referral agencies in Madison. About 100 in-person and virtual participants spent the morning learning about connecting with representatives, sharing their stories, and about the priorities the organizations were advocating for inclusion in the state budget, including the $300 million to continue the Child Care Counts budget.
The event featured an expert panel on direct advocacy with guest panelists: Corrine Hendrickson, Corrine’s Little Explorers family child care business owner and advocate, and legislative guest panelists with Senator Andre Jacque, and Rep. Lisa Subeck along with staff members from their offices.
The three panelists spoke about the logistics of a meeting with an elected representative, the importance of sharing personal stories to emphasize why they are asking for the funding or policy change, and the follow up after with a “thank you” and additional questions or information to share.
That afternoon, attendees met with their elected representatives offices including leadership from both parties and over half of the Joint Finance Committee’s offices.
Brooke Skidmore, The Growing Tree, was included in several meetings as a member of Green County Child Care Network, co-founder of Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed, and part of our Child Care Matters Initiative with Republican representatives, or staff members including Senator Marklein’s office. She emphasized the importance of the $300 million continuing once the federal funding ends. This includes direct loss of parent’s ability to access child care because tuition will increase about 25% a week or programs will close. This will then impact all employers in the community along with businesses that rely on sales as people with young children will no longer have extra income to spend.
She also talked about the fact that Wisconsin is one of the few states that doesn’t include child care as a line item in the state budget. Wisconsin doesn’t add more than the federally mandated minimum amount to maximize federal dollars.
“I met with Rep. Todd Novak and the staff of Rep. Travis Travel about child care counts, partner up, family resource centers, and resource and referral agencies,” said Nicole Wyss, of 4-C Madison and part of Child Care Matters that attended as well. “They were both very supportive about the topics. By participating, I developed a deeper understanding of advocacy work and how empowering it is to have your voice heard.”
The public can participate in the budget process by going to a hearing, local town hall with elected representatives, or by submitting a comment. Information can be found at https://legis.wisconsin.gov/topics/
budgetcomments/.
Save the Date May 8
WECAN co-founders Brooke Skidmore and Corrine Hendrickson are organizing a local event for the National Day Without Child Care from 8:30-10:30 a.m. on May 8 in New Glarus at the Village Park in the Gazebo area.
The event will be sponsored by Child Care Matters and the Green County Child Care Network.
Hendrickson has sent invitations to people from the local, county, state, and federal level to speak at the event, with more exact information expected by May 1.
“We will also be advertising on our WECAN Facebook page and county Child Care Matters facebook groups,” Hendrickson said.
There are other events happening throughout the state as well, with events are being added daily.
To learn more about the day and see where events are happening: https://communitychangeaction.org/childcare-may8/.
