Leading Child Care Advocates Join with Schuyler Center to Urge the NYS Congressional Delegation to Prioritize Children and Families in the Next Federal Stimulus

Leading Child Care Advocates Join with Schuyler Center to Urge the NYS Congressional Delegation to Prioritize Children and Families in the Next Federal Stimulus

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a terrific blow to families and communities in New York and the systems that provide essential health and human services. Even as the State begins to recover, it is clear that those already facing challenges of poverty, disability, ill-health, racial discrimination, and poor mental health were ravaged by this illness. These same families have also been more sharply impacted by school closures, layoffs, supply shortages, social distancing, and other fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plain truth is that while the pandemic abruptly ruptured the often tenuous yet interconnected systems on which poor families rely, New York cannot rebuild alone. It will need extraordinary support from the federal government for state and local governments to pull out of this crisis and into recovery. Federal funds are essential to prevent New York State from slashing social services, education, child care, child welfare, and other family and child-serving programs.

On July 20, New York State child advocates joined together to urge Congress to stand firmly with children and families during negotiations on the next federal stimulus package. These advocacy organizations, dedicated to improving the lives of New Yorkers, particularly children living in poverty and in marginalized communities, outlined a set of appropriations and actions that need to be included in the next federal stimulus package to support families with young children and keep many of them from slipping into intractable poverty.

View our letter to the Members of the New York State Congressional Delegation.[/vc_column_text]