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Take Child Care out of the Flex Fund!
The Executive Budget proposes putting child care funding into the Flexible Fund for Family Services block grant, where it could be used for other children’s services and would no longer be earmarked for child care. The last time child care was put in the Flex Fund in 2006, child care funding decreased by $27 million.
Protect child care funding for low and moderate-income working families. Take child care out of the Flex Fund! Tell the legislative committee chairs to remove child care funding from the Flex Fund.
Send the letter below:
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Remove Child Care from the Flex Fund
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am writing to you as a supporter of Winning Beginning NY, the state's early care and learning coalition. I want to urge you to transfer $356 million in funding from the Flexible Fund for Family Services to the Child Care and Development block grant to prevent further erosion in child care funding and ensure that low-income working families have access to child care subsidies.
As you know, the Flex Fund incorporates federal TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) funding into a flexible allocation for counties. Any federally-allowable TANF use may be funded out of the Flex Fund.
Once in the Flex Fund, funding is no longer earmarked for child care. This is a problem. The last time child care was left in the Flex Fund, it lost $27 million! Luckily, the Legislature has wisely removed child care from the Flex Fund the past two years.
In this recession, it is particularly important that parents continue working so that they can support their families. Many working parents require child care, and many low and moderate-income families require child care subsidies to help pay for that care.
In addition to providing parents with a safe, dependable place for their children to stay while they're at work, high-quality child care provides valuable early learning opportunities that help prepare children for school and for life.
Please support working families and remove child care from the Flex Fund!
Thank you.
Sincerely,
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