Your calls and emails are working! In response to your calls, Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s office reached out to work with us directly on assuring that child care providers and the child care sector survive in the wake of the COVID-19 emergency. A special thanks to the Senator and her staff for leading the charge to keep Arizona’s children and families healthy and safe during the outbreak. Make sure to keep up the pressure on the rest of your Congressional delegation!

Senator Martha McSally

407 W. Congress St., Suite 103. Tucson, AZ 85701. (520) 670-6334

2201 E. Camelback Rd, Suite 115. Phoenix, AZ 85016. (602) 952-2410

404 Russell Senate Office Building. Washington, DC 20510. (202) 224-2235

Rep. Tom O'Halleran

405 N. Beaver Street, Suite 6. Flagstaff, AZ 86001. (928) 286-5338

211 N. Florence Street, Suite 1. Casa Grande, AZ 85122. (520) 316-0839

3037 W. Ina Rd, Suite 101. Tucson, AZ 85741. (928) 304-0131

324 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3361

Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick

1636 North Swan Road, Suite 200. Tucson, AZ 85712. (520) 881-3588

77 Calle Portal, Suite B160. Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 (520) 459-3115

309 Cannon House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-2542

Rep. Raul Grijalva

101 W. Irvington Road Buildings 4 and 5. Tucson, AZ 85714. (520) 622-6788

146 N. State Avenue. Somerton AZ 85350. (928) 343-7933

1412 N Central Ave, Suite B. Avondale, AZ 85323. (623) 536-3388

1511 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-2435

Rep. Paul Gosar

122 N. Cortez Street, Suite 104. Prescott, AZ 86301. (928) 445-1683

6499 S. Kings Ranch Road, #4. Gold Canyon, AZ 85118. (480) 882-2697

2057 Rayburn House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-2315

Rep. Andy Biggs

2509 S Power Rd Suite 204. Mesa, AZ 85209. (480) 699-8239

1318 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-2635

Rep. David Schweikert

14500 N. Northsight Blvd. Ste. 221. Scottsdale, AZ 85260. (480) 946-2411

1526 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-2190

Rep. Ruben Gallego

1601 North 7th Street Suite 310. Phoenix, AZ 85006. (602) 256-0551

1131 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-4065

Rep. Debbie Lesko

1113 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-4576

12515 W. Bell Road, Suite 104. Surprise, AZ 85378. (623) 776-7911

Rep. Greg Stanton

2944 N. 44th St., Ste. 150. Phoenix, AZ 85018. (602) 956-2463

128 Cannon House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-9888

Governors and leaders of health care systems have made it clear that childcare is an essential service, without which we will not be able to effectively respond to this pandemic. The COVID-19 Pandemic has closed businesses and schools and sent people to socially isolate themselves at home. This is creating an URGENT situation for the child care system across the country. Some programs are having to close their doors both for health and safety but also because they have fewer and fewer children to serve. Congress is considering a number of bills to provide relief due to this unprecedented situation. While we applaud the passage of Families First Coronavirus Response Act, more must be done soon.

If you believe this is a time to work together to solve this crisis please take a moment and call your Congressperson, especially our Senators, and ask them to provide significant, flexible and emergency funding that will maintain our nation's quality child care supply today and into the future.

Below are points you can share when you call or email:

1. Child care is the economic backbone of our communities. Without it, parents can’t work and children will be in unsafe environments. NAEYC data show that 4/5 of the providers in their survey will not survive closures of nearly ANY length.
2. We need to fund child care slots for essential workers and cover the costs associated with centers working through Covid-19. States are waiving co-pays for parents, paying for attendance, and ensuring that staff can be paid even if they need to take leave.
3. These are just the short term costs. A disaster assistance/stimulus package must protect the child care system, and include direct funding to ensure that the current supply of child care is still here for parents in the future, whether that is in two months or six.
4. We also need to make sure that child care providers, who are often self-employed small business owners and/or not-for-profit providers, are eligible for unemployment insurance, paid leave, mortgage/rent supports, grants and no/low interest loans.

 The bottom line is they will not survive closures WITHOUT SUPPORT!

Senator Kyrsten Sinema

3333 E. Camelback Rd, Suite 200. Phoenix, Arizona 85018. (602) 598-7327

20 E. Ochoa St. Tucson, Arizona 85701. (520) 639-7080

317 Hart Senate Office Building. Washington D.C. 20510. (202) 224-4521

Senator Martha McSally

407 W. Congress St., Suite 103. Tucson, AZ 85701. (520) 670-6334

2201 E. Camelback Rd, Suite 115. Phoenix, AZ 85016. (602) 952-2410

404 Russell Senate Office Building. Washington, DC 20510. (202) 224-2235

Rep. Tom O'Halleran

405 N. Beaver Street, Suite 6. Flagstaff, AZ 86001. (928) 286-5338

211 N. Florence Street, Suite 1. Casa Grande, AZ 85122. (520) 316-0839

3037 W. Ina Rd, Suite 101. Tucson, AZ 85741. (928) 304-0131

324 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3361

Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick

1636 North Swan Road, Suite 200. Tucson, AZ 85712. (520) 881-3588

77 Calle Portal, Suite B160. Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 (520) 459-3115

309 Cannon House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-2542

Rep. Raul Grijalva

101 W. Irvington Road Buildings 4 and 5. Tucson, AZ 85714. (520) 622-6788

146 N. State Avenue. Somerton AZ 85350. (928) 343-7933

1412 N Central Ave, Suite B. Avondale, AZ 85323. (623) 536-3388

1511 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-2435

Rep. Paul Gosar

122 N. Cortez Street, Suite 104. Prescott, AZ 86301. (928) 445-1683

6499 S. Kings Ranch Road, #4. Gold Canyon, AZ 85118. (480) 882-2697

2057 Rayburn House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-2315

Rep. Andy Biggs

2509 S Power Rd Suite 204. Mesa, AZ 85209. (480) 699-8239

1318 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-2635

Rep. David Schweikert

14500 N. Northsight Blvd. Ste. 221. Scottsdale, AZ 85260. (480) 946-2411

1526 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-2190

Rep. Ruben Gallego

1601 North 7th Street Suite 310. Phoenix, AZ 85006. (602) 256-0551

1131 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-4065

Rep. Debbie Lesko

1113 Longworth House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-4576

12515 W. Bell Road, Suite 104. Surprise, AZ 85378. (623) 776-7911

Rep. Greg Stanton

2944 N. 44th St., Ste. 150. Phoenix, AZ 85018. (602) 956-2463

128 Cannon House Office Building. Washington, DC 20515. (202) 225-9888

The Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA) hosted its Early Childhood Day at the Arizona State Capitol. The annual day of advocacy brings together families and early childhood champions to raise awareness of the importance of a child’s earliest years.

Families and early childhood advocates attended breakout sessions on a variety of legislative topics and had the opportunity to meet with their legislators during breakfast and facilitated visits throughout the day. CAA President and CEO Siman Qaasim, and Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President, Monica Villalobos presented during a meeting of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. To wrap up the day, a legislator panel led by Senate Minority Leader, David Bradley and Representative Aaron Lieberman (pictured below) highlighted the importance of restoring funding to early childhood programs.

Thank you to all of the legislators who meet with their constituents and to Southwest Human Development (@SWHDaz), Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (@azhcc), Zero to Three (@ZEROTOTHREE), Valley of the Sun United Way (@myvsuw), Stand for Children Arizona (@ArizonaStand), Expect More Arizona (@ExpectMoreAZ), First Things First (@AZFTF), and the rest of our 53 partner organizations.

Special thanks to Barbie Prinster and Eric Bucher who co-chaired the planning committee and to everyone who volunteered many hours of their time for making the 2020 #ECDay possible.

The Arizona Early Childhood Alliance (AZECA) will host its Early Childhood Day on Wednesday, March 11, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Arizona State Capitol. The annual day of advocacy brings together families and early childhood champions to raise awareness of the importance of a child’s earliest years.

The Early Childhood Day will also feature Arizona’s first-ever Strolling Thunder, a flagship advocacy event of ZERO TO THREE’s national Think Babies campaign to bring attention to the many issues that affect what babies and families need to thrive. Key priorities include quality and affordable child care, time for parents to bond with their babies, nurturing healthy emotional development and promoting strong physical health and nutrition.

Throughout the morning, families and early childhood advocates will attend breakout sessions on a variety of legislative topics and will have the opportunity to meet with their legislators.

Schedule of events:

• 8 a.m. Check-in and registration, coffee and breakfast served
• 8:30 a.m. Welcome from AZECA Leadership Team
• 8:50 a.m. Group photo at the Liberty Bell
• 9-10 a.m. Break-out sessions and activities
• 9:30 a.m. Capitol Museum tour
• 9:50 a.m. Strolling Thunder parade and participant photo
• 10-11 a.m. Break-out sessions and activities
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Break-out sessions and activities
• 12 p.m. Capital Museum tour

The Arizona State Capitol is located at 1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007

Advance registration for the AZECA Early Childhood Day is required at azeca.org.

This past December when the new federal budget was signed, Congress once again recognized the importance of giving all children access to high quality early childhood experiences. The new budget includes an increase of $13.4M in child care assistance funding for Arizona’s children and families.

This is the second time in recent years that the child care assistance program has gotten additional resources. The previous increase of $56M annually was used to serve more children and to begin reducing the large parent co-payments that made it impossible for some families to use the assistance even if they qualified for it. Though these investments are a good start, Arizona is still a long way from affordable child care for low income families. The parent co-pay remains too high and no where close to the federal benchmark for assuring equal access to quality child care. Parents shouldn’t have to choose between quitting their job or putting their children in potentially unsafe care.

This legislative session, in addition to continuing to serve more families, we encourage lawmakers and the Governor to prioritize using the new federal dollars to further reduce the parent co-pay so that we can get closer to the goal of making safe and affordable care available to all of Arizona’s children.