The budget fight of our lives!

The state’s $12.4 billion budget deficit and a proposed $50 million cut to the Child Care Assistance Program are seriously threatening future care for Illinois’ children. That’s why SEIU Child Care & Early Learning has joined the Campaign for Illinois’ Future – a broad coalition of community, advocacy and labor organizations committed to protecting vital public services like child care from harmful cuts in the state budget.

In February, Alliance center owners and directors held regional meetings to talk about the growing state budget crisis and the Campaign. We took petitions for our parents to sign that urge Illinois legislators to support revenue-increasing measures in order to protect the vital services working families depend on.

The Campaign for Illinois’ Future has been working hard the past month to spread the word about what is at stake in the state budget and the importance of protecting vital programs. On April 22nd, 1500 members rallied in Springfield to call on legislators to stand up and stop harmful cuts. Another 1600 - including child care centers - returned on May 13th to keep the pressure on. Groups representing education, health care, child care, social services and more attended both rallies. Working parent, Tiara Howell, spoke passionately about the importance of child care:

“If the state moves forward with the proposed $50 million cut to the child care program, thousands of families and children will be devastated. Parents will have to quit their jobs to take care of their kids, child care providers won’t be able to pay their bills and our state’s most valuable resource - our children – will be in serious danger. Elected officials can’t turn their backs on the future by cutting funding for the programs our children need."
Visit the Campaign website at www.illinoisfuture.org to read more about the lobby day, legislators walking a day in the shoes of a child care provider and more.


How Alliance members can help:
We know how important it is to fully fund the child care program. Now is the time to make our voices heard by:

• Writing a letter to our legislators. Click here.
• Spreading the word! The more of our friends and family members we can tell about what’s at stake in this budget, the louder the voice to protect vital state programs will be. Visit www.illinoisfuture.org to learn more and sign up for updates. Encourage everyone you know to get involved, sign up and write a letter to their elected officials.