Spread The Word!
Millions of families in America today struggle to find the affordable, reliable, quality child care they rely on to go to work. This has a devastating impact on our youngest learners, working parents, and the health of local economies.
Congress can help. Along with robust federal funding, lawmakers could expand and update three specific provisions of the federal tax code to help working families and bolster local economies.
More than 80 child care experts, providers, business leaders, and employers (including many of you!) have signed a letter calling on the Senate Finance and the House Ways and Means Committees to do just that. And now we have the chance to shine a spotlight on this issue by sharing that letter in a variety of ways. This toolkit is designed to save you a step - please feel free to edit, adapt, and customize these templates to fit your organization's needs.
USE these links to create your own resources.
1. The Sign-On Letter: This letter, signed by 85 child care experts, businesses, employers, and providers urges Congress to expand and update three specific provisions of the federal tax code to help working families and bolster local economies.
2. The First Five Things To Know About...The Federal Tax Code and Child Care: This explainer breaks the issue down into five understandable points to bring people up to speed.
POST on social media
Below you'll find three social media posts - feel free to adapt and share on your social sites! Note - To use images, click to expand, right click to copy, then paste or save to use.
Post One: Parents often can't find or afford the child care they need to be able to work. The federal tax code has provisions designed to help offset the high cost of child care, but they need to be expanded to meet the need. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/F5TaxCode
Post Two: We are calling on Congress to update the federal tax code to strengthen child care for working families. Read the letter co-signed by child care experts, providers, and employers across the country. https://bit.ly/2023TaxCredits
Post 3: Employers across the country are facing workforce shortages because parents can't find or afford the child care they need. Congress has the opportunity to expand and update federal tax provisions that help working families and bolster local economies. https://bit.ly/2023TaxCredits
SHARE with Press
WASHINGTON – Today, NAME OF ORGANIZATION, along with a coalition of more than 80 national organizations, corporations, small businesses, and Chambers of Commerce, sent a letter calling on Members of Congress to help make child care more affordable by updating the U.S. tax code. Signers note three specific provisions that would help increase access to child care, benefiting working parents, children, and supporting economic stability across the country.
From the letter: “We are writing to express our strong support for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), the Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), and the Employer Provided Child Care Tax Credit (45F). Lack of access to child care across the country affects businesses, parents, and our youngest children. Solutions must address the needs of all three. When combined with existing sources of federal child care funding, these tax provisions have the potential to do just that: the CDCTC and DCAP help parents afford child care and 45F helps businesses provide it. All of this helps ensure that children receive the quality care that they deserve. We urge you to expand and better align these tax provisions for working families and businesses to improve access to quality, affordable child care.”