Child Care is at the heart of our economy

Child Care is at the heart of our economy... especially right now among low-wage workers.  Low-wage households cannot continue to work full-time without child care subsidies.  The cost of full time child care easily eats up most of these families' paychecks.  Without subsidy, they are better off working odd jobs or irregular hours.

This is proven... see the National Bureau of Economic Research.  Families with child care are between 13 and 32% more likely to be employed.  This from one of the nation’s most influential economics organizations, the one that officially declares when recessions begin and end.

It is time for us to wake up and understand child care's critical role in our economy.  

In the meantime, funding for State of Illinois child care subsidy just ran out this month , so organizations like Chicago Commons might not get paid for May or June.  Unless the State takes action on this, we will soon be forced to decide whether to cut off families who come to us for full day care.  A suburban center was on the news tonight because they just broke the news to parents that they might cut off full day care immediately.