This Advocacy Day, the early care and education community marched to the Sacramento Legislative Building to advocate against proposed budget cuts to the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program  for Foster Children (Bridge Program) and other programs supporting working families in California. Alongside Community Voices, Connections for Children (CFC) staff including Jennifer Cowan (Executive Director), Isela Morales (Quality Assurance Supervisor), and Consuelo Gonzalez (Child Care Bridge Navigator) passionately spoke about the detrimental effects of a 40% proposed reduction in Bridge Program funding.

The Bridge Program works to eliminate barriers that may prevent a family member or caregiver from providing temporary foster care when a parent is no longer able to care for their child. The program has provided funding for child care placement for thousands of foster children in California. Participating caregivers have access to child care vouchers, trauma-informed coaching, and support for maintaining education and employment while creating stability for foster children.

Quality child care and early education advocacy is a crucial part of the Connections for Children mission. We work closely with parents, providers, and community leaders to increase awareness about the far-reaching impact of budget decisions on families.

We are pleased that our collective advocacy helped preserve funding for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program and other critical investments in early childhood services. Connections for Children will continue to elevate the needs of our community so that children can thrive.

For more information on the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program, please contact Consuelo Gonzalez, Child Care Bridge Navigator, at consuelog@cfc-ca.org or (310) 452-3325, ext. 235.