Let's Vote for Kids!

It's go time! "We Vote for Kids" is off and running! What is "We Vote for Kids?" It's the CT Early Childhood Alliance's non-partisan campaign to raise early childhood issues in the election. It has two components: candidate education and voter engagement. As a non-profit organization, the Alliance cannot endorse candidates. We are asking people to Pledge to Vote with kids in mind on November 6. We are also asking the candidates for governor down to state representatives where they stand on early childhood issues through a questionnaire that we will share with you, so you can make informed decisions.

September 25 is National Voter Registration Day. We would love to use this day to engage as many people as we can around voting. We are particularly looking for people connected to child care centers to ask parents to take the pledge and make sure they are registered to vote at their current address.

If you would be willing to host a registration drive at your early childhood center, we can supply you with "We Vote for Kids" tee-shirts, stickers and signs. We are trying to do as much of the Pledge to Vote online, but we'll supply some back-up paper pledge cards and of course, voter registration materials. If you are interested, please fill out THIS FORM. Please do so ASAP so we can get the materials to you in time.

Short videos like this (click the screenshot to see the video) are key to spreading the word through social media. We would love to share short videos of cute kids saying, "I'm too little to vote, but you can," or having adults talk about why it's so important to vote with children's issues in mind. Have a cute kid? Want some hints on making them a "star?" Contact Jessica at [email protected]. When sharing a video on Facebook or other social media, please include "Take the Pledge to vote at www.wevoteforkids.org," and use the hashtag #WeVoteForKids so we can find it and set your privacy setting on that particular video to "public" so we can share it, too.

Have you checked to see if your registration is up-to-date? Use the Secretary of State's tool to check to see if you are registered to vote.

You can register to vote online.

CCDF Plan Now Available

On August 30, the Office of Early Childhood submitted its plan to the federal government for the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) plan. The Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act is the law that authorizes the federal child care subsidy program known as the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). It is the primary federal funding source for providing low-income families that are working or participating in education and training with help paying for child care and to improving the quality of care for all children. Connecticut's subsidy program is Care 4 Kids. The OEC has released the written plan for 2019-2021, along with the written comments submitted by the public. 

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Did you know that 18.5% of children in the United States are obese, putting them at risk health problems that were once seen only in adults, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease?

The good news is that childhood obesity can be prevented. Replacing sugary beverages such as soda and juice drinks with water is a great way to limit excess calories. In addition, Connecticut General Statutes require that drinking water be made available and readily accessible to children at all times. Fluoridated drinking water is recommended to protect against tooth decay!

Child care providers play an important role in promoting healthy behaviors in young children. Learn how your child care program can promote water in place of sugary beverages by downloading the Water First! Toolkits available HERE.

Support for the Alliance comes from of our members and our funders: The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Connecticut Health Foundation, Connecticut Community Foundation, Children's Fund of Connecticut, CT Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, a project of CT Council of Philanthropy; The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut; Community Foundation of Greater New Britain; and Community Foundation of Greater New Haven.