Shaheen visits Manchester childcare centre, talks to families and small businesses about childcare crisis

February 10, 2023

Shaheen visiting the Developing Years Childhood Center in Manchester.

**Later in the day, Shaheen made remarks at the Food and Nutrition Security Summit in Concord, New Hampshire.**

Shaheen at the New Hampshire Food and Nutrition Security Summit in Concord.

(Manchester, NH) – Today, US Senator Jane Shahin (D-NH) held a press conference at the Early Years Infant Center in Manchester to highlight the child care crisis and the urgent need for the state to deliver funding to the New Hampshire delegation to support the child care industry. She joins Kathleen Loving, a mother of two who struggles to find childcare that meets her family’s needs. Anya Burzynski, a small business owner, discusses how the crisis is affecting her ability to hire and retain much-needed workers. And Kitty LaRochelle, Director of Developmental Years, spoke about the challenges facing childcare providers and the need to strengthen support for the sector. The group met in an empty room due to staffing challenges facing childcare providers.

“The child care crisis has hit businesses and families across New Hampshire — especially in the wake of the pandemic. Today, I visit Growing Years to meet with Kitty, Anya, and Kathleen, a childcare provider, small business owner, and mother of two, about the personal impact of the challenges surrounding childcare access and affordability. We know our economy is stronger when parents have the ability to work without worrying about their children being in safe hands. That’s why I’m pushing $77 million for New Hampshire’s federal child care in America’s Savings Plan, so our providers have the resources they need to serve local families. said Shaheen.. “But two years later, $23 million remains untouched in the government’s coffers. Every day of our efforts to make child care available to families in need is wasted. As I press the state to urgently administer these funds, I will continue to work in the Senate to address issues around child care affordability and access.

In the Senate, Shaheen has championed funding to support child care and early education. Earlier this week, Shaheen joined U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) in re-introduction. Child Care Personnel and Facilities Act To address the national problem of affordable quality child care, especially in rural communities. In the year In the fiscal year 2023 state funding bill, Senator Shaheen worked to include a $1.86 billion increase to $8.02 billion in Child Care and Development Block Grants to states, as well as a $960 million increase to Head Start, which nearly gutted the program. $12 billion by 2023. The new law also includes a $25 million increase in preschool development aid to $315 million. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she led efforts in Congress to help the child care sector. In the Covid-19 Emergency Relief Act passed by Congress and signed into law, and in America’s Rescue Plan, Shahe successfully included language providing $50 billion in urgently needed support for child care.

Earlier in the day, Shaheen made remarks at the NH Food and Nutrition Security Summit in Concord. The senator highlighted the extraordinary efforts of New Hampshire’s hunger advocates during the outbreak and emphasized federal funds and nutrition programs that help the Granite State get nutritious and affordable food.

“The pandemic has exacerbated food access challenges facing families across New Hampshire, and connecting those struggling with available resources will require an all-hands-on-deck effort. said Shaheen.. “I would like to thank NH Hunger Solutions, today’s awardees and all the volunteers for their tireless efforts to bridge the gap in access to nutritious and affordable food. Our work is not done and I will continue to support frontline organizations as we finally strengthen food systems, so no Granite Stater goes hungry.

Senator Shaheen has been leading efforts to address food insecurity in New Hampshire. Earlier this year, she visited the NH Food Bank to highlight a $974,000 congressional spending award she received in the FY23 state funding bill. The legislation includes $257,000 in federal funds for New Hampshire Hunger Solutions to increase their communication and engagement about federal nutrition programs. NH Hunger Solutions and NH Food Bank provided support Expanding the SNAP Options Act.Shahin-sponsored legislation to address hunger needs in the wake of COVID-19 and ensure SNAP recipients have adequate options to purchase groceries amid the public health pandemic. The bill would expand online SNAP purchase options by enabling and supporting more retailers to participate in the program. Shaheen was a key supporter of the America’s Rescue Plan, a federal law that provided $4 billion in flexible funding to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to invest in domestic food procurement and distribution networks, among several key nutrition provisions. Shaheen led bipartisan negotiations included in the signed into law the 2020 Covid Relief Act and successfully secured $175 million for Older Americans Act (OAA) nutrition programs.

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