This article originally appeared in the March-April 2007 issue of the Children's Advocate, published by Action Alliance for Children.

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Parent Voices

“Making this crisis real”

By Amanda Montague

“I have such a hard time” finding child care, says Sandra Morales, a recently divorced mom of three and Parent Voices member. Morales is eligible for child care subsidies but she’s been on the waiting list for three years because California doesn’t provide enough funds. “I piece together child care, taking my kids here and there, even to nonlicensed providers. It’s difficult for my children, because they don’t have consistent care,” she adds.

Parent Voices is launching a campaign for more child care funding in order to “make this crisis real,” says Parent Voices organizer Mary Ignatius. “Real change happens when parents are organized,” she adds. “There’s hardly a dry eye in a room when a parent shares their struggle.”

“I can’t make ends meet”

“We have a $2,000 house payment,” says Morales, “and the cheapest child care is $1500 a month. I can’t make ends meet. I’m hoping I can sell our house and then afford child care. It’s getting really hard at work. I’ve missed a lot because of this. Some people have told me I should quit my job and go on aid—(but) I don’t want to lose my job to get child care for my kids!”

“It’s been very hard”

Margarita Ramirez, mother of a toddler, is new to Parent Voices but has been on the waiting list almost two years. “It’s been very hard,” she says. “I’m a single mom, work part time, and just started school. I can (only) afford child care five or six hours a day. It’s stressful—sometimes I don’t have anybody here and I have to go to work. But I’m not making enough money.”

Campaign for more funds

Morales, Ramirez, and other Parent Voices members plan to interview other parents about their child care needs in the next few months. Parents will compile the information and get it out to legislators and the media.

“We need to get these parents involved,” says Ramirez. “Working together will make us stronger.”

Thanks to the San Francisco Foundation for its generous support of this page.

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Advocacy in Sacramento

• March budget hearings: Parent Voices members plan to testify

• May 2—Stand for Children: Annual Parent Voices rally for more child care funds

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Parent Voices contacts:

Statewide: Mary Ignatius, 415-882-0234. mignatius@rrnetwork.org

Alameda (Hayward): Jennifer Greppi, 510-584-3111, jenniferf@4c-alameda.org

Alameda (Oakland): Sue Retherford, 510-658-7101, sue@bananasinc.org

Amador: Brenda Bullington, 209-223-1624, ext. 109, Brenda@hrcccr.org

Butte: Jane Haberman, 530-895-1677, jhaberman@valleyoakchildren.org

Calaveras: Cheryl Berg, 209-754-1075, ext. 115, cberg@hrcccr.org

Contra Costa: Candy Duperroir, 925-778-4739, candy@cocokids.org

El-Dorado: Heather Schaumann, 530-541-5848, hscfcslt@pacbell.net

Fresno: Lourdes Hernandez, 559-456-1100, louh@cvcsn.org

Los Ángeles: Catherine Pedrosa, 323-421-1200, cpedrosa@crystalstairs.org

Marin: Leah Benz, 415-491-5776, leah@mc3.org

Sacramento: Virginia Cannon, 916-369-3387, Virginia@childaction.org

San Francisco: Maria Luz Torre, 415-343-3383, parentvoices@childrenscouncil.org

San Mateo: Nelly Puhachevsky, 650-655-6770, ext. 283, nelly@sanmateo4cs.org

Santa Barbara: Rafaela Frausto, 805-963-6631, rfrausto@sbfcc.org

Santa Clara: Mario Del Castillo, 408-487-0747, mariod@4c.org

Solano: Kathy Lago, 707-863-3950, ext. 111, lklago@solanosfcs.org

Sonoma: Evangelina Sund, 707-522-1413, esund@sonoma4cs.org

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