Wednesday, November 30 – The first week of Special Session will have a memorable closing day on Friday in Olympia, when hundreds of kids, parents, and advocates stand together at Children’s Alliance’s Have a Heart for Kids Day: 2011 Special Session. This will culminate in a rally with parent and youth speakers, and a Proclamation by the Children of Washington released and delivered to legislators.

Read this release in English.

Children's Alliance Executive Director Paola Maranan authored an Op-Ed published in the Seattle Times on Sunday, November 7th, 2010. She makes the case that Congress should protect funding for Working Connections Child Care by passing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund. The article makes it clear that failing to protect the Working Connections child care and employment program can only hurt kids, families, and the Washington state's economic recovery.

Deputy Director Jon Gould was featured on the TVW program Inside Olympia on November 11th. He called upon legislators to protect kids during these difficult economic times. 

Watch a clip below, or see the full program on the TVW website.

The latest tax proposals from the House, Senate and Governor Gregoire place many child and family programs on the chopping block. Child advocates, including the Children's Alliance, are urging lawmakers to consider the effects on business if child care funding for over 7,000 low-income families is cut. 

Jon Gould, deputy director of the Children's Alliance, says:

Senate and House lawmakers have rightly proposed budgets that raise substantial new revenue to protect some of the vital services that are helping children and families weather this punishing recession. But more revenue is needed to prevent devastating cuts to safety-net programs that, if enacted, would hurt families and pose serious threats to our state’s economic recovery.