Action needed on State of Ohio budget!

Ohio's groundWork campaign urges everyone interested in early care and education to start making phone calls and sending e-mails today to your state senator and other key players (see below) to ask them to support restoration of early care and education funding to levels in the 2009 budget. Below are links to information to support your advocacy efforts:

• Background on what is being cut: A document prepared by groundWork details proposed budget cuts and the number of children impacted by each cut. (The second page acknowledges the positive things for young children that are included in the budget.) Please print the first page of this PDF to leave with senators when you visit--or include a link to this PDF (http://www.groundworkohio.org/files/groundWork%20Senate%20Ask%20051109.pdf) in your e-mail message.
  
• Talk to your senator:  Call your senator and also Senators Harris, Niehaus, Cafaro and Carey. If you do not know your senator, look it up at www.senate.state.oh.us/senators. Once you know a name, you can find a direct office phone number on this list of senator contact information. Use these Talking Points when you call, and ask him or her to support the restoration of early care and education funding to the levels in the 2009 budget. Please let Jennifer Prather know when you have made the calls so we can track which senators may not be hearing from enough advocates: jprather@groundworkohio.org or 216-781-2944. 
  
• Sign an e-advocacy letter:  Visit www.groundworkohio.org/getinvolved to sign an e-advocacy letter that will be sent to your senator and to senate leadership. Customize the letter with personal stories of how the proposed changes will affect your family and/or business. Please send this letter even if you also make personal calls.
  
• Print a handout to share with parents: This three-page document from groundWork has one page of tips for providers on how to engage parents in advocacy and a two-page flyer to be printed and shared with parents. It encourages them to call their senators. Calls from parents will be particularly helpful in demonstrating not only the educational value of the early care and education system but also its value as a support for Ohio's workforce.