Dear
John,
For many of you, caregiving has a direct impact on your personal lives. Your responses to our recent Supporter Survey not only give voice to this, but also make it clear that caregiving solutions need to be a priority as the country rebuilds after the pandemic.
Just like we need to build roads and bridges to drive on to go to work, we need to build a care infrastructure so parents can go to work, people with disabilities and aging adults can get the care they need with dignity in their communities, children and families can thrive, and child care workers have sustainable jobs that pay a living wage.
Take action: Sign the #CareCantWait petition to urge Congress to include significant investments in America's care infrastructure in the upcoming recovery package!
Women and moms, and disproportionately women and moms of color, have taken the most responsibility for caring for our kids, our sick family members, the people in our lives with disabilities, our aging relatives, and our neighbors.
These women have sacrificed their careers and wellbeing in the process. Case in point: in the past year, 32% of women aged 25 – 34 were pushed out of the labor force due to a lack of child care.
Tell Congress to pass legislation to guarantee access to child care, paid family and medical leave, and home and community-based services for people in need.
Your survey responses also make it clear that you’re with us when it comes to dismantling the racist, sexist systems that have failed so many people for far too long. Our insufficient care programs, the people working in them, and families across the nation were hanging by a thread when the pandemic began. Now that thread has unraveled altogether, and it’s up to us to make sure no one has to live like that anymore.
Those in the caregiving workforce — 31% of whom are Black women [1] — have been on the front lines of the pandemic without adequate pay [2] or support and have experienced disproportionate health outcomes and economic harm.
Today, many caregiving professionals live in poverty — with median annual earnings of about $20,000 for home health aides, $21,920 for personal care aides, and $13,558 for nannies — and struggle to afford caring for their own families.
Your voice can make the difference. Your elected leaders are home on recess now, so it’s a great time for them to hear from you.
Add your voice now to urge Congress to make immediate change.
Thanks for all that you do!
Sincerely,
— Erika
Erika Moritsugu
Vice President
P.P.S. The #CareCareWait coalition is led by many organizations working together, including Caring Across Generations; Center for Law and Social Policy; Closing the Women's Wealth Gap; CLASP; Community Change & Economic Security Project Community Change; Family Values @ Work; MomsRising; National Domestic Workers Alliance; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Women's Law Center; Paid Leave For All; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); The Arc; TIMES UP; and Zero To Three.
[1] https://timesupfoundation.org/work/times-up-impact-lab/times-up-measure-up/its-time-to-care-the-economic-case-for-investing-in-a-care-infrastructure/
[2] https://nwlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/final_nwlc_Undervalued2017.pdf
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