Wednesdays4Kids December 15

"There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace."

-- Kofi Annan

Good Child Care: Good for Our Children, Good for our State
A recent study released from Cornell University that aims to aid policymakers in determining the economic effects of federal stimulus money to child care programs, finds that supporting good child care can help improve regional economies. The report says that there are three important aspects of the child care sector which need to be counted when assessing economic impact: 1) direct employment and output in the child care sector itself, 2) multiplier effects of the sector in the broader regional economy, and 3) the social infrastructure role child care plays in supporting the parent workforce.

With Minnesota’s current budget deficit, programs that ensure quality child care assistance could be on the chopping block again. Currently, only 38 percent of Minnesota child care centers can accommodate families that receive financial help from the state. More cuts in the program will have a ripple effect on Minnesota's economy.

Contact your Legislators and urge them to make child care a priority in budget decisions in the upcoming session. Click here to find your legislators’ contact information.

Click here to read the Report and here for an article that outlines Minnesota’s situation.

Help us get to Fifty Facebook Fans by New Years

We currently have 35 iCAN “fans” help us make it to fifty fans on Facebook by the end of the year. Be a fan by going to www.facebook.com/iCANmn, sign in if you have an account, and click the “Become a Fan” button at the top of the page.

If you are already a fan, you can suggest that your friends become fans as well. Under the iCAN logo there is a “Suggest to Friends” button. Facebook is a great way to stay connected to the work the iCAN is doing, information on children’s issues in Minnesota, and advocacy opportunities across the state.

Be an iCAN Key Advocate
iCAN is working to have a Key Advocate in every congregation around the state. Are you someone who is concerned about children’s rights? Are you active in a congregation in Minnesota? You should consider being an iCAN Key Advocate for your congregation.

Click here to read more about the program and sign up, or send this newsletter to a friend who you think would be interested. Please join our network of nearly 400 Key Advocates and help us be a stronger voice for children’s rights in Minnesota.