COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Hundreds of childcare workers, parents, and families are set to rally at the Ohio Statehouse on Monday as part of the “National Day Without Childcare.”
The event, organized by the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, aims to urge state legislators to pass policies that will sustain and support Ohio’s childcare system.
Tamara Lunan, an organizer with the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, emphasized the urgency of the issue, especially as companies return to in-office work post-COVID.
“It’s really critical right now,” said Lunan.
The rally in Ohio is part of a nationwide movement led by Community Change Action, with similar events planned across the country. The organization is advocating for an equitable childcare system, thriving wages for childcare providers, affordable and accessible childcare for all families, and no cuts to programs like Head Start, Medicaid, and SNAP.
“I really think folks deserve to thrive in their lives, and the only way that we can do that is to make sure that, you know, they’re adequately funded,” Lunan said.
The rally comes in response to Governor Mike DeWine’s proposed family tax cut in the state’s next budget, which would provide families up to $1,000 annually for each child under the age of 7. However, rally organizers believe more can be done both statewide and nationally.
“In the final stages of our state budget, we want childcare to continue to be one of their top priority issues,” said Lunan. “It was a priority of Governor DeWine to make sure that, you know, he put a lot of really good stuff in the budget for childcare, and we’re fighting to advance a lot of those priorities.”
Organizers expect more than 800 people to attend the rally, which is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Statehouse.
