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In this newsletter:
- 2026 Campaign Celebration Presentation
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NEW: Campaign Statement on New York City Eliminating Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Copays for Families
- ESCCC Annual Steering Committee Convening Highlights
- Community Change Action's National Child Care Convention
- Campaign Leader Feature: Gladys Jones
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STAY INVOLVED AND TAKE ACTION: Upcoming drop-in office hours + committee invite
- ESCCC in the News
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Dear Empire State Campaign for Child Care members,
While the pace of Albany quiets down for the summer, our momentum hasn't. Behind the scenes we have been busy digesting this year's budget outcomes, connecting with partners across the state (and country!), and laying the groundwork for this year's legislative session.
This time of year gives us a chance to reflect on the progress we've made and to sharpen our focus on the work ahead. From continuing our advocacy efforts for a permanent workforce compensation fund to pushing for robust CCAP funding and building real momentum toward universal child care, there's meaningful work still to come. The Empire State Campaign for Child Care will keep building momentum, amplifying your voices, and advocating for an achievable, robustly funded, equitable child care system that New York's families and early childhood educators deserve.
We're so grateful for your continued dedication, even in the quieter months. Whether you're reading this newsletter from a desk or a beach chair, know that your commitment doesn't go unnoticed and we thank you for staying engaged.
We have exciting work ahead and can't wait to tackle it together!
| | 2026 Campaign Celebration Presentation | |
What a year it has been! From packed rallies from NYC to Albany to one-on-one conversations with legislators, this campaign has shown up - consistently, fervently, and ways with heart. The images capture just a glimpse of that work: the energy of Advocacy Day, the determination in every legislative visit, and the powerful moments when parents, providers, and advocates stood shoulder to shoulder to demand better for New York's children and families.
Every photo tells a story of people who refused to let child care fall off the agenda. These aren't just snapshots, they're proof of a movement built one conversation, one rally, and one testimony at a time. As we look back on this year's efforts, we celebrate not just what we accomplished, but the community that made it possible.
Thank you for being part of it!
| | Campaign Statement on New York City Eliminating Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Copays for Families | | |
We applaud New York City for making this small but consequential decision to eliminate child care co-pays for families participating in the Child Care Assistance Program (also known as “CCAP” or “vouchers”). It is an important step toward our shared goal: universal child care that is free, high-quality, and available to every family that wants it.
For parents struggling to make ends meet, eliminating co-pays removes a real financial burden. It also addresses a challenge faced by child care providers, many of whom operate on margins so thin that families cannot afford their co-pay, and it becomes harder for programs to meet monthly expenses.
This announcement follows on the heels of another important policy win New York City achieved earlier this summer: securing a waiver from New York State that allows families to access child care assistance without having to match care hours exactly to parents’ work, school, or training schedules.
At the same time, there is much more work to be done. Even as New York City eliminates parent fees for 22,000 families receiving child care vouchers, more than 27,000 children remain on a waitlist for child care assistance.
We look forward to working together with city and state leaders, providers, parents, and advocates to achieve statewide universal child care in New York and a thriving wage for the child care workforce.
| | ESCCC Annual Steering Committee Convening Highlights | | |
Last month, our Steering Committee virtually gathered for a productive discussion on the campaign's path for the upcoming year. Members dug into potential legislative priorities, identified key opportunities to leverage our advocacy efforts, and reflected on the overall direction of the campaign. Having this shared consensus ensures our work stays coordinated and well-timed, and members were left with a clear picture of how to best support the work ahead.
This convening thoughtfully balanced both looking back and looking forward, and we're grateful to our Steering Committee members for their continued time, insight, and dedication to this campaign.
| | Community Change Action's National Child Care Convention | | |
Also last month, parents, child care providers, organizers, and movement leaders from across the country gathered in Chicago, Illinois to build relationships, share stories and strategies, learn from one another, and strengthen their collective fight for universal child care.
Many of our campaign partners - including advocates from ECE on the Move, Providers Organized for Power (POP), The Innovative Daycare Corp, Western New York Child Care Action Team (WNYCCAT), Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), and Las Doñas - represented New York State at this convention. ESCCC Steering Committee member Janna Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of The Innovative Daycare Corp, was a featured speaker and facilitator at the conference.
| | Campaign Leader Feature: Gladys Jones | | |
Chances are high that if you've attended any ESCCC-related event over the last decade that you've met one of our leading members and child care champions, Gladys Jones.
Gladys' dedication has shaped the very foundation of the campaign. As a founding member of the campaign back in 2017, Gladys has been with us since the earliest days - helping lay the groundwork for the advocacy work we continue to build on today. Her fingerprints are on nearly every milestone this campaign has reached, and her remarkable presence at rallies, legislative visits, and campaign meetings alike has made her an incredible driving force year after year.
In 2019, Gladys took her advocacy even further by formally co-founding ECE on the Move, an organization that now represents almost 700 residential-based early childhood providers across New York City. Through ECE on the Move, she has given voice to a critical and often under-recognized segment of the early childhood workforce who are the backbone of child care access in so many communities. Her ability to organize, mobilize, and uplift these providers has strengthened not just her own organization, but this entire campaign's impact and influence.
Nearly a decade into this work, Gladys's commitment has never wavered. Her leadership reflects a lifetime of dedication to the families and providers who depend on quality, accessible child care.
We encourage you to read Gladys' recent publication, "Disability Pride Means Leading with Purpose", which she authored in recognition of Disability Pride Month (featured in Home Grown Child Care):
"As educators, we have an incredible responsibility to lead with inclusion. Sometimes that means adapting an activity so every child can participate. Sometimes it means partnering with therapists, specialists, and families. Sometimes it simply means believing in a child before they believe in themselves. When children with disabilities learn alongside their peers from the very beginning, everyone benefits. Children learn kindness, patience, acceptance, and respect. They grow up understanding that differences are a natural part of life, not something to fear.
That’s the future I want to help build as an advocate; a future where every child belongs, where every family feels supported, and where every educator has the tools they need. This Disability Pride month, I hope you’ll join me in imagining a child care system that truly works for our communities. Together, we can build a future where child care is a guarantee for every child and family and create a child care system where the many abilities of every child can be nurtured and celebrated."
On behalf of the entire campaign, thank you, Gladys, for your vision, your tireless advocacy, and the immeasurable impact you've had on this movement. We are so lucky to have you in this space!
| | Monthly Drop-In Office Hours + Join a Committee | |
We welcome you to join us Friday, August 28th from 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM for our monthly virtual Zoom drop-in meeting and new member orientation. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions, refresh on our priorities, and learn more about the ongoing advocacy work the Empire State Campaign for Child Care is doing across New York State.
We encourage you to attend and all are welcome! (registration not required). A Zoom link will be shared Friday afternoon before the meeting.
Please email empirestatechildcare@scaany.org if you have any questions.
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The child care movement is building traction more every day - and there's never been a better time to get more involved with our work! Our committees are fueled by passionate people just like you and we'd love to have you at the table.
Now is a great time to plug in, deepen your impact, connect with fellow advocates, and make your voice heard where it counts most. Whether you're passionate about policy, communications, or organizing and outreach, there's a place for you!
Find the committee that fits your strengths and join us today.
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Members of the campaign have been speaking to reporters across the state about the opportunity we have in New York State to achieve our vision of universal child care. Check out some recent publications below:
For additional articles about child care and the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, please visit our media library.
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The progress we have made would not have been possible without all of you.
Thank you for being part of this movement and for your continued commitment to building a stronger child care system for all New York families.
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