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PHOTO: Kelly Blucher's son advocating for better child care benefits |
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Getting promoted cost local mother Kelly Blucher more than $1,200 a month. The raise that came with her promotion made her ineligible for the state child care benefits that helped her support her family.
"I didn't just fall off the benefits cliff, I jumped off," Blucher said. "I lost food benefits, WIC, and the child care subsidy, all for making two dollars more an hour." Kelly and her partner will soon pay the full cost of child care -$1,800 a month for their two youngest children. Previously, their monthly payment was $570.
Kelly's story isn't rare. "Child care costs are unsustainable for many families," said Susan Barbeau, Executive Director of First 5 Fundamentals, a Tacoma-based nonprofit at the lead of the 140-organization coalition, Project Child Success. "Families hit the benefits cliff, where they make too much money to qualify for state assistance, but not enough to support their families."
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