If life were likened to a woven cloth, then most of us could relate to the fact that one tear or snag affects the whole garment. Native American wisdom speaks of human beings as strands in the web of life. When something happens to one of us, in some sense it happens to us all. Recent announcements about drastic cuts in vital human services are cause for concern about the very fabric of society.
Last week, it was announced that families living at or slightly above the federal guidelines for poverty will lose their child care subsidies due to lack of funding. The example of $18,530 for a family of three was given. Imagine managing your household’s basic food, clothing, and shelter needs on this amount and having disposable income of $125-$175 per week per child to spend on licensed child care.
The families affected by these cuts are NOT on public assistance. They are people working at minimum or slightly higher wages in our nursing homes, hospitals, factories, schools and local businesses. Many of them have been trained in programs sponsored by Oneida County. They take care of our loved ones in the hospital or nursing home. They drive our school buses. They staff our day care centers and schools. Many are single parents who hold full time jobs and heroically head their households.
If we cannot find a solution to this crisis, many of these families will return to the public assistance roles. They will have to choose between working and putting their children at risk. Not everyone has family supports, and many child care providers recall horror stories of a 6 year old child watching her 3 year old sibling, or a fire breaking out in a home as a 10 year old stood guard while Mom did the night shift. It is not safe; it is not acceptable.
In these troubled economic times, we do not need more layoffs, nor swelling welfare rolls. Imagine the cost to the taxpayer for Medicaid alone for the newly unemployed who have lost their medical benefits along with their jobs. Imagine the loss to local employers who stand to lose a trained workforce as a casualty of these decisions. Consider the lost buying power to our hurting retailers. Imagine the social implications of more latch key children returning to the streets after school and to the negative influences that often lurk there. Imagine the educational loss to at risk children for whom quality child care has been a beacon of hope. Finally, imagine the humiliation of returning to the welfare line.
Oneida County is known for caring for its most vulnerable citizens. These recent announcements of funding cuts to our libraries, our public health and mental health services must be agonizing for them. We must work with our local governments on behalf of our local families, but we can never compromise on the needs for these services. They keep the colorful and beautiful fabric of our community together.
Jane Domingue Executive Director of Thea Bowman House
Please help us! Download a copy of this letter and send it to our elected officials.
Letter to Government Officials (click to download)