As a child care provider, I witness firsthand the struggles families face and the power of community in addressing those struggles. Recently, a teacher in one of my programs notified me of a child who repeatedly removed her shoes in class. We discovered it was because the shoes were too small and hurt her feet, and her mother couldn’t afford to buy new ones. When I told neighbors about it, they bought the child not just new shoes, but socks and other clothing, too. To me, their actions exemplify real care: understanding a need and offering tangible help in the way that actually reaches people.
Despite recent stories to the contrary, Republican’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) isn’t about helping families, and it certainly won’t help those who need it most. Ultimately, the law’s significant cuts to health care and food assistance will harm the early childhood field I work in and love.
The above excerpt was originally published in NC Newsline.
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