For Sarah B. of Fairmont, West Virginia, early childhood education isn’t just a cause; it’s a calling rooted in family legacy. For 45 years, her family has owned and operated a child care center, nurturing generations of children during their most critical years of development. Sarah believes strongly that child care providers are not babysitters. They are educators. And education doesn’t begin in kindergarten; it begins at birth.
Strained Systems, Stretched Staff
As both a provider and a parent, Sarah knows the trust it takes to leave your baby in someone else’s care. That’s why she dreams of a world where every child, regardless of income or ZIP code, feels valued and safe in their learning environment. Her own children are healthy and thriving in the classrooms she helps support. But she knows not all families are as fortunate. Many are stuck on child care waitlists that stretch 12 to 16 months, with no relatives available to help and no affordable options in reach.
Despite their deep commitment, Sarah’s center struggles to survive under the weight of operational costs and workforce instability. Burnout is rampant among child care workers. Staff members sometimes leave and never return. One summer, the center had to close on Fridays just to give their team a break. While emergency funding during the COVID-19 pandemic offered a temporary lifeline, it wasn’t enough to stave off tough decisions. They had to permanently close a classroom and absorb the financial loss.
“We’re constantly walking a tightrope,” Sarah explains. “It’s really hard to balance affordable tuition for families while also paying our teachers a livable wage.” Additional funding could change that equation. It would allow centers like hers to keep tuition steady, invest in staff training, and build the financial cushion needed to weather future storms.
A Voice for Families and Educators
That’s why Sarah and her daughter Hazel took their story to Strolling Thunder, joining families from across the country to urge Congress to act. Through ZERO TO THREE’s Think Babies campaign, they are calling for increased funding to expand access to high-quality child care. This includes boosting the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and supporting Early Head Start, while protecting essential programs like TANF, SSBG, and the Child Care Entitlement to States.
Sarah’s message to lawmakers is both urgent and personal: invest in early childhood education now, before more centers are forced to close their doors and more children miss out on the foundation they need to thrive.
