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Supporters

Why is Employment Related Day Care important to YOU?

Sharing your story is easy and helps families just like you throughout the state. By sharing how Employment Related Day Care affects your life, you help us draw the case for continued investment in the program and help keep child care affordable for working parents across Oregon.

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It will more than likely put me out of business

“If my clients lost their child care assistance because of cuts, not only will it put them in a very hard spot to pay for their full child care but it will more than likely put me out of business. I hope the senator, representative will vote to keep ERDC, as I have been a provider for 7 years and I love my little ones.”
Jean
Full-time Child Care Provider
Prineville

If the ERDC program would have been cut for my family and I, I wouldn’t be where I am today

“I am a single father of 5 children ages 15, 14, 11, 10 and 5. I was on welfare and decided to go to school. Once I finished school, I got a full-time job. My pay was low and I relied on the ERDC program to help pay the costs of my childcare. There is no way I would have been able to afford child care and still work. If the ERDC program would have been cut for my family and I, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today. I no longer need state assistance because I have grown in my job and no longer qualify. If the cuts to ERDC would have happened to me, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities that I have today. I believe I would still be on state assistance relying on government programs to help with my family. Not everyone uses these programs as a handout. I used it to better my life and the lives of my children, so now I do not have to depend on ERDC. There are thousands of people like me who need a little assistance so they can better their lives and move forward and off state assistance. The ERDC program is an investment in people’s futures.”
Ian
Full-time Social Worker and single father of five
Portland

I rely on the child care assistance program to maintain full time employment

“I am a recently single mother of two boys ages 2 and 5 months. I rely on the child care assistance program to maintain full time employment. I have no idea what is going to happen if these budget cuts stay in effect. I work full time for 38 hours a week and go to college online. If this cut occurs, I will be forced to take a 2nd job. Doing so will leave me with about 4 hours of sleep and no time with my children. I have no other options besides ERDC. They have been the only light at the end of the tunnel and now budget cuts are forcing that light to go out. Finding a second job will be nearly impossible for a young woman like myself with little job history. I will be forced to find a way to collect unemployment instead and receive TANF. These budget cuts are going to put thousands out of work and will negatively affect the economy. I hope that the governor and legislators will understand this and continue to fully fund this specific program.”
Ruth
Full-time Mortgage Banker and single mother of two
Hillsboro

I live in a small town and jobs are hard to come by

“I live in a small town and jobs are hard to come by. If this passes, I will no longer be able to work because I cannot afford to pay for childcare out of pocket, which in turn would force me to be totally dependent on state assistance. I am a single mom of 3 children that I can’t leave at home while I’m at work, therefore I would have to quit my job. I do not like the idea of being totally dependent on the state. Please do not pass this.”
Part-time Clerical worker and single mother of three
The Dalles

These families need help from ERDC to stay in the workforce

“I provide care for several families on ERDC and without the daycare assistance, they may have to quit their jobs, especially the families with more than 1 or 2 children. When you have 4 children in daycare so that you can work and provide for your family, daycare can be a large expense. These families need help from ERDC to stay in the workforce. Without it, they will be forced to have a parent stay home from work, which would then force them into needing more assistance in other ways from the state. Keeping families on ERDC so that they can work and provide for their family is a much better option. Not to mention how many daycare providers may be out of work as well. Personally all my clients are ERDC families. If they lose their ERDC and quit their job, I in turn lose mine.”
Heather
Full-time Daycare Provider
McMinnville

If I do not have the child care assistance from DHS I will be forced to quit my job

“I rely on the child care assistance I receive through DHS because I am a single mom with 3 kids ages 8, 10, and 13. My 13 year old is old enough to stay at home by himself, but my 10 year old son is bipolar and cannot go for any amount of time with out being supervised by an adult. I left the kids’ father 8 years ago when I was 5 months pregnant with my 8 year old due to gambling and drugs. I tried all that I could to make it work but he could not make the changes needed to give our family a safe and stable environment in which to live in.

I have worked full time since the separation and have worked hard to give my children a safe, clean, loving and stable family life. If I do not have the child care assistance from DHS I will be forced to quit my job so that I can care for my son with bipolar and my 8 year old daughter. I have the best job in the world and work for a company that knows I am a single mom and I have to take time off for child illnesses, doctors appointments, therapist appointments and psychiatrist appointments. They do not make me feel guilty for taking time off needed to be a parent to my children, I am sooo blessed. If I have to quit my job I will be loosing a real good thing. Not many single parents work for companies that let them do what they need to be a good parent. In return I give them 100% and am a good hard worker.

Please do not make cuts to the ERDC, let me keep some of my pride by making an income that helps me to support my family. I do not want to be on welfare, I do not want to have to depend on food stamps to have food on my table, but I have to and I can’t live with out it right now. Maybe one day but not today. I will be devastated as will my whole family by these cuts.

I want to work, I want to support my family, but I need the assistance from the ERDC to make that happen.”
Garnet
Full-time Administrator and single mother of 3
Aloha

If I lose my daycare clients, 90% of whom receive daycare assistance, I will be unable to continue

“I have been a provider for many years; I have seen many parents come and go - but all of them need help paying for childcare. If my clients lost their ERDC, most of their paychecks would go toward daycare and this would cause them to either lose their job or choose to leave their children unsupervised at home. This will cause further cost to the system, when these parents have to receive TANF and food stamps.

If I lose my daycare clients, 90% of whom receive daycare assistance, I will be unable to continue working. If I am unable to work, I may also be forced to receive state assistance. This will not save money; this will cause pain and more people on welfare. It will also cause children to be left at home alone or at sub-par childcare and cause quality childcare to go out of business.”
Shelby
Full-time Child Care Provider
Roseburg

Our economy can’t recover if these people have to quit working

“If my clients lost their child care assistance because of cuts, they would have to quit their jobs and go on welfare. How is that going to save money? Our economy can’t recover if these people have to quit working. They cannot afford to pay all of their childcare costs when they are a single head of household or work for minimum wage. I have one family with three children, her paycheck would not cover her childcare bill let alone rent and other necessities. I do not understand how these cuts will benefit the budget. “
Kelly
Full Time Child Care Provider
Roseburg

I have always been a working mom

“I rely on the child care assistance I receive through DHS because I am a single mom with four children ages 7 and younger. I have a Bachelors Degree from the University of Oregon and I have always been a working mom. About a year ago, I went through a divorce and I am now 100% responsible for supporting my family. If the ERDC program is cut I will not be able to afford to work. I feel it is my responsibility to be a productive member of society and to do my part in supporting my family. I do not want to rely on other state programs when I am unable to work due to child-care costs. It seems as though these cuts have not been thought out and the trickle down affects will be much more costly than the ERDC program itself. How many people will be added to other state programs? How many day care facilities will go out of business creating more unemployment, and therefore, more people that will need state assistance? I have never needed any state assistance until this past year and I think the State of Oregon needs to rethink this decision and make sure they fully understand the devastating consequences this will have.”
Full Time Executive Assistant and single mother of 4 children
Medford

I will be forced to quit my job and go on TANF just so that I can re-qualify for childcare

“If I were to lose my child care assistance because of cuts to the ERDC program I will be forced to quit my job and go on TANF just so that I can re-qualify for childcare. My other option is to try to move to Vancouver because they still have a child care program. I make $1,400 per month. After tax, I pay $550 for rent, $350.00 for my child care co-pay, $100 for car insurance, $100 for electric, and $40 for phone. There is no possible way that I will be able to stay in Oregon and support my family (I have 3 little girls). I will have no choice than to move from our home. What other options are there?”
Summer
Full-time Collector for a National Bank
Portland

Right now my kids have a stable home, and a stable place to be during the day

“I am a single mother of three beautiful children who depend on me to take care of them. I don’t have family around to watch my kids. I don’t have any friends that don’t work themselves. What am I going to do without daycare assistance? I don’t know. Yes we have all had it hard, and I have too.

But even with everything that has happened in my life I am at a point of growth in my career. I went back to school, while still working, to better myself so that I could show my kids that you can make it no matter what you have been through. But now their future is going to come to a crashing halt. Taking away their day care will make their lives very unstable. Right now my kids have a stable home, and a stable place to be during the day that I trust and who they trust. But when you take away that help, they won’t have a safe place to go during the day anymore . Without day care, I will be unable to work and the home that we have been living in may go away all together because there will not be money coming in to pay for it.

Yes, I make more than minimum wage, but does that put me where I need to be financially? No. I might get there in the future, but to do that I will need to keep my job so that I can keep moving forward. That way my family can keep moving forward. I just want my kids to have a good future.

Every time we are driving down the road and we see beautiful new houses, my oldest son tells me “Mom, when I grow up I am going to build ships and buildings and make lots of money so that I can buy us all a house to live in together. And I am going to buy you a new car, that doesn’t need to be fixed all the time.” It makes me cry to think of how big his dreams are. But it makes me cry more to think that because of one cut back that our government is going to make, will just drive his dream farther and farther away.

I beg you please don’t throw us to the wayside. Don’t take what little dignity we have and crush it. We all want to keep our jobs so that we can make a better life for our children and families. But without this help we will end up with no job to speak of and back where we don’t want to be, on Welfare. Please, I beg you, don’t let this happen.”

Melissa
Full-time credentialing specialist and single mother of three
Beaverton

I am successful at my job, and have worked my way up in the organization on a pathway to a career

“I rely on the child care assistance I receive through DHS because I have to work full time to provide food and shelter for my 3 children. I am a single mother and my job is my sole income. I left my husband (who is currently unemployed) in Florida 3 years ago and came to Oregon to live with family. I came here with nothing, and lived in one bedroom of my parents’ house with my 3 small children. I worked with the State Services and in 1 month of coming here, I got a job, a rental house, and a car. I was able to become mostly self sufficient within 6 months. And 2 ½ years later I am proud to say I am successful at my job, and have worked my way up in the organization on a pathway to a career. This was only achievable through assistance with my child care. We live with the bare minimum in order to survive in society, no cable, no internet, no cell phone extra’s, no dance lessons, sports or summer camps unless funded and transported by others. My children are in the care of others for 10-11 hours a day so that I can keep the nice roof over our head in a good school district, and decent meals. It is hard for me to believe I am supposed to leave my role as a contributing citizen to become another casualty of the economy. Go from climbing the ladder to success to no ladder at all. We will literally be stuck in poverty until my children are in high school. That gives us about 10 years. I will not be able to accept any job offers unless they are double what I make now. The worst part is I am not failing my children, my government is. I did nothing to deserve this forced poverty but choose to have children. I’m being punished for being a parent!”
Cameron
Full time assistant with non-profit energy company and single mother of three
West Linn

I need to work to provide them with housing and to meet their needs as a mother

“ When I found out that I might be losing my ERDC, I was in complete shock. I’m a single mother of three beautiful children. I need to work to provide them with housing and to meet their needs as a mother. A year ago I lost my fiance in a terrible car accident and so I’m now a mother and a father to my kids. I don’t want to rely on the state for TANF and food stamps when I am capable of providing for my family with my job. I absolutely love my job and I don’t want to lose my job or my kids’ daycare. Please reconsider and keep the ERDC program so it can help families in need. I think that with out the program our economy won’t get any better.”
Crystal
Full time worker, Single mother of three
Portland

This has enabled me to work to support my daughter

“I am a 35-year old single parent of a well-adjusted 4 year old little girl. I have sole custody of my daughter and receive one hundred dollars a month from my child’s father. He is not involved beyond this monetary contribution and I am raising my child essentially alone. I work full time and am completing a bachelor’s degree. I have received assistance from the ERDC program since my child was 2. This has enabled me to work to support my daughter and be self-sufficient. She has thrived in her day care environment and for this I am very grateful. When I received notice that the funding for ERDC is planned to be cut, I was shocked. These cuts will be devastating to my family. I simply cannot afford to work and pay daycare costs.”
Jessica
Full-time Server and Parent
Portland

I would have to change my hours and have my older son watch his brother at night.

“If I were to lose my child care assistance, I cannot afford my son to go to school. I would have to change my hours and have my older son watch his brother at night. I’m a single parent working hard to give my boys a chance.”
Lashaunda
Parent, Full time CNA, Med aide
Portland

I have few babysitters around let alone any who can watch my boy for free

“ I am a sole parent to my son. We rely on assistance from DHS and CCI in order for me to be able to work. I have few babysitters around let alone any who can watch my boy for free. Because we only have my single income w/no child support, I cannot afford day care alone. “
Dana
Parent and Full time Admin worker
Portland

I would lose my job and I’ve worked there for 6 years

“I need ERDC because I am a single mother of 2. I work where my children go to school however I have to pay like everyone else. I take home maybe $1400 a month and I have rent to pay, car insurance, utilities, and just every day needs. ERDC helps me so much. I could never afford to pay my daycare without them! It’s $900 for my son and $700 for my daughter. That’s more than I make. I would lose my job and I’ve worked there for 6 years. As a teacher, I see both sides and the people who really need ERDC are the ones working their tails off to try and get by.”
Melissa
Parent and Full-time Child Care Provider
Portland

I work very hard yet my salary is barely more than what childcare costs

“I am a single parent who recently survived a domestic violence situation. I work very hard yet my salary is barely more than what childcare costs. If I lose my ERDC I will most likely either end up on unemployment or TANF. I lose my job because of cuts, I would lose everything I have worked toward for the past 5 years and me and my 2 children would probably be homeless on welfare.”
Sara
Parent and Full-time Child Care Provider
Portland

I don’t have family around to rely on to watch my children while I work

“I rely on the child care assistance I receive through DHS because I don’t have family around to rely on to watch my children while I work. I’m a single mother of 2 and I don’t make enough money to pay the full cost for child care! If I lose my job, we’re in fear of loosing our house. I’m terrified that I won’t be able to provide for my children because I can’t afford the cost of child care. If I can’t pay for it, then I can’t work!”
Jamie
Full –time veterinary office manager, single mother of 2
Salem

“I am a single mother of three, who came out of a domestic violence relationship and I work part-time for Babies R Us and attend school full-time to become a nurse. I don’t have anyone to care for my 3 year old during the day and my older children in the summer. My job pays for their school clothes and basic needs since it takes all my financial aid and welfare to pay other bills.”
Sara
Parent, part-time cashier, full-time student
Portland

I have been employed with the same agency for the last 18 years

” I am a single mother of three children, and I have been employed with the same agency for the last 18 years. I started out making $6 an hour, and with an average of 50 cents a year raise for the last 18 years, I am now making $15 an hour, working 40 hours a week.

If I lose my ERDC benefit, I will have to start paying over $1000 a month in childcare, which will only leave me with a total of $480 in take-home pay to pay for my rent, utilities, phone, garbage, insurance and all other expenses. With only $480, I am not even able to pay my rent of $650.

I went on the waiting list for low-income housing today, but the waiting list for a three bedroom rental is over one year, sometimes two years. In the meanwhile, I am facing homelessness with my children after 12/31/2010.

Even if my children and I move in with a friend or family, I will have to go on unemployment or welfare (TANF), which I have never been on before. It does not make any sense to me at all that I will be forced to quit my job but still be required to take the JOBS Program (to receive TANF) and made to look for work (to receive unemployment benefits). Would the JOBS program or the Employment Department help me find a job making $25-30 an hour, so I will be able to afford both childcare and rent? I would also have to compete with the multitude of unemployed Oregonians for scarce job openings….

Please, please continue to assist us hard-working single mothers to stay at our current jobs.”

Full-time Resource Counselor for homeless families
Single mother of three children
Eugene

ERDC has been the stepping stone to my recovery

“I rely on the child care assistance through ERDC because I am a single mother, trying to reestablish myself in the community. I am a recovering addict. ERDC has made it possible for my 16 month old daughter to have a safe and stable day care while I obtain the treatment I need to be a good mother and member of society. I am now going to school and looking for work. ERDC has been the stepping stone to my recovery.”

Shamara
Single mother
Portland

Without child care, I wouldn’t be able to go to work

“My mother is currently unemployed, but actively seeking work. If I were to lose ERDC, I could use my mother for child care until she found work, but there is no way I could pay her for permanent child care and cover my cost of living and hers, so I basically would have no options for child care. I have no idea what to do. I need my job to live, but without child care I wouldn’t be able to go to work. That is an impossible decision to put a parent into. No job equals no need for daycare, yet I’d be unable to provide for my child and I. If I keep the job, I’m unable to pay for childcare, just a completely impossible decision to have to make.”

Kelley
Part-time medical receptionist and single mother
Keizer

“If I were to lose my child care assistance because of cuts to the ERDC program, I would be forced to cut my hours back at work.”

Full-time Cook and mother
Prineville

“If I didn’t have assistance from DHS with my childcare, I would more than likely lose my job. My child and I don’t have any family here that would be able to help take care of her.”
Joel

Full-time customer service worker and single dad
Salem

“Without ERDC, I would have to stay at home with my kids and try to get some other source of income from the state. I don’t have someone I can leave my kids with for free. Everything costs.”
Sarah

Full-time bus driver and mother of three
Silverton

” I don’t have family to watch my children. Without ERDC, I will be unable to work anymore, which will result in me not being able to provide a home or transportation for my family. ERDC is the reason I am able to work and provide for my family. Without it, I don’t know what I will do.”

Lindsay
Full-time Fast food worker and single mother of three
Salem

I am able to work a full time job and provide for my children

“As far as I’m concerned, I have no choices if I lose my daycare assistance. If I have no help with having my children safely cared for while I work 40 hours a week, I would be forced to quit my job. I went to school for 9 very long months and worked very hard to get the respectable position I have today. I am able to work a full time job and provide for my children rather than sit at home on welfare. And if I have no assistance, I don’t have a job. For every parent who loses daycare assistance, not only does the parent lose their job, but the daycare provider also loses their job! And chances are that every daycare center will lose several employees. It will have a domino effect on everyone. I have been a recipient of welfare for a short time. It is not a fun life to live.”

Nicole
Full-time Insurance Billing Specialist and single mother of 5
Salem

If I can’t work, I would have to go on unemployment, food stamps, etc…

” Without ERDC, I would have to pay for child care out of pocket. I could not afford to work if I had to pay the full price. If I can’t work, I would have to go on unemployment, food stamps, etc… I currently do not use state assistance except for daycare. I very much appreciate help with that and do not want to stop working. Please do not take away day care assistance.”

Full-time Banker and single mother of 2
Keizer

I fear I’d become homeless and jobless

“With the ERDC assistance, I have been able to work and put food on the table and pay bills. If I were to lose assistance paying for day care, I honestly don’t know what I would do. I already pay a large amount for a co-pay, but if I had to pay all of it, I would probably have to sell my car, cut down on food, maybe move into a bedroom that someone is renting- one room for the three of us and that still wouldn’t cover my daycare. I fear I’d become homeless and jobless.”

Legal Assistant and single mother of 2
Salem

I would likely lose everything I have

“I don’t know what I would do without ERDC. I wouldn’t be able to afford to work, which means I wouldn’t be able to pay any of my other bills, in addition to losing my health coverage through my employer, which means I would need even MORE assistance! I would likely lose everything I have.”

Jennifer
Retail worker and mother of 2
Salem

“Without ERDC, I would lose my job and become homeless. I am a single parent without much family support anywhere near me. I will have to move into a shelter and go on welfare with my children. I will lose everything I have worked hard for.”

Crystal
Full-time preschool teacher and single mother of 2
Salem

This daycare is a huge part of my life

“Without ERDC, I would have to take my 5 year old daughter out of daycare. She has been coming here since she was 18 months old. This daycare is a huge part of my life as well as my daughter’s. If you take this away from us, I won’t be able to work or be forced to drive my daughter an hour away to her grandparent’s.”

Angela
Food service worker and single mother
Salem

It really puts parents in a tough spot

” Without ERDC, I will have to either quit my job or work hours when my kids are sleeping. It really puts parents in a tough spot, especially those with no family or spouse to watch the kids. This is the last thing you should be cutting!”

Malina
Full-time Department Manager and single mother of 2
Keizer

“I rely on the child care assistance I receive through DHS because I am a single mother not receiving any help from my child’s father. Having to pay for all the daycare would be detrimental to my financial stability.”

Full-time Collections officer and mother
Grants Pass

Give young children from all backgrounds every chance to succeed

“Fruit & Flower has provided high quality early childhood care and education to children from Portland’s working families for more than a century. Fruit & Flower was organized because its founders knew that working families could not always earn money for their families or improve their children’s lives unless they could count on childcare. We raise money to subsidize high quality care for many of the children we serve, because their parents can’t afford the fees. We also work closely with programs like ERDC that rally support from all Oregonians to invest in our future. I cannot stress enough the absolute importance of investing in early childhood: to give young children from all backgrounds every chance to succeed. ERDC helps to level the field, and it must continue to help our state and its people be leaders in the new economy.”

Kris Moore
Child Care Provider, Fruit & Flower
Portland

I am a single mother trying to get off welfare

“I am at the moment training to become a Medical Assistant to better the life of my 5 year old son and myself. I have 6 weeks of 40+ hours each week that I have to complete before I complete my training. Once I complete my training, I will need ERDC as I reenter the work force. Despite being in the medical field, I won’t be making 6 figures a year. I am a single mother trying to get off welfare, with bills, student loans to be paid soon and a young child to take care of without child support. I won’t make it without the child care assistance and I will be another welfare statistic, because I can’t afford to work and care for my family. Point blank, the state needs to cut welfare benefits, but not the benefits that put people in the frame of mind to work for a living.”

Sabrina
Full-time Medical Assistant in training and single mother
Portland

Stability is extremely important to me

“I am a single mom of two kids who works part time (25) hrs per week. I do not get any financial or emotional help from my kids’ father. He is a drug addict and is currently incarcerated. I do anything and everything I can to work extra jobs, get extra hours if they are available just so I can make ends meet. It is extremely hard to provide for my kids on the income I currently have. I rely on the help from my daycare provider for so much more than just “babysitting”. They help to provide a stable, fun, safe environment for my kids to be in. My kids have been going to the same daycare for almost 2 years. Stability is extremely important to me as well. To have to pull them from their place of fun and the place where they develop people skills, interaction with other kids, their artistic ability as well as many other skills would be devastating.

I do not want to have to quit my job for the simple fact that I cannot pay for daycare or do not have daycare. I need my job, as do many other families. Our nation is hurting for work, and those of us who have jobs do anything we can to keep them. Don’t take away the help that we get with our daycare and force us to quit and live off of the state. This is absurd! I do not want to become a part of the unemployed or welfare statistic! I want to rise above! If I am forced to quit due to no daycare I will not be able to support my children. To provide their needs, like clothing, diapers, food, sports (to keep them out of trouble, so they don’t become a statistic), a roof over their heads, heat, health insurance or any of the other necessities that go along with raising a child.

Please do not strip this from the lower class families who strive to stay afloat and work and rely on their help for child care! Do not stop this funding. Please help us to stay off of unemployment, or cash assistance. Allow us the choice, the choice to work and take our kids to daycare, even if we need help in the process, at least we are doing all we can so you don’t have to support us 110%. We are striving to be self sufficient! Striving to rise above and make our lives and our world a better place. Lets rebuild our jobs not tear them down…(this will also affect those daycare providers, this will take away their income that they rely on to support their families! You are not only taking away from those that rely on the providers but also the providers themselves! You are forcing people out of work, which in turn can lead to depression, higher crime, higher medical expenses, and the list just goes on and on! Please save the ERDC so Oregon families can continue to work!”

Part-time Banker
Single mother of two
Salem

Cutting ERDC benefits will ultimately hurt my business

“ As a single parent who depends on the tuition of each and every one of my students to keep my business afloat, cutting ERDC benefits will ultimately hurt my business and possibly cause me to lose my home. As of today, I’ve been told I will lose at least three of my daycare children in December, due to their mothers not being able to afford child care without ERDC assistance.”

Lisa Miller
Small Business Owner, La Petite Playschool
Corvalis

My daycare will most likely close its doors

“This day care is the only center in our area that offers extended hours from 5 am to midnight to accommodate the schedules of many lower income workers and single parent households. If there is no longer ERDC, my daycare will most likely close its doors. 127 out of the 233 families we serve, receive day care assistance through ERDC. Without their business, 22 employees would subsequently lose their jobs. As a self-employed person, I am not eligible for unemployment, so I would lose my job and my home. I would be forced to apply for assistance.”

Connie Williams
Director & Small Business Owner, Iris Valley Learning Center
Keizer

I am now able to provide everything my children need. . .

“I am employed by Kaiser Permanente as a medical assistant. I am now able to provide everything my children need including quality health care. I went from being completely dependent on the state; on TANF, food stamps, Oregon Health Plan and in the JOBS program. I used these services to the best of my ability and was able to rise above poverty and become successful in a career.

The day care my children attend has played a key role in the success of my family by providing a safe and nurturing environment for my children while I am at work. If I did not have ERDC to help cover the cost of day care, I would not be able to afford to go to work.”

Nina Poulshock
Mother of three children, Full time Medical Assistant
Portland

I have a wonderful child care provider. . .

“ I rely on the child care assistance I receive through DHS because it allows me to work to support my children. I have a wonderful child care provider who is licensed through the state. I would never want to send my children to someone I wasn’t sure would provide quality care for my kids. Because of this cut, I will be losing my ERDC and will not have enough to pay for my two children (who are not old enough for school) to go to day care. I do not have family to sit at home with them and watch them. I am a single mom barely making ends meet and paying my co-pay every month.”

Barbara Hampton Reyes
Mother of two children, Full time Office Specialist
Salem

I am a struggling single parent. . .

I rely on the child care assistance program I receive through DHS because I am a struggling single parent with 2 young children.

I get no child support from their father who turned to drugs after loosing his job. I would not have my children around that situation and chose to support my children on my own instead. I am currently working nearly 60 hours per week every single week just to make ends meet in the time we currently all live in.

With rent, utilities, car insurance for the car I have to have to go to work because the only job I could find is 32 miles round trip every day and food, there is barely enough left at the end of the month to pay the $250 copay I have to pay currently with the ERDC program. Almost every month I end up having to split up my copay to my provider because I cannot afford to pay her and have had to borrow money more than once to pay my copay which puts me in debt somewhere else.

I am currently getting no other state assistance. I do not qualify for TANF because I apparently make to much money to even get food stamps! Literally because of the amount of hours I have to work I make about $1800 per month, but by the time you subtract all of the other expenses for living that leaves me with barely the $250 copay, currently my childcare for 2 young kids is over $1200 per month. My rent alone is $750 and I would not even be able to afford that.

So what am I supposed to do now????? Quit my job and stay home with my kids because they are to young to go to school yet. Go on food stamps and housing and every other program available just to make ends meet? I think not! The state will not give me any assistance because they will tell me I am a capable young female who needs to have a job, and because I (will be forced to) quit my job I would not even qualify for unemployment! This really makes a lot of sense…