Dear John - When President Trump released his budget this month, we were disappointed to see that once again he did not provide adequate funding to meet the needs of our nation’s littlest learners. But, it’s not too late for you to help change that! U.S. children are falling behind on basic skills like reading – studies show that 34% of children enter kindergarten without the basic skills necessary to learn to read.[1] While parents are their children’s first and best teachers, high quality early childhood education helps many kids become kindergarten ready. This is especially true for kids living in poverty – 60% of them do not have any books in their homes for their children.[2] It’s time to tell Congress to fight for funding for early learning programs. Will you send a message today? Programs like Head Start have a decades-long track record of providing young children with the fundamentals they need to be ready for kindergarten – and a lifetime of success. But, every year funding falls far short of the need. Champions of early childhood programs in Congress are asking their colleagues to sign on to a letter demonstrating their support for these programs. The more signatures we can get on this letter, the more likely it is that Congress will increase funding. Urge your member of Congress to show their support for kids by signing the letter today! The educational impact of Head Start and high-quality child care on kids is enormous. And at a time when child care costs are higher than rent or a mortgage – or even higher than college tuition in some states – families are struggling to make ends meet while working and caring for pre-school aged children. Increasing funding for early learning programs will help thousands of families balance these expenses and return to or remain in the workforce. Please take a moment to ask your member of Congress to show their support for kids and families today! Thank you for being a voice for kids, | 
