John,

This crisis has made some things exceptionally clear: The frontlines start in our homes. Care work is essential work. All essential workers, including family caregivers and domestic workers, deserve protections and benefits. We need Care for All.

We're hearing agonizing stories from our caregiver network. Do I go to work and risk my own health and safety for others, or stay home and care for my family and lose my job? Can I deliver groceries to my parents if I’ve been at work all day? Is my mom safer in the nursing home without visitors, or in my home without professional support?

Caregivers need help and relief right now. They can't wait. That's why we're sending a strong message to Congress: Fund Family Care for essential workers and family caregivers today!

Add your name to the letter to Congress by April 21.

We’re planning to send this letter to Congressional leadership on Wednesday, April 22, so be sure to add your name today!

Elected officials in Washington have largely overlooked family caregivers. Despite providing more than $2 trillion in relief (yes, that’s trillion with a T), most of that support went to big corporations, not caregiving families. With another relief package reported to be coming soon, we need to act now.

We’re asking Congressional Leadership to do three important things:

• Establish “Family Care” for all essential workers. We’re all relying on essential workers at this time, but who is taking care of their families while they are taking care of us? Family Care would help essential workers and family caregivers by expanding paid sick, medical, and family leave and providing access to affordable childcare, while also supporting caregiving for seniors and people with disabilities.
• Adopt an expansive definition of who is an essential worker including everyone who must go to work during this pandemic, especially home health aides, early education and child care workers, as well as grocery store employees and mass transit employees. Essential workers must be paid a living wage, have access to health care, be trained to provide COVID-19 care, be provided with PPE, and have access to Family Care.
• Significantly bolster and invest in our existing child and home care infrastructure. This is necessary to prevent a system-wide collapse and support essential workers like child care providers and caregivers who help keep our care infrastructure safe and supported.

Show your support for essential workers who are also taking care of their own families. Add your name to our Congressional sign-on letter today.

With care,

Beth Shipp
Managing Director
Caring Across Generations