Child with umbrellaThe Fund Kids First Rally is four days away! We are excited to join you in Frankfort as the Kentucky General Assembly begins a special legislative session for a rally at 11 am EDT on Monday. Find final details about the rally including logistics, what to bring, and RSVP information below.

Final Details for the Rally

Bring with you…

  1. An umbrella and wear a poncho to use as a visual – “Budget cuts = Rainy days for kids”
  2. A poster board sign (without a stick) that says “Fund Kids First” or “Budget cuts = Rainy days for kids” or a similar message. We will have some extra signs if you are not able to make your own.

10:30 am – Arrive at the Capitol and make sure to…

  1. Visit the resource table in the Rotunda to pick up an informational sheet of what you can do before, during and after the rally to stand up for kids. Stickers and signs will also be available at this table.
  2. Visit the table in the hallway outside of the Rotunda to pick up sheets to deliver to the Governor, your legislators, the Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate asking them to restore cuts to children’s programs and build a budget that “Funds Kids First.” We will have paper umbrellas that you can attach to the message sheets. There will be people at this table who can help you find out who your legislators are if you don’t know and sheets with the legislative office numbers on them.

11:00 am – Rally Begins. During the rally, make sure to…

  1. Pop up your umbrella 
  2. Wear your poncho
  3. Tweet using the hashtag #fundkidsfirst and tweet @kyyouth

11:30am – After the Rally, make sure to…

  1. Deliver your message sheet to the Governor’s Office (located directly outside of the Rotunda)
  2. Line the House Chamber steps and welcome House members to the special session. Get your picture with your legislator and your sign. Tweet your picture using the hashtag #fundkidsfirst and @kyyouth
  3. Head over to the Capitol Annex and deliver your other message sheets to the Speaker of the House, Senate President, and your legislators (if you don’t catch them entering the chambers)

Why attend the “Fund Kids First Rally”?

The Kentucky General Assembly begins a special legislative session on Monday.  While the state seems unable to find dollars for the youngest children in Kentucky, it ended its fiscal year with a $70.6 million surplus. We want to use this opportunity to let state legislators know that “Budget cuts = Rainy days for kids” and it’s time to “Fund Kids First” including restored funding to the Child Care Assistance Program and the Kinship Care Program. 

Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program. Child care assistance helps low-income working families afford child care while the Kinship Care Program provides financial support to grandparents and other relatives who are raising children because they cannot live safely with their parents. In addition, the state changed income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of the poverty level, causing 8,700 families to lose child care assistance each month.

Hundreds of advocates and families across the state have spoken out or signed-on in opposition of these cuts. On Monday, August 19 many more advocates and families plan to stand up for kids on the opening day of the special legislative session and ask legislators to make funding kids a priority for the next two year budget.