Whip Clark Celebrates $3 Million for Early Education, Child Care in Stoneham

STONEHAM, MA - Yesterday, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) visited the Boys and Girls Club of Stoneham and Wakefield to celebrate the construction of a new early education and training facility that is partly funded by $3 million she secured through the 2023 federal budget. She also met with local care providers and read to kids at Robin Hood Elementary School in Stoneham.

"Accessible, affordable child care and early education are essential for working families in every zip code, but especially in the Fifth District where the cost of care is among the highest in the country," said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. "I was proud to secure these federal dollars to expand access to care and lower costs for families. Child care is the glue that holds our economy together - and with public investment, we can build a care system that allows kids and families to thrive and helps our economy to flourish."

Whip Clark has long recognized child care as critical economic infrastructure. She helped save the child care sector during the pandemic, securing $50 billion to keep providers in business and get parents back to work.

During her seven years on the Appropriations Committee, Whip Clark increased the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) by almost $6 billion and Head Start by $3 billion. In last year's federal budget, she secured funding for early education programs in Stoneham and Framingham, a $23 million increase to the Child Care and Development Block Grant for Massachusetts providers, and a 5.4% salary increase for Head Start early educators.

Additionally, she is the House sponsor of the Child Care Stabilization Act, which would extend pandemic-era child care funding, and the Child Care is Infrastructure Act, legislation that would lower costs for families and providers through multiple grant programs.

Photos of yesterday's visit can be found HERE.

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