You made it happen. The election results are in, and Pennsylvania children and youth are the winners.
Lines were long but, thankfully, you waited your turn and cast your ballot for candidates who understand that, after a child is born, parents need a government to do its part and provide for great schools and safer communities where every child can thrive.
Voters rejected the gubernatorial candidate, Doug Mastriano, who wanted to slash $12 billion from public education and double the size of classrooms and instead cast our lot with a candidate who pledged to fully fund the schools and get guns off the streets.
A strong showing for John Fetterman means Pennsylvanians are sending a second senator to Washington who will fight for federal education funding and universal pre-k and affordable child care.
On a state legislative level, candidates from both parties who support the Children First mission celebrated on election night (or a day or two later). Republicans like Tracy Pennycuick, a strong ally in the fight to end the corruption in cyber charter funding, and Frank Farry, a dedicated supporter of child care and pre-k, will be within the majority ranks in the state Senate.
Democrats seem poised to take the majority in the state House. Should they get control of the gavel or not, the election results are clear that candidates who didn’t decry the benefits of Medicaid and CHIP expansion and who spoke loudly to the need for greater investments in child care and K-12 had a banner day on November 8th.
And, best of all, the election appears to be a repudiation of the MAGA brand of divisive politics that foment race baiting and book banning.
Because of voters like you, Pennsylvania is on track to do the work of the people (and the kids) – not the extremes.
But even with all these new allies for kids in the legislature and the Governor’s Office, we can’t rest on our laurels. We continue to be vigilant, seizing every opportunity to improve the lives of children in the region and across the Commonwealth.
A Veterans Day Note
Thank you to all who have served or continue to serve our country. Your dedication and sacrifice is deeply appreciated.
Congress will be getting back to work soon to pass the federal budget. Make sure child care is a top priority – our families and our economy can’t recover without it. Send a message to your U.S. delegation here.
Pennsylvania may send youth arrested for minor offenses like shoplifting as far away as Texas to serve their time because of overcrowded detention facilities. That’s a bad idea.
If you run an out-of-school-time program, join GPEC for a funder meet-and-greet in Philadelphia.
Come to learn about funding opportunities and foundation updates, and then stay to network! Register at https://bit.ly/3CDTJ6N.
When our Healthline insurance hotline
was about to be disconnected, these
generous funders stepped up and are keeping the lines open so children
get lifesaving care:
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