Rachel Peckman- 506 Cinder Rd.

New Providence PA 17560

September 26, 2019

Lloyd Smucker
Representative
51 South Duke St
Suite 201
Lancaster, PA 17602

Dear Representative Lloyd Smucker,

Did you know that 53.3 percent of families with children under the age of six have two
working parents (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017)? Did you also know that the first five years of
a child’s life are the most critically important (Facts of life)? These first years are when the child
learns habits; brushing their teeth, staying quiet when someone else is talking, and paying
attention. They also learn attachment; understanding how to open up to another person, to
understand what they are personally feeling, and to emotionally develop and mature. Needless to
say, the first years of a child’s life are incredibly important to the success of the child. While a
good parent or caregiver can teach a child all of this, not all parents have the time to. Like I
explained before, more than half the population with children under the age of six work full time,
leaving limited room for spending time with their children.
One organization that is working diligently to help children succeed in life is the Head
Start program and the Early Head Start. Right now Head Start serves about one million low
income families (Children’s Defense Fund, 2018). They provide a place for young children to
develop good habits of hygiene, how to care for one another and their environment, and are
strengthening their minds by learning and experiencing projects. At Head Start, children can
become more ready for school, giving them the jump and background understanding that they
would not receive if they were to go to simply any daycare, or been left at home with a sibling.
Another advocate for early childhood education and care is Voluntary Home Visiting. Voluntary
Home Visiting is federally funded under the Affordable Care Act. The people in this program
understand the needs for specialized prenatal care, support for single mothers, and health check-
ups for all children. These volunteers are every occupation from social worker, nurse, and early
education specialists (Children’s Defense Fund, 2018). These people can not do their jobs and
grow their reach without funds from the federal government.
I am currently a college student who is studying Early Childhood Education because I
want to be able to make a difference in the lives of the children I get to work with. Not just from
an education standpoint, but I want to set my students up to be successful businessmen, parents,
and contributors to society. I will continue to raise awareness for the need of staff and funds for
early child care organizations by seeking support from my church and my school. There is also
so much that you, as a legislature can do for these children in order to ensure they can be
successful contributors to society. Passage of The Child Care for Working Families Act (S.1806
and H.R.3773) would allow for children to have these opportunities. Also, maintenance and
more funding of the Affordable Care Act, which targets the most vulnerable of families who
would otherwise not have the support, is needed to teach and nurture their children.
Thank you for the hours and work that you put into our country every single day, and
thank you for the time you have taken to read this letter. Your support makes a world of
difference for so many children here in Pennsylvania.
God Bless,

Rachel Peckman