Dear friend, The Child and Family Policy Center aims to put kids and families front and center in policy deliberations. Over the last year we’ve asked you to support these efforts by speaking out on specific policies: to make a call, send an email or attend a town hall meeting. Thank you for the actions you take on behalf of Iowa children. Now I am asking you to consider supporting our efforts financially. Behind the newsletters you read is a lot of hard work. Our staffers collect data, analyze bills and attend legislative committee meetings. We write briefs. We education policymakers and partners—and listen to them, too. We tell you what we’ve learned. There are real costs associated with all of this. Foundation support by its nature can’t cover everything we do. We are able to be present at the Capitol and quickly respond to policy threats only because individual Iowans understand the stakes and contribute to the cause. What I’m saying is that we literally cannot do it without you. The last couple of years have been a tough policy environment for children. You know this. And I'll be honest: it can be difficult to maintain optimism when policymakers place their priorities elsewhere. But nothing worth fighting for comes easily. Here are what policy wins for kids look like: - A western Iowa child care provider can keep caring for children participating in child care assistance because reimbursement actually covers the true cost of quality care.
- A single mom in Central Iowa can put food on the table while she goes back to school to finish her degree—and enter a good career.
- A northeast Iowa pediatrician doesn’t have to choose between sending a young patient covered by Medicaid to speech therapy or occupational therapy because the child’s managed care organization won’t pay for both.
The 2018 session may be over, but the work is never done. We’ll keep fighting for more wins for kids and families in the months and years to come. Will you join the cause? Your financial support is paramount to what we've accomplished so far—and where we're headed. Please visit www.cfpciowa.org to donate securely online. You can also mail a check to the Child and Family Policy Center at the address below. Your contribution is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Drop me a line at adischer@cfpciowa.org at any time if you’d like to learn more. Warmest regards, | 
