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News release

California Moms to Lawmakers: “Health Care Coverage Is a Lifesaver for California Families”

April 2, 2009
Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

California moms and kids visited the Capitol in Sacramento on Tuesday to urge lawmakers to expand health care coverage for children. The group delivered packages of Lifesaver candies and more than 800 personalized messages from moms, dads and grandparents all over the state.
 
The moms are all members of MomsRising.org, an online grassroots organization that is working for paid family leave, flexible work options, excellent childcare and health care for all children. They delivered these “sweet” messages to let lawmakers know that covering uninsured kids is a priority for California families.
 
“California legislators must act soon in order to take advantage of health care funds that the U.S. Congress and President Obama have given the state to ensure that more children get health care coverage,” said MomsRising.org Executive Director Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. “As the economic crisis deepens, thousands of parents find themselves turning to state-funded health care programs like California’s Healthy Families. Programs like these, which are more affordable, can be a real lifesaver for children who have no other way to get medical coverage.”
 
Approximately 683,000 California children are uninsured. The messages from MomsRising.org include:
 
My daughter was born with a rare genetic condition that makes private health insurance out of our reach. Please don't leave her and the rest of CA kids high and dry!
 
Please, give hard-working families a chance to get ahead! Help us prepare for health emergencies by giving us access to health care for our children. Every time my children get sick, I pray that I don't have to take them to the doctor because I don't have health insurance for them - give us some peace of mind when it comes to our children's health.
 
Candy is dandy but health care is a lifesaver! Healthy kids mean better school attendance and improved life skills, a chance to get ahead and be productive workforce members. That means more taxes paid to fund our economy. Parents with healthy kids do not have to take off work to help them!!
 
MomsRising.org members delivered packages to every lawmaker’s office and also met with staff in the offices of Senators Fran Pavley and Dave Cox and Assembly members Nathan Fletcher, Cathleen Galgiani, and Bonnie Lowenthal.
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.