“Provider Appreciation Day” sounds very official – but it doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s really just about saying “thank you” to America’s child care providers, many of whom are underpaid and overworked.
A simple gesture can mean the world to the workforce that keeps the rest of the workforce going. Child Care Aware® of America makes it easy to say #ThankYouChildCare with our toolkit of resources in English and Spanish, and a few easy activities that can make a provider feel appreciated.
Get started with one of these activities:
1. Show public support by writing a letter to the editor.
What’s involved: Let your community know about your celebration and/or your support for child care providers by writing and submitting a letter to the editor with your local newspaper.
Why providers will love it: Providers read newspapers too! Let’s ensure they see appreciation for them spread far and wide. It’s fun to see a public declaration of gratitude for work that can often feel under-appreciated.
Why it’s easy: We’ve already written it for you! Use our template to get started and fill in a few details to make it more personal. Your letter doesn’t have to be long, either; most newspapers ask for submissions between 200 and 400 words.
Need more help? You can look up submission guidelines here. Submission Information — The OpEd Project. For more support, email us at news@usa.childcareaware.org.
Take Action: Explore Media Outreach Resources for Provider Appreciation Day.
2. Invite parents to thank their provider during child care pick-up / drop-off.
What’s involved: Get inspired by the LACC Child Care Academy in Detroit, Michigan. They invited parents served by their child care program to sit down with their kids and record a short message thanking the staff.
Why providers will love it: Imagine seeing personal messages from the families you serve every day. These videos are deeply personal, meaningful and delightful. Further, when shared on social media they help others see the value of these hard-working professionals.
Get started: Program directors can invite families in their child care programs to record a video message before May 12. Make it easy for parents and guardians by setting up a recording station in one of your classrooms so they can record in the morning during drop-off or in the evening during pick-up.
Take Action: Record a #ThankYouChildCare video.
3. Request a proclamation to have Provider Appreciation Day recognized by local officials.
What’s involved: Requesting a proclamation is a great way to raise awareness for elected officials and your community about the vital work of child care providers.
Why providers will love it: Providers want their voices heard by our elected officials too. By requesting a proclamation, you are helping to ensure that our elected officials know how crucial child care providers are to our communities and bringing greater awareness of the importance of their work.
Why it’s easy: The form simply asks for your contact information in order to identify your representatives. Requesting a proclamations takes less than two minutes.
What happens next? You’ll receive an automated confirmation email thanking you for taking action and confirming that your email has been sent to its designated elected official's office. A staff member with your elected official's office may reach out to follow-up on the proclamation request.
Extra credit: If you attend a proclamation signing event, share your photos and videos on social media, tag @childcareaware and your elected officials (use our legislator lookup page to view their contact information), and use the hashtags #ProviderAppreciationDay and #ThankYouChildCare. We'd love to hear more about your event and your experience connecting with your elected officials. Fill out this brief form. If you need additional support, please email takeaction@usa.childcareaware.org.
Take Action: Request a proclamation.
4. Say #ThankYouChildCare to providers on social media on May 12.
What’s involved: Provider Appreciation Day is always observed the Friday before Mother’s Day. This is your chance to give a shout-out. Track the online conversations using #ThankYouChildCare.
Why providers will love it: Picking a designated day helps concentrate efforts and send a big dose of love to providers, and help them feel connected to other child care providers around the country.
Why it’s easy: You get to choose how you share your message of gratitude. It can be as simple as adding a themed Zoom background for your meetings that day, printing out a thank you certificate to honor your provider, or recording a 60-second video message.
Take Action: Add to the conversation online with #ThankYouChildCare.
It doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. Sometimes a simple “thank you” can mean the world to the workforce that keeps the rest of the workforce going.
Need more ideas? Join the Social Link community to connect with other event organizers. Business leaders and members of the community are invited to sponsor Provider Appreciation Day.
