Washington Advocates Rise Up for Kids  

Ever wake up at 3 a.m. in the name of advocacy? 17-year-old Kira has.  

As the daughter of SCAN’s Spokane Volunteer Co-Lead, Kira knew exactly what was at stake in this year’s legislative session. So, she and her mom boarded a bus before sunrise to meet with lawmakers at Washington’s capitol.  

A projected $10-12 billion budget shortfall threatened deep cuts to critical programs, but our advocates showed up to champion children’s futures.  

For Kira, protecting the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) was personal. It helped her younger sister, born prematurely with unique challenges, thrive. 

The thought of families losing that support inspired Kira to speak out. She published a heartfelt letter to the editor in The Spokesman-Review – and it made a difference. This year, ECEAP secured 250 new full-day slots and increased rates to reflect the true cost of child care! 

While our advocates preserved the existence of Early ECEAP, which supports infants and toddlers, state lawmakers eliminated its funding. Still, we secured other wins – like boosting subsidy rates for Working Connections Child Care, defending the Complex Needs Fund and expanding the Capital Gains tax to fund early learning and K-12. 

In a session full of obstacles, our advocates rose to the challenge by: 

• Meeting with 100 lawmakers during Lobby Day  

• Making 550 phone calls to legislators  

• Delivering 350 postcards as part of our Have a Heart campaign  

• Sending 1,433 advocacy emails  

To amplify their voices, SCAN launched digital ads that reached 332,000 people and spoke to the media about the consequences of cutting ECEAP.  

Together, we made real change for children and families – against all odds.   

Ready to join the movement? Volunteer with SCAN!