Sep 13

Child Care and Crab Soup!

September 13th, 2024

Dear Neighbor,

Statewide Child Care Summit

This week I was thrilled to co-sponsor as President of the Women Legislators of Maryland the 1st Annual Statewide Child Care Summit. This issue is vital to working women and all families, and it is a problem that is especially important to Maryland. First, I want to thank Dr. Pam Brown, Director of the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth, & Families, for leading the charge on working towards solutions for the variety of hurdles facing Maryland’s childcare industry. I also want to thank

the over 200 participants made up of providers, parents, and policy makers from all levels of Government for committing to working collaboratively on this subject.

Maryland’s childcare industry has been slow to recover after setbacks from Covid, with Maryland suffering the worst recovery in childcare across the Nation.

Since the end of the pandemic, there has been a 22% decline of childcare employees. This is a critical economic issue for our state that has tremendous effects on our labor market – which is directly tied to our state revenue situation. Furthermore, Maryland’s low-income communities are especially impacted because there is a lack of options and ‘childcare deserts’. Not only does this under-serve the developmental needs of the child, but it is also a major economic barrier to women participating in the workforce. As President of the Women’s Legislators of Maryland, I am proud to partner with subject matter experts in the Caucus and around the State to make addressing the child care crisis in Maryland a priority in the 2025 Legislative Session. I look forward to sharing more information and initiatives put forward by the Caucus and its membership in the coming months. Stay tuned!

Another Busy Night in Anne Arundel County!

Very busy evening in Anne Arundel earlier this week! Thankful to be invited to the Anne Arundel South County Democratic Club Election Season Kick-Off to support Angela Alsobrooks, Steny Hoyer, and of course the amazing Jeremy York for Board of Education! It was a beautiful evening, at a wonderful location, and I couldn’t have been happier spending it supporting these tremendous candidates!

I also want to thank the Eastport Civic Association for inviting me to their annual picnic. Always a great event and looking forward to continuing to work with their board on issues facing the Eastport community!

Weekend of Action in Anne Arundel County!

Make sure you don’t miss out on another Weekend of Action in Anne Arundel County! As I told the South County Democrats this week, we cannot take our foot off the gas! Please see below for the list of door knocking opportunities in Anne Arundel County this weekend supporting Democratic Senate Nominee Angela Alsobrooks, Democratic Congressional District 3 Nominee Senator Elfreth, and all of our amazing board of education candidates around the State!

Saturday, September 14th, 2024:

10-12pm, meet at Arnold Elementary School with BOE Candidate Dana Schallheim

2-4pm, meet at Carrie Weedon Early Education Center with BOE Candidate Jeremy York

3-6pm, meet at Jacobsville Elementary with BOE Candidate Erica McFarland

12-3pm meet at MDP HQ

3-6pm, meet at MDP HQ

Sunday, September 15th, 2024:

12-3pm, meet at Germantown Elementary School with BOE Candidate Joanna Tobin

12-3pm meet at MDP HQ

3-6pm, meet at MDP HQ

I also want to highlight another event happening in Annapolis that is focused on getting out the vote in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County!

There will be free food, music, and excitement for November, make sure not to miss it!

Location: American Legion Post #141

1707 Forest Dr, Annapolis, MD 21401

Time: 1:00PM - 4:00PM

The Right to Reproductive Freedom is on the Ballot!

Please join me and leading women from across the State on October 5th for a Day of Action supporting and spreading the word that the Right to Reproductive Freedom is on the ballot in Maryland!

With Federal protection stripped away, Maryland is stepping up! By voting YES on Question 1, we can guarantee the right to reproductive freedom for all in Maryland.

As Speaker Jones said, this is about much more than Maryland, voting yes on Question 1 is about sending a message to women in Texas, West Virginia, or any State that Maryland is and always will be a safe haven fro reproductive freedom.

I can't wait to be there to speak with all of you as mobilize for November! To sign up click HERE!

Statement Against Hate

This past week, as President of the Women Legislators of Maryland I was proud to stand alongside my fellow legislative caucus chairs to stand against hate in all its forms.

Looking forward to continuing to work together to combat hate in Maryland. 💙

🦀 Maryland Seafood Festival! 🦞

🦀🧑‍🍳 The 56th Annual Maryland Seafood Festival is this weekend, September 14-15th, at Sandy Point State Park! Don't miss out on this wonderful event with seafood vendors, local shopping, and tons of activities for families.

Make sure to stop by the pavilion for the Crab Soup Cook-Off where I am so excited to be serving as a judge!

Purchase your tickets online ahead of time HERE!

Women’s Equality Day Panel 🩵

Thank you to the Anne Arundel County Office of Equity and Human Rights for inviting me to speak on a panel of remarkable women for their Women's Equality Day Event! We celebrate Women's Equality Day to commemorate the adoption of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote, but in 1920 that right wasn't extended to ALL women. Since then, we have have made tremendous progress expanding voting rights to women of color and supporting women for elected office, but we have so so much more work to do.

I was honored to share the stage with Dr. Sabrina Clark and Dr. Gabriela Lemus to discuss the successes and set backs women have made fighting for our rights. A special thank you to Amber Barnett, Assistant Director of Equity for the County, for the invitation and great questions!

AACPL Diaper Drive!

💙 Join me in celebrating Diaper Awareness Week by giving back to our community! From September 23rd to 29th, Anne Arundel Public Library Branches will be collecting diaper donations to further support our local caregivers.

Since August of 2023, the Discoveries at the Mall Community Pantry has distributed over 7,000 packs of diapers, meaning over 155,000 individual diapers have gone to families in need!

If you’re able to, let’s keep this momentum going! Please help me support this year’s AACPL Diaper Drive by donating diapers to Discoveries at the Mall, Eastport Branch Library, or Annapolis Branch Library.

Last Chance to Apply! Student Loan Tax Credit

Don’t forget to apply for Maryland's 2024 Student Loan Debt Relief Tax Credit Program by September 15th, this Sunday! For more information or to apply for a 2024 tax credit to help pay off existing student loan debt here: http://bit.ly/SLDRTC.

National Preparedness Month System Test

To highlight National Preparedness Month, the City of Annapolis Office of Emergency Management (OEM) will be testing their “Alert Annapolis Community Notification System.”

The test will occur at approximately 2:00 PM on September 24th. Residents may receive a phone call, text message, or email with a test notification at this time, no action is required of recipients.

How to prepare:

Ensure your contact information is up to date in the Annapolis Alert Community Notification System. You can update your information by clicking here or by calling 410-216-9167.
Follow Annapolis OEM on social media platforms to receive real-time updates and notifications.

Food Resources at the Library

I want to take a moment to highlight the different types of support our local libraries provide for the community regarding food disparity and hunger resources. September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about hunger in America and inspire people to take action!

The Anne Arundel County Food Bank’s new mobile food pantry has been very active and includes stops at four AACPL library branches. Also through the Discoveries Community Pantry, local caregivers have access to infant formula as needed! We all learn better when our basic needs are met, and AACPL is working with community partners to help end food insecurity as Anne Arundel County becomes the best place for all.

Through many food distribution partnerships, AACPL supports their mission by working together with local food pantries, food banks, and nonprofits. One amazing partnership example is Caring Cupboard, who placed their first Little Free Pantry (LFP) at Linthicum Library in 2019, the first official Little Free Pantry placed in Anne Arundel County! Be sure to check out Caring Cupboard’s website to find or create a LFP in your neighborhood.

AACPL also works closely with Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS), to provide Summer Mobile Meals. AACPS serves lunch during the summer months to neighborhoods throughout the county. Thursday is even free book day! Anne Arundel County Public Library (AACPL) partners with AACPS Media Services to follow the meal vans and hand out free books to kids picking up their lunch each Thursday during the summer. These free books support the Summer @ Your Library program and Kindergarten Readiness initiative!

If you would like to learn more about the many food resources offered at AACPL, click here. Thank you for joining in the pursuit to end hunger in Anne Arundel County!

For the Love of the Library 2024!

One of my favorite fundraisers of the years, get ready for For the Love of The Library 2024! You’ll experience the library like never before while enjoying delectable bites from Chef Kurt and Chesapeake Chef Service, delightful drinks, a Wine & Whiskey pull and immersive stations that showcase the heart of the library. There will also be opportunities to bid on a number of live auction items. Don’t miss one of the most premier events in Anne Arundel County!

Make sure to block off your calendars on September 27th today, and click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets!

You can follow me on Facebook, X, and Instagram to learn about volunteer opportunities, community resources, legislative updates and much more. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always contact my office by email at Dana.Jones@house.state.md.us or by phone at 410-841-3211.

Stay safe and healthy,

Delegate Dana Jones

District 30A, Annapolis & Anne Arundel County