As a way to help more working parents get to the polls, a non-profit organization in the DFW area is offering free childcare for those who need it in order to vote.
“They’re things like just not having time or not having someone to watch their little one and being afraid to have to bring them with them to run an errand that, at best is tedious to a small child. And at worst is, as a friend of mine who had experience actually in Texas, told me her child shut down the voting systems one year,” Politisit Executive Director Emily Teixeira told NBC DFW.
Politisit is a non-partisan nonprofit focused on increasing civic engagement by assisting with the caretaking of minors. With the goal of seeing families engage in community meetings, civic activities, and legislative discourse, the organization began providing free drop-in care for parents headed to the polls in 2020.
This year, Politisit is offering free childcare at Park South YMCA in Dallas, the Boys and Girls Club of Tarrant County Main Branch in Arlington, the Boys and Girls Club East Side Branch in Fort Worth, and the Ryan Family YMCA in Fort Worth. According to Teixeira, they can care for 150 kids at any one time.
“We think that parents’ voices and families’ voices are super important in our communities and that the best way to do so is to help them be more involved,” said Teixeira. “When everybody participates, and when everybody casts a ballot, we have a better, stronger democracy.”
The times and locations for free childcare are as follows:
- Park South YMCA, 2500 Romine Ave., Dallas: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Boys and Girls Club of Tarrant County Main Branch, 608 North Elm St., Arlington: 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Boys and Girls Club of Tarrant County, East Side Branch at 4651 Ramey Avenue, Ft. Worth: 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Ryan Family YMCA, 8250 McCart Ave., Ft. Worth: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
