Sen. Shaheen Makes Whirlwind North Country Tour
BETHLEHEM, N.H. — U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the Colebrook Community Child Care Center on Thursday to discuss solutions to the child-care crisis in the Granite State; PAK Solutions in Lancaster to highlight rural workforce and housing challenges; and Copper Cannon Camp in Bethlehem to discuss the value of no-cost youth summer programs and meet with AmeriCorps volunteers.
In Colebrook, Shaheen visited the Colebrook Community Child Care Center, also known as Country Day School, and hosted a roundtable discussion with local caregivers, advocates and families. Shaheen emphasized the Granite State’s child care crisis and the need for the state to finish implementing the federal funding that she helped secure, following years of delays from the state.
“Child care providers across the Granite State, and especially in rural areas like Colebrook, are facing a crisis that endangers working families’ access to quality, affordable care,” she said. “I was pleased to visit the Colebrook Community Child Care Center to discuss these challenges with caregivers, advocates and families. ”
Shaheen then headed to Lancaster where she toured PAK Solutions and two of its workforce housing projects to discuss solutions to retention challenges North Country businesses face.
“The challenges Granite State businesses face in retaining and recruiting a workforce are particularly acute in rural areas like the North Country where affordable housing is in short supply,” she said. “I was pleased to tour PAK Solutions in Lancaster to learn more about their innovative manufacturing and the steps the business has taken to develop its workforce and bring more housing to the community.”
Later, Shaheen visited Copper Cannon Camp in Bethlehem which offers a variety of tuition-free summer programs for children ages 9-16 in northern New Hampshire. While there, Shaheen met with AmeriCorps volunteers who are assisting with repairs and improvements to camp facilities and discussed the importance of national service and the value of low and no-cost summer programs.
“All kids should have the opportunity to experience high quality summer camp,” said Sen. Shaheen. “It was great to visit Copper Cannon Camp to learn more about the wonderful opportunities they offer, and to meet with AmeriCorps volunteers who are working on projects to help improve their camp facilities and experiences.”
