Shaheen Visits Child Care Center in Colebrook, Highlights Rural Workforce and Housing Challenges in Lancaster, Discusses No-Cost Youth Summer Programs in Bethlehem

(Bethlehem, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the Colebrook Community Child Care Center 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. Photos from all three events can be found here.

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,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to visit the Colebrook Community Child Care Center to discuss these challenges with caregivers, advocates and families. ”

Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care, including by delivering more than $77 million to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief laws to the Granite State. Since then, Shaheen has urged state and local officials to distribute those federal funds, especially in communities that lack access to child care.

Earlier this year, Shaheen introduced the Right Start Child Care and Education Act, which would make child care more affordable and accessible for working families by reforming the federal tax code. She also introduced the bipartisan Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act, portions of which have been included in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025, which has been passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee. Additionally, she helped introduce the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act to permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, which helps households offset their child care costs.

Shaheen then headed to Lancaster where she toured PAK Solutions and two of its workforce housing projects to discuss solutions to retention challenges businesses in New Hampshire’s North Country 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,” said Senator Shaheen. “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.”

Senator Shaheen has long supported programs that increase opportunities and growth for New Hampshire businesses, including by tackling New Hampshire’s housing affordability crisis. Earlier this year, she secured two rural housing provisions signed into law that together will help to preserve existing rural housing, build new housing in rural areas and protect low-income renters in rural areas from losing their homes. 

Later, Shaheen visited Copper Cannon Camp in Bethlehem which offers a variety of tuition-free summer programs for children ages 9 to 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 Senator Shaheen. “It was great to visit Copper Cannon Camp to learn more about the wonderful opportunities they offer at no-cost to Granite State children, and to meet with AmeriCorps volunteers who are working on projects to help improve their camp facilities and experiences.”

Senator Shaheen is a strong supporter of national service programs like AmeriCorps. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she works to provide strong funding for national service each year. During the pandemic, Shaheen worked to provide increased funding for national service, helping to introduce the Pandemic Response and Opportunity Through National Service Act and ultimately helped secure $1 billion in additional funding for Americorps through the American Rescue Plan. Shaheen has also cosponsored legislation that would provide tax relief for AmeriCorps members who earn federal Segal Education Awards. Last year, the New Hampshire delegation announced a series of grant awards for AmeriCorps programs throughout the state, which are available here.

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