Allyson Felix is determined to create a world where parents have access to everything they need to thrive. Her latest partnership supports that mission. The seven-time Olympic gold medalist is working to ensure mothers have easy access to voting. Felix is partnering with the national nonprofit organization Chamber of Mothers to provide women–especially those in under-resourced communities with access to childcare.
“You should never have to choose between your profession, your passions, and motherhood,” said Felix. “I’m honored to partner with Chamber of Mothers to tell moms that you don’t have to choose between voting and motherhood this election. This election, you can do both.”
The campaign will operate in North Carolina, New York, and Los Angeles. Each location will offer different childcare options, such as in-home services, drop-off, or reimbursements, so mothers can go and vote. In North Carolina, the Chamber of Mothers is partnering with Politisit to cover childcare costs for up to two hours for moms. To ease moms’ burden, they can use the resources being provided to book their own babysitters so they can head to the polls.
In the populous cities of Los Angeles and New York, the non-profit is partnering with childcare providers Brella and Vivvi to offer moms a full day of childcare.
On Election Day, Smart Sitting in New York and Bumo in California will each donate $10,000 in childcare services in partnership with Politist. Moms can book on-demand in-home babysitting through Smart Sitting or arrange flexible center-based care with Bumo.
“We are so grateful to Allyson Felix for lending her voice and leadership in this way. Given her work advocating for better care for moms, and dispersing funds to Black maternal health organizations, and even creating the first-ever nursery at the Paris Olympics, we can’t think of anyone better suited than Allyson to come on board with us in these last critical few critical weeks to better equip and encourage moms to get out to vote,” said Erin Erenberg, CEO and founder of the Chamber of Mothers.
“There are more than 85 million mothers in the U.S., but so often they feel defeated or that their vote doesn’t make a difference. Our Vote Like a Mother® Campaign exists to rally these moms, remind them of their power to create a better America, one without deeply burdensome issues like unaffordable care, lack of paid leave, and horrific maternal mortality rates – no matter their background or political affiliation,” added Erenberg.
While the campaign only offers free childcare in the mentioned states, the Chamber of Mothers has created a digital voting guide accessible to anyone nationwide. It provides tips on how to overcome barriers to voting by taking time off work, accessing transportation to voting polls, arranging childcare on voting day, and researching their ballots in advance.
Mothers everywhere can text ‘Mother’ to 26797 for more information and voting tools or visit the Vote Like a Mother website.
