Whether it’s a newborn baby, an aging parent, or ill spouse, care is a universal experience we all will be impacted by. The systems that provide and finance care are deeply connected to our social insurance programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Paid Family and Medical Leave. Care connects us across families, communities, and generations. It enables people to work, learn, and thrive, sustaining both individual wellbeing and the broader economy. Yet despite its fundamental importance, care work—whether paid or unpaid—is often undervalued, under-supported, and unevenly distributed.

Care is in crisis: the current caregiving system is severely underfunded and fragmented, leaving millions of working families unable to access affordable, high-quality care across childcare, paid leave, and long-term care.