When he was a young father, Assemblymember Juan Carillo says raising four children in Palmdale was a challenge. Talking to CCRC’s government relations team, Carillo said his family could have benefited from the child care services offered by CCRC.

“Being a young family, we started a family when I was 22 and my wife was 21, I wish we had the resources that CCRC provides to our residents,” he said. “It’s difficult starting a young family… Families struggle enough with the way things are – if you’re lucky enough to own a home, your mortgage is through the sky.”

Carillo moved to the U.S. when he was just 15 years old. His family lived in East L.A. and he eventually met his wife, who worked in child care, in Palm Springs.

A native of Guadalajara, Carrillo is a Mexican-American politician serving the 39th district of the California State Assembly, which includes Palmdale and Victorville. CCRC’s government relations staff showed him around a Family Child Care Home in Adelanto, which is just outside Victorville.

He got a firsthand look at how the resources channeled into CCRC are used locally. He also spoke with a provider and CCRC staff about child care investments, read a book to the kids, and received a tour of the child care home. Carillo said child care was a critical resource for his family, allowing him and his wife to work.

“Being able to take [our son] to day care at 6:30 in the morning was very beneficial to his upbringing… very convenient for us,” said Carillo. “The sacrifices that day cares do like the ones we’re in right now, opening their doors at 5:30 in the morning, it’s a blessing because it allows residents to drop their kids in a family setting and go to work.”

Our work depends on strong partnerships with lawmakers, and we appreciate the opportunity to show them how our services help families.

“We know that California runs on day care. Why? Because parents like me depend on day care to care for their children and the high quality that they provide,” Carillo said.