Register Here!

When

Wednesday

February 18, 2026

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Where

In-Person and Online.

Sign-on as a Partner!

We welcome any organization that would like to be included in this event. If interested in partnering with us, please let us know!

Sponsorship

If you are interested in sponsoring our advocacy day, we welcome your tax deductible donation. Your donation will go to support the development of legislative packets for all 120 state legislators, hosting of all of the materials for the next year, and recognition on materials and in the Monday Morning Newsletter.

Sponsorship Levels:

• $250
• $500
• $1,000
• $2,500
• Other

If you would like to support this advocacy day, please 

click here

for the Sponsorship Form.

Thank You To Our Event Sponsors!

We invite you to join us for the hybrid

2026 Lifting Up Families Advocacy Day!

Social Media Toolkit

Click here to view the toolkit. Use the hashtag #LiftingUpFamilies and tag Thriving Families CA Foundation (click the icons below for our channels) when you post photos of your participation in advocacy day!

Schedule of Events

The morning program will take place in-person and streamed online.



The venue of the in-person morning program is the Eureka Room within the basement level of the State Capitol. Breakfast, coffee, tea, and refreshments will be provided at our morning program. Please inform Danielle Metzger if you have any dietary restrictions at danielle@thrivingfamilies-ca.org.

Morning Program Agenda - Click here to view the speaker list

• 9:00 am - Doors to the Eureka Room open
• 9:30 am - 9:45 am: Welcome and Opening Remarks
• 9:45 am - 10:45 am: Lifting Up Families Legislative Champions
• 10:45 am - 10:50 am: Group Photo
• 11:00 am - Attendees break for lunch & legislative visits on your own

We encourage participants to meet with legislators from 9:30 am - 10:50 am if your legislators are available during that time. All speaker remarks will be recorded and available for viewing after the advocacy day.

Legislator Meetings

All participants have been encouraged to make their own meetings. If you need assistance with scheduling meetings or are interested in visiting offices who do not have a meeting scheduled, please contact McKenzie at mckenzie@thrivingfamilies-ca.org.

Information for In-Person Participants

Parking, Food:

• Where to Park
• Where to Eat Lunch

For Legislator Meetings:

• Map of Capitol Area
• Map of the Swing Space
• List of Legislator Offices (coming soon)

Q: I am new to Sacramento. Where can I go to get lunch that is within walking distance of the Capitol?

A: Here is a list of places we have compiled that are within a 15 minute walk of the Capitol and the Swing Space. Please allow at least 10 minutes of time to go through security to re-enter the Swing Space after lunch.

Q: I am staying the night and have luggage. Is there anywhere I can store my items?

A: Yes, you can store it in Room 8010 in the Swing Space (8th Floor). We have the room reserved all day.

Q: Who can I contact on the day-of if I am lost, need assistance during a legislator meeting, or urgently need help?

A: Please text McKenzie at (619) 855-9202 for any assistance needed on the 18th. McKenzie may triage your request to a day-of volunteer who will be ready to help you.

Q: Will there be any snacks for participants during the day?

A: There will be breakfast served at 9:00 am, we will also provide bottled water. More to come on the location of these refreshments for the 18th.

Questions? Please reach out to Danielle Metzger for assistance.

Day-of Contact

McKenzie Richardson
Please text on the day-of

Cellphone: (619) 855-9202

mckenzie@thrivingfamilies-ca.org

For Those Planning on Attending Legislative Meetings:

You will be scheduling Legislative Meetings on your own. Follow these steps:

1. Locate your Legislator here. See a full list of legislators here.
2. Contact the legislator’s office: Call or email the legislator’s scheduler and explain that you would like to schedule a meeting with the legislator. Find that contact information here. (Assembly and Senate are on different tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet). Give the scheduler all of the pertinent details, including which individuals will be attending the meeting, the purpose for the meeting, the topic or prospective legislation that you intend to discuss, and when you would like to meet.
3. Here is a sample Meeting Request Template for you to use.
4. Once you have scheduled meetings, please fill them in on the Shared Schedule. Again, Assembly and Senate are on different tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
5. If you need help making meetings, reach out to mckenzie@thrivingfamilies-ca.org.

About the "Lifting Up Families" Advocacy Day:

On February 18, 2026, statewide and community partners, family child care providers and parents will be advocating in Sacramento for raising child care rates, strengthening critical safety net programs and lifting up the needs of whole families.

Attendees will hear from legislative champions committed to resolving unfinished business in building up supportive services for families in the 2025-26 legislative session, and protecting the progress and honoring the promises of the last legislative sessions. California’s lowest income working parents continue in a downward spiral unable to meet the most basic of needs for their children. In order to help families be more successful and break the cycle of poverty, programs that help them secure basic services such as child care, food, housing, and mental health must be resourced.

Please indicate on the registration whether you will be attending virtually or in-person. We strongly encourage in-person attendance to meet with legislators face-to-face. If you are participating virtually, we encourage you to schedule virtual meetings with legislators (see below for instructions). More information will be released in the coming weeks on details for the in-person day at the Capitol.