Dr. Annie Andrews visited the House of Joy Childcare Center in Rock Hill on Sept. 9 to hear parents and providers describe the strain after the state paused child-care voucher renewals on Dec. 1, 2025. Andrews unveiled a four-pronged affordability plan to expand housing access, bolster child-care infrastructure, cut household costs and give communities more regulatory authority over data-center growth. She also proposed federal apprenticeships and pay support for child-care workers and framed the crisis as a consequence of long-term disinvestment in children and education.
Dr. Annie Andrews Visits Rock Hill Day Care, Unveils Child-Care Affordability Plan Ahead Of Nov. 3 Senate Race
Dr. Annie Andrews, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, talks with Ashley Morrison and her 2-year-old daughter, Ariyah, during a campaign stop at the House of Joy Childcare Center in Rock Hill on Sept. 9, 2026. Blake Alsup/Staff
Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician and Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, visited the House of Joy Childcare Center in Rock Hill on Sept. 9 to hear firsthand from parents, teachers and small preschool operators about the mounting burden of child-care costs after state voucher renewals were paused.
Campaign Stop Highlights Real Costs For Families
During the York County appearance, Andrews toured classrooms, spoke with teachers and sat down with local mothers who described how the loss of subsidized child care has upended family budgets and work schedules. She is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Darline Graham in the Nov. 3 election.
Voucher Pause Leaves Families Struggling
State officials paused the Child Care Scholarship Program’s applications and renewals on Dec. 1, 2025, citing funding shortfalls. Parents at the event described children being pulled from classrooms, families paying out of pocket, and parents taking additional or third-shift work to keep their children enrolled.
Dr. Annie Andrews, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, talks with local child care center operators during a campaign stop at the House of Joy Childcare Center in Rock Hill on Sept. 9, 2026. Blake Alsup/Staff
"If our children are not in child care, we're at home and we can't work. It's a trickle-down effect to the whole economy," said Ashley Morrison, who lost a voucher that previously covered her 2‑year‑old daughter.
Andrews’ Four-Pronged Affordability Plan
Andrews used the stop to promote a newly announced affordability plan aimed at easing costs for working families. The plan targets four areas:
- Expand Housing Accessibility — reduce housing cost burdens that squeeze family budgets.
- Strengthen Child-Care Infrastructure — invest in programs and facilities that support working parents and children.
- Slash Energy And Grocery Costs — lower everyday household expenses that compound child-care affordability problems.
- Equip Communities With Regulatory Tools — give localities power to manage corporate data-center expansion that can strain local resources.
She also proposed building the child-care workforce through a federal apprenticeship program and offering federal support to raise pay for child-care professionals.
"My kids went to day care before kindergarten — they loved their teachers and their teachers loved them. We need to pay them what they are worth," Andrews said.
Local Providers Warn Of Broader Economic Impact
Small, family-run preschools emphasized that voucher cuts threaten parents’ jobs and force centers to carry greater financial burdens. Helen Barnes, owner of The Academy of Young Scholars, said many parents are single caregivers who rely on vouchers to work.
Dr. Annie Andrews, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, talks with Hannah Holloway and her 2-year-old son, Elijah, during a campaign stop at the House of Joy Childcare Center in Rock Hill on Sept. 9, 2026. Blake Alsup/Staff
Parents shared personal stories: Jesianna Zazy, a single mother of three, has been paying out of pocket since her voucher lapsed; Hannah Holloway said her son Elijah developed early language and potty skills at the center and that she is considering extra shifts just to keep him enrolled.
Andrews Frames Issue As Long-Term Disinvestment
Andrews argued the child-care crisis is part of a broader pattern of disinvestment in children and education in South Carolina. She said that inadequate early supports leave many children unprepared for kindergarten and that policy choices at state and federal levels have failed to prioritize kids.
"Children have been, and always will be, my north star, and every single vote I take in Washington, D.C., will be on the side that benefits America's children," Andrews said, explaining why she left medicine for politics to help more children at scale.
Event details: House of Joy Childcare Center, 1321 Springsteen Road, Rock Hill; Sept. 9. Opponent: Sen. Darline Graham (R). Voucher pause: Dec. 1, 2025.
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