Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro of Abington Township met with Montgomery County leaders on Monday, January 27.
The visit began with a roundtable discussion with County Commissioners, senior leadership, and members of the Montgomery County Women’s Commission regarding collaboration between the state and county governments to enhance resources for families, particularly in areas related to childcare, paid parental leave, and menstrual equity.
“Montgomery County is setting a standard across the Commonwealth. Josh and I are proud to see our home county making menstrual equity a priority,” said First Lady Lori Shapiro. “No one should have to miss out on life simply because they did not have access to menstrual products.”
“We were thrilled to welcome the First Lady back home to Montgomery County and highlight the innovative work we’re doing that supports families, women, staff, and our community as a whole,” said Neil K. Makhija, Chair of the Board of Commissioners. “We are proud to set the standard for paid parental leave in the Commonwealth in providing our staff up to 16 weeks. With the First Lady’s leadership and support, I’m hopeful that more jurisdictions will follow suit.”
“The First Lady has been a leader in supporting families and women, and we are proud to showcase how Montgomery County has made strides for our residents—from making free period products available in our County facilities to supporting more affordable childcare,” said Jamila H. Winder, Vice Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “We hope that our work will continue to serve as a model to other counties.”
The First Lady’s visit also included a meet-and-greet with the staff of the County’s Court Care facility in One Montgomery Plaza. Court Care provides free, on-site childcare for families who need to attend court hearings, appointments, or other necessary legal proceedings like jury duty.
“We are very proud of Montgomery County’s Court Care program; it’s become a tremendous resource for so many families,” said Thomas DiBello, Montgomery County Commissioner. “This is a unique program that over 1,400 children take advantage of every year, so that their parents can participate in our justice system without needing to worry about childcare.”
First Lady Shapiro also spent time at the Prothonotary’s Office, which last year introduced its new Hope Card program and an online packet for Protection from Abuse (PFA) petitions. The Hope Card program, which provides domestic violence survivors with a business-card-sized document with information about their PFA order, is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania.
Photos of the visit are available here.
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Photos: Montgomery County