June 28, 2012, Livingston, New Jersey
Amanda Becker, 24, takes her two daughters Taneya Keys, 4, and Shyla Keys, 2, to the corner store to purchase a single cigarillo. Amanda suffers from fibromyalgia, a condition that causes chronic body pain and fatigue, as well as memory and concentration problems.
In 2012, the average cost of child care was almost $8,000 per year nationally.
For a family of three living in poverty, that is nearly half of their income.
Massachusetts has six different policies that help homeless families access and pay for the high cost of child care.