Progress and Possibilities for Children
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September 2014
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1. Good News, Bad News
The good news is for the first time in 13 years the poverty rate among children in the U.S. dropped significantly in 2013, from 21.8 percent to 19.9 percent. The bad news is child poverty remains at shamefully high levels, as 1.3 million more children were poor than in 2007 before the recession began — which means our work is far from over. There are 14,659,000 children living in poverty who need our help. Children remain the poorest age group in the country. Nearly 6.5 million children (nearly 1 in 11) lived in extreme poverty, and more than 1 in 5 children under 5 were poor. “Child poverty is a moral blight on America,” said Marian Wright Edelman. “It is higher than for American adults, higher than for children in other competitor nations, and higher than the country with the world’s largest economy should ever allow.”
Child poverty decreased for Hispanic, White and Asian children, but Black children saw no change and continue to have the highest child poverty rate in our country. “Income inequality continues at record high levels, and opportunity gaps are widening. Where are our values and priorities? If we want to build a strong workforce, military and economy, and seek to reflect the most basic tenets of opportunity for the most vulnerable, we must end child poverty now,” said Marian Wright Edelman. Learn more from the new national poverty fact sheet. A new fact sheet for state poverty is also available.
Want to know how we can end child poverty in America? Click here to sign up for a digital copy of CDF’s new report coming in October.
2. Tonight Great Champions for Children Honored
Tonight the Children’s Defense Fund and other child advocates salute these four Great Champions for America’s Children, all of whom are leaving Congress at the end of the year.
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Senator Tom Harkin |
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Senator John D. Rockefeller IV |
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Representative George Miller |
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Representative Henry A.Waxman |
For 40 years they have worked hard for America’s children and millions have benefited. The laws and policies they fought for have helped children escape poverty, receive health care, nutrition, Head Start and Early Head Start, child care, education, special education, protections and permanent families for children in the child welfare system.
Join us on Twitter, we'll be Live Tweeting the entire event from @ChildDefender using the hashtag #BeAChampion. You can also visit our Facebook page for event updates!
3. New Support for Vulnerable Children
CDF has been working hard to ensure the bipartisan Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 4980) would be enacted this year. The bill would strengthen prevention and treatment for victims of domestic child sex trafficking in the child welfare system, increase incentives to states to move children to adoptive and guardianship families, expand help for kinship families, and expand supports to normalize the experiences of young people in foster care. The House passed the bill in July, and this month the Senate passed it by unanimous consent. Yesterday the President signed it into law. Good news for children when members of Congress work together.
4. Take Action to Ensure Improved Child Care
In mid-September the House passed the bipartisan Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014. This reauthorization of the CCDBG promotes stable access to child care by allowing children to be enrolled for a 12-month period, and is 18 years overdue. The bill is expected to pass in the Senate. Help us ensure that happens by emailing your Senators and asking them to support S.1086.
Here are some of the ways it would improve access to high-quality care for young children and their families:
- Improve the health and safety of children in CCDBG-funded child care settings.
- Make it easier for families to access and keep quality child care, especially low-income and homeless families.
- Take steps to prevent suspensions and expulsions of young children from child care.
- Enhance the overall quality of child care, with an additional focus on improving the quality of care for infants and toddlers.
High-quality child care provides a developmentally appropriate environment for children while their parents work. Act now for this critical part of the continuum of high-quality early childhood development and learning services that all children and families need to thrive.
5. Meet CDF-California's New Executive Director
“We are thrilled to welcome Alex [Johnson] to CDF and excited to have him lead us forward in California,” said Marian Wright Edelman in her public announcement about Johnson joining CDF’s family as the new Executive Director in the Los Angeles office. Johnson brings extensive policy experience on behalf of children and youth, strong partnerships with community-based organizations and elected officials, and a passion for making a difference in the lives of California’s children. “I am honored and excited by the opportunity to join such an impressive organization, and move forward CDF-CA's crucial work to ensure a level playing field for all California children,” said Johnson.
6. It's Not Too Late
Commit to creating a CDF Freedom Schools® summer for children in your community in 2015. Find out how you can make a difference in their future and in the future of your community, and why more than 107 cities in 29 states are proud of their CDF Freedom Schools programs.
We're accepting applications until October 17, 2014. For more information contact Alison Merfield.
7. 2014 National Observance of Children's Sabbaths
The 2014 National Observance of Children's Sabbaths, Precious in God's Sight: Answering the Call to Cherish and Protect Every Child, will be celebrated October 17-19 across the nation in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and other places of worship and in community-wide, multifaith celebrations. There's still time to download the free Children's Sabbath Resource Manual and involve your place of worship to focus attention and action on ensuring that all children have a Strong Start in life with high quality early childhood development and that we end child poverty in our rich nation. The Children's Sabbath is about more than one weekend of worship, education, and action; it is the catalyst for renewed, faithful action and advocacy for children throughout the year. Let us know how you will participate!
8. Sneak Peek: Coming in November
Watch this trailer for a preview of our amazing Beat the Odds® honorees — five extraordinary young women, five extraordinary stories. Join us November 18th at the historic Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. for our annual Beat the Odds awards ceremony to celebrate and honor them. Help us make their dreams come true.
Each student receives a $10,000 scholarship, laptop computer, guidance through the college admission process, and an invitation to join CDF’s leadership training programs — putting them on the path to college and successful adulthood.
This inspirational evening will also honor Geoffrey Canada, the founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone and Chair of CDF’s Board of Directors. The event benefits Children’s Defense Fund programs including the Beat the Odds scholarship fund.
You can register online, or contact Emily Caplan at ecaplan@childrensdefense.org.
If you cannot join us please support us as generously as you can by making a contribution here.
Support the Children’s Defense Fund with a donation today, Together we can change the odds for children and create a stronger America tomorrow. |
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