Promise the Children 2016:Income Inequality
By Delaney Ketchum, Summer Intern at Promise the Children & Girl’s Inc.
Promise the Children’s goal for 2016 is to get our advocates (you!) to ask the presidential candidates about important issues that affect pre-K children. This is your chance to bring awareness to issues you care about and to let the candidates know that the health, well-being, and success of young children is important!
Throughout the campaign, we will be announcing various questions for you to ask the candidates. Our first question for the candidates is: What will you do to close the income inequality gap for parents of children living in poverty?
As of 2011, 22% of children live in poverty. That means 16 million 
children often go hungry and may not have access to adequate health care . In fact, 25% of children from birth to age six (the most vulnerable period of a child’s life) live below the poverty line. Of children in poverty, 7 million (nearly half) live below the 50% of the poverty line . These children are at a severe disadvantage and will fall behind if something is not done.
Fortunately, policies like paying everyone a living wage, funding vital programs like Food Stamps and Medicaid , and implementing a fair tax code which lessens the burden on low-income families can go a long way to closing the income inequality gap and improving the lives of young children.
You can promote these policies by tweeting the candidates. Use these twitter handles and text. For example:
@HillaryClinton @realDonaldTrump how will you close the income inequality gap for parents of young children? #WeR4PreK @Promisethechild
Here is a full list of presidential candidates, including those running third party. The list includes their contact information. For tips on contacting legislators and other elected officials click here.
For more information, see our blog posts on child poverty and hunger.
Consider a donation because we are volunteers who work to tell you about the needs of our nation’s young children. Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! Thanks.
