Child Poverty

  One of the strongest tools our nation has in combating hunger is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps). Unfortunately, this vital program is under attack, threatening the food security of millions of families. – Moms Rising     Promise the Children stands with MomsRising in speaking out to protect SNAP and the millions of people that depend on this vital program to feed their families. Tell Congress to strengthen SNAP ASAP – send a read more…

  ZERO TO THREE’s State of Babies Yearbook: 2022 provides policymakers with the information they need to advance state policies to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Telling the story of America’s babies is more important than ever. Share the State of Babies Yearbook: 2022 with your members of Congress and encourage them to learn more about how your state measures up on nearly 60 data points essential to ensuring that babies have what they need to thrive. Read: read more…

    Millions of families living in America face hunger and food insecurity every day. Your neighbor, child’s classmate or even coworker may be struggling to get enough to eat. Feeding America     Hunger in America is growing. In the wake of COVID-19, unemployment and food insecurity soared, and an estimated 60 million people turned to food banks and community programs for assistance in 2020 alone. Children and adults face hunger in every community across the country, and millions read more…

  “The Universal School Meals Program Act will make breakfast, lunch, and after-school snacks free for every public and nonprofit private school student, regardless of family or community income, improving student academia and ending school lunch shaming.” Daily Kos via The Action Network     According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 in 6 children — or 13 million children — face food insecurity. Children who lack access to healthy food options have a more difficult time learning. Kids read more…

    “The Build Back Better Act provides a historic opportunity to move toward an economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthy and corporations.” — Americans for Tax Fairness     The Build Back Better plan will make historic investments in healthcare, childcare, and education by making billionaires and corporations pay their fair share in taxes. With a vote expected soon, we’re fighting to make sure this legislation passes—and we’re almost there! Please consider contacting your read more…

    Millions of families living in America face hunger and food insecurity every day. Your neighbor, child’s classmate or even coworker may be struggling to get enough to eat. Feeding America     Hunger in America is growing. In the wake of COVID-19, unemployment and food insecurity soared, and an estimated 60 million people turned to food banks and community programs for assistance in 2020 alone. Children and adults face hunger in every community across the country, and millions read more…

    Two critical programs that provide financial support to low-income parents and caretakers are the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). These working-family tax credits lifted 5.6 million people out of poverty in 2018, including 3 million children, and made 16.5 million other people less poor. — EITC Fast Facts     The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) are two of our tax code’s most effective income boosters read more…

    “We know single caretaker families in Cambridge are struggling, are well below the Cambridge poverty line, and the impacts to single mothers and women of color are even higher…” – Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor of Cambridge     Food insecurity is on the rise in Massachusetts, but the city of Cambridge is taking an innovative approach toward addressing it. As of August 2021, Cambridge will begin a guaranteed income test for 120 eligible single caretaker households in its city. read more…

Prison reform is a frequent subject of discussion in our newsletters, and with good reason. Incarceration for minor crimes, such as drug possession, can break apart families and leave children without parents. Another added problem is that minorities such as African Americans and Latinos are incarcerated at a higher rate than white people. Reforming America’s prison system can create major positive changes for inmates who have committed nonviolent crimes. America can draw inspiration from foreign countries’ prison systems, particularly Scandinavian read more…

    One of the most high impact, powerful things you can do right now is send a letter to the editor of your local paper calling on your elected leaders to do the right thing and pass a COVID relief package.     Families are hurting in this COVID economy. People continue to be out of work, struggling with child care centers and schools being closed, eviction protections going away, and cases of COVID rising. After delaying for far read more…