Child Poverty

Low-waged single parent(s) cannot pay market rate for child care. Many children are in risky situations where they are neglected or abused.  Some are lucky enough to have a relative or neighbor to provide care. Some are supported by childcare vouchers or are in Head Start. A minimum waged single parent working 40 hours weekly may be earning as much as $15,080 annually. This is below the Federal poverty line. The median income in the United States is estimated at $51,939. This is read more…

“Summer slide” causes the achievement gap between children whose families earn less, and those that earn more. In summer children forget what they learned in the previous school year when parents cannot afford to send them to quality camps. A quality camp combines fun with learning activities. Children with wealthy parents who send them to well-rounded camps do not experience summer slide. The camp programs that prevent summer slide provide learning activities similar to the school curriculum, but more fun. Reading, writing read more…

ESSA – Every Student Succeeds Act – was signed into law by President Obama in December 2015. For the first time this act includes provisions for Pre-K education. Also the ESSA reduces the role of the federal government and gives the states the responsibility of being accountable for test results.

Mistrust can occur between students and teachers who differ in their cultural backgrounds. This mistrust can be caused by misunderstandings between them. Under these circumstances, the students may find it difficult to learn. All teachers need training to understand grade school students from various cultures. Many schools have a majority of African American, Hispanic or Asian students and others have a majority of a variety of minority students. Sadly, 82% of our teachers are Caucasian. We need more teachers from a variety of cultures and races in our grade schools so as to avoid relationships of mistrust.

The minimum wage hurts children because it is so low compared to the cost of living. Families on the minimum wage cannot to pay rent, purchase enough food or provide safe pre-k education, or childcare.

Essential programs that help our Pre-K children may be cut by Federal Legislators in mid-December. Let’s help Pre-K children by raising our voices in unison to make a difference. Promise the Children supports funding for programs that help Pre-K children living in poverty. Families living on minimum wages cannot afford to pay for adequate health care, food, quality pre-K and, too often, even housing for their children. Both father and mother must work multiple jobs, and are not paid a living wage.   Contact read more…

Stand w. Planned Parenthood on Pink Out Day – 9/29/2015 – Cecile Richards says “78%+ of Planned Parenthood patients have yearly incomes at or below $37,000 or 150% of the federal poverty line for a family of four”. Planned Parenthood has 59 unique, locally governed affiliates nationwide that operate approximately 700 health centers, which reflect the diverse needs of their communities. These Planned Parenthood health centers provide a wide range of safe, reliable health care — and the majority is preventive, primary care, which helps prevent read more…

Forty-three million of our U.S. workers have no paid sick leave. For them, the threat of homelessness looms large. These workers may be unskilled with intermittent and unscheduled part-time work. They may earn minimum wage that pays about one-half the cost of food, shelter and childcare. Employers must give time off for sickness without termination by the Family Leave Act, but not paid sick leave. Every worker, and his or her children and their grand parents experience illness. Children with a fever read more…

There is conflict between ‘pro-life’ people who emphasize right to life of the fetus, and ‘pro-choice’ folks who emphasize the life of the growing child and parent readiness. Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. points out this flaw in the ‘pro-life’ movement:   No concern is shown for the healthy development of a child after birth. It costs money for the government to promote the healthy growth of infants and children – money that low and minimum waged parents lack. But many ‘pro-lifers’ do read more…

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child tax credit subsidize the low wages of working families and help to fill the gap between income and the cost of basic needs so as to avert homelessness.