Child poverty is a moral and economic crisis that California cannot afford to ignore. Why, in one of the wealthiest states in the nation, do we allow a quarter of California children, and one-third of African-American and Latino children, to grow up poor? Poverty denies our children the equal opportunity to succeed in life and prevents our state from developing a thriving middle class. We must end child poverty in California and we know how to do it!
I am excited to announce a groundbreaking new report by the Children’s Defense Fund entitled Ending Child Poverty Now that details how the nation can significantly reduce child poverty immediately. If the federal government invested an additional 2% of the budget to expand existing federal programs and policies that would increase employment opportunities while providing a fair and livable wage for parents, as well as ensuring that children’s basic needs are met; 60% of poor children across the country would be lifted out of poverty and 97% of all poor children would benefit.
A companion report by the Children’s Defense Fund-California presents specific state policy recommendations for how California can reduce child poverty, including raising the state minimum wage to $15 per hour, enacting a state Earned Income Tax Credit, and expanding child care for low-income children.
Please join us in a campaign to #EndChildPoverty!
Here is what you can do right now to confront this moral failure and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty:
- Read Ending Child Poverty Now
- Share the report with your friends and colleagues via email, Facebook, and Twitter
- Contact your state and federal legislators to urge them to take action to end child poverty
We will be in touch over the coming weeks and months regarding further opportunities to support the #EndChildPoverty campaign.
Fighting for our children
Alex M. Johnson Executive Director Children’s Defense Fund – California