社区黑料

More than children 鈥� about 13% 鈥� are living in poverty in the U.S., according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Based on a analyzing that data, published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, child poverty has surged in recent years, rising from 5% in 2021. 

鈥淲e know what the causes were,鈥� said Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs with the Casey Foundation, known for its , which evaluates child well-being and other measures in each state. 鈥淭here were significant pandemic-era policies in place, notably, the Child Tax Credit, which was allowed to lapse. Rising costs have also had a significant impact,鈥� she said. are also a factor. Families with workers in low-paying jobs are particularly vulnerable in the current economic conditions.

To make matters worse, cuts to Medicaid, the and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus Children.

鈥淐hildren 0 to 3 years old,鈥� Lesley added, 鈥渉ave the highest poverty rate of any age group.鈥�

Measuring child poverty doesn鈥檛 involve checking children鈥檚 tax returns or bank accounts. Little kids don鈥檛 have those. It depends entirely on the financial circumstances of their household, and often their parents. The Casey Foundation, and most other institutions tracking child poverty use the , which counts government benefits to gain a broader view of well-being, rather than the , which relies principally on wages. 

Poverty has serious consequences for learning. 鈥淚n this period when a young child’s brain is in a rapid period of development, poverty is an impediment to that development,鈥� Boissiere explained. 鈥淚t increases the risk of behavioral and emotional challenges both at home and in school. And it creates a long-term barrier to a child’s ability to reach their full potential.鈥� 

She elaborated: 鈥淚f you think of what poverty means for a child, it means I’m constantly worried that I’m going to have enough food to eat. I’m not sure where my next meal is coming from. I may not live in healthy housing conditions. And it’s difficult for a child to focus when those things are on their minds.鈥�

Over the long term, she noted, 鈥淭here’s a direct impact on the children, but there’s also a direct impact on communities, and ultimately there’s a direct impact on the long-term health of our economy, because children today are the workforce tomorrow.鈥�

Against this troubling backdrop, three pathways have emerged in the fight against child poverty 鈥� though none alone can fill the gap left by federal cuts.

States Taking Action

鈥淭he federal government sets the policies,鈥� explained Boissiere. 鈥淎nd states implement those policies. And so the implementation can have a direct effect on how kids and families are impacted.鈥� She noted that states can also pass their own child tax credits and earned income tax credits. In New Mexico, for example, anti-poverty programs and policies like reduced child poverty by 19 percentage points between 2022 and 2024, according to the Casey Foundation.

Maryland is pioneering another way that states can help their youngest residents thrive with its . The program provides grants to community partners in regions throughout the state where child poverty rates are especially high. 

The initiative has $19 million in grant funding to 28 high-poverty communities in 12 counties. Two strategies make ENOUGH unique: intentionally listening to community organizations and allowing them to 鈥渜uarterback鈥� the efforts; and harnessing philanthropic capital through the which is boosting the public funds, with $100 million committed for the next six years.

The investments include high-quality child care and education programs in South End, a community in , and , a cross-sector partnership in south Baltimore aimed to bolster education, community wellness, housing and economic health. as 鈥渁 promising example for how other states can work across silos, enact evidence-based policies, and partner with local communities to reduce child poverty.

Gov. Wes Moore acknowledged the policy headwinds at a recent event kicking off ENOUGH鈥檚 second year, in which residents, officials and nonprofit leaders gathered in Baltimore鈥檚 Waverly neighborhood to hear about the initiative鈥檚 progress. Moore condemned recent federal budget cuts as 鈥渢he single largest rollback of poverty-fighting programs in modern history.鈥� 

He continued: 鈥淣ow, at a time when the federal government is effectively telling communities of color and children living in poverty, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e on your own,鈥� Maryland is stepping up and doubling down. ENOUGH is about making government work better for the people it serves and ensuring that Maryland鈥檚 decade is written by our communities, not simply for them.鈥�

Addressing a group of reporters after his remarks at the event, Moore recalled his service as CEO of New York鈥檚 Robin Hood Foundation. 鈥淚 ran one of the largest data-driven poverty-fighting organizations in the country. We led with data, and that’s really the same type of mantra that we have here.鈥� 

Philanthropy Filling Gaps

Like state and city governments, foundations and philanthropists can play a role in reducing the harm caused by cuts to programs that support working families, but cannot make up for the gaps in federal funding. There are a number of prominent grantmakers focused on child poverty, including the William T. Grant Foundation, the Ballmer Group, W.K. Kellogg Foundation 鈥� and their efforts to address a range of issues including early education, child welfare, racial equity, housing and family economic security make a difference. Giving USA, which tracks charitable giving, that nearly $180 billion of the $592.5 billion donated in 2024 went to human services and education. Much of that went to organizations helping children in the United States, though the categories extend beyond this population.

Reflecting on the present moment, Boissiere described the Casey Foundation鈥檚 approach: 鈥淲e do our part to support the ecosystem, both in terms of supporting local organizations, but also making sure that public resources are available and that decision makers have access to data to try to help inform smart choices on behalf of kids.鈥� 

Even if donors step up their giving significantly, nobody expects the generosity to come close to making up for 鈥� not even the recently announced from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The gift is designed to put $250 into the so-called Trump accounts of 25 million children living in ZIP codes where the median family income is below $150,000. Because account holders cannot make withdrawals from the accounts until they are 18, however, the program does not directly influence the child poverty rate today.

Advocates Pushing for Change

The nationwide advocacy community 鈥� which also includes organizations like the , , , , the 鈥� isn鈥檛 giving up on pushing for the federal programs that have been proven to lift families and children out of poverty.

Recommendations from the include rental assistance to reach more people who struggle to afford housing and expanding the Child Tax Credit for the who don鈥檛 get the full credit because their families鈥� incomes are too low.

To this list, Lesley from First Focus adds making SNAP more generous for families with young children, when parents may be earning less because they are . He also said administered by Social Security for children who have experienced the death of a parent should be automatic, rather than requiring an application process.

In a , Lesley argued that advocates should prioritize children over families. The family-first frame, he writes, 鈥渉as ignored the power of empathy and the perceived deservingness of children, muted the moral urgency of our arguments and made children invisible in policy discussions. It arguably has led to fewer resources for children and families alike.鈥� Pointing to a , Lesley underscored that children are a winning issue with voters.

Real changes result from states directing resources toward solutions, foundations increasing their grantmaking, and advocacy organizations analyzing data and taking steps to build awareness or prompt policy change. But that may not be enough to support the sustained structural transformation necessary to conquer child poverty.

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