October 12, 2010

Child poverty highest this decade - take action

The latest U.S. Census Bureau numbers show that in 2009:

• Nineteen percent of Illinois children lived in poverty - the highest level seen in this decade
• The poverty rate for young children (under age 6) was 21 percent – the highest of any age group; and
• The number of Illinois children in poverty rose from 526,000 in 2007 to more than 590,000 in 2009.   

That's why the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit are so important - both are among the nation's most effective anti-poverty programs, and their improvements under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act lifted 43,000 Illinois children above the poverty level.  These measures are set to expire at the end of this year; please contact your congressman and U.S. senators and encourage them to vote for an extension of EITC and CTC improvements.

Federal Health Reforms for children take effect

Several significant health reforms from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – federal health care reforms - went into effect on September 23.  These reforms will prevent children under 19 from being rejected from health care plans due to pre-existing conditions.  They will also ensure free preventive care for well-child visits and other important screenings for children.  For more information on health reform read our fact sheet or contact Dawn Melchiorre or 312-516-5557. 

RECENT EVENTS - HIGHLIGHTS

Connecting the dots: budget cuts hurt recovery

Deep state budget cuts lead to job losses that only hamper recovery from the recession, according to a nationally renowned economist. If we fire a teacher, a firefighter or someone providing social services, we're pulling money out of the economy, Dean Baker said in his keynote remarks at the Responsible Budget Coalition's leadership summit last month in Chicago.  Such workers spend money in the local marketplace and provide vital services, he said, stressing the loss of their jobs is bad in the short term and even worse in the long term. Baker is co-director of the national Center for Economic and Policy Research. 

Kathy Ryg Challenges Kids Count Audience: "Be super-advocates!"

In her remarks at the 17^th Annual Kids Count Awards Dinner on October 7^th, Voices’ President Kathy Ryg donned a cape and echoed a theme from the new movie "Waiting for Superman."  “We can be super-men and super-women dedicated to educating super-kids,” said Ryg, “and you can help by being super-advocates and super-investors for those kids.”  The event, which honored the Nicor Corporation and ComEd Chairman Frank Clark for their leadership in education, raised nearly $200,000 to support Voices’ advocacy.  Contributions for the event, which will help Voices meet its $25,000 challenge grant, are still welcome.  

 
Kathy Ryg donned a Superwoman cape during her
speech at the Kids Count Dinner.

Kids At Heart Helps Children in Foster Care

Foster children were the focus of the Kids At Heart FUNdraiser, hosted by Voices’ Associates Board on September 25^th.  The event, which raised over $12,000, included a silent auction featuring photographs taken by children in foster care.  “We really wanted to showcase the incredible talents these kids have” said Associates Board Chair Brittany Beagley “and at the same time get Voices what it needs to advocate for improvements to the system.”  Want to learn more about our Associates Board and its upcoming events? Visit www.voices4kids.org.

Freeport Kids Count 2010 Symposium

Voices for Illinois Children partnered with the Stephenson County Poverty Workgroup and the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity to discuss the findings of Voices' 2010 Kids Count book “Children and Families in a Time of Economic Crisis” and led a discussion of how the economic crisis affects children’s health.  Kathy Ryg was joined by Lara Jaskiewicz, regional manager of the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago, who presented on the role of poverty in the childhood obesity epidemic.  Karen Berg from the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity (IAPO) led the participants in an exercise to gain their input into IAPO’s State Obesity Action Roadmap.  Click here for more information on the IAPO’s work or contact Dawn Melchiorre or 312-516-5557. 

Voices' president Kathy Ryg met with Craig Beintema (left),
Administrator for Stephenson County Health Department and
Dr. Peter Flynn (right), Superintendent for Freeport School
District 145.