Across the country, millions of our children are going to bed hungry, sleeping in shelters, and facing hardships no child should ever experience. Because children can’t vote, it is far too easy for our lawmakers to ignore their reality. Help us change the conversation and build the movement to end child poverty now.
Share the Facts
Next time you are talking about the challenges facing children in your community or in our country, cite these quick facts to help friends, family, and colleagues understand the severity of the problem:
Tell Their Stories
Children across America are struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness. Every single child has their own story. Here’s just one:
Meet Eva
Born in Honduras, Eva emigrated to the United States with her parents when she was a baby. Once she learned to speak English, she began to excel in her classes. But at the same time, Eva’s family life was getting harder. Her father lost his job and then was arrested, leaving Eva’s mother alone to provide for their family.
Without her father, Eva stepped up to help care for her siblings while her mother worked as many hours as she could. But sometimes it wasn’t enough to make ends meet. “There were nights where we didn’t have anything to put in our stomachs. We just had to drink water,” said Eva. “We went to a homeless shelter and they told us they’d put us on the waiting list.”
Despite the heavy workload of her advanced high school classes, Eva often worked five days a week to earn extra money for her family. In recognition of her academic talent and incredible strength in the face of extreme adversity, Eva was honored with a Children’s Defense Fund Beat the Odds® scholarship.
Spread the Word Online
Are you on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? Help build the movement to end child poverty by starting a conversation with your friends and followers. Post thought-provoking facts and questions such as:
- Poverty isn’t just a big-city issue. In fact, 60% of poor children live in suburbs, smaller cities, and rural areas. I’m ready to start speaking up about child poverty—will you join me? https://bit.ly/2Vf5DeZ
- No family working full-time should live in poverty in America. But nearly 1 in 3 poor children live with a parent who’s fully employed year round. I think it’s time to break the silence on child poverty—what about you? https://bit.ly/2Vf5DeZ
- In a country as wealthy as we are, why are our children suffering? I’m raising my voice to end child poverty now because I believe every child in America deserves a fair shot. Will you join me? https://bit.ly/2Vf5DeZ
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Give Now
Thank you for raising your voice for poor children. Together, we can ensure that every child has the healthy food, affordable health care, safe housing, and quality education they need to thrive.