Today, nearly 1 in 5 children in America live in poverty. And unless we continue to fight for economic equity, quality early childhood development, education, healthy food, safe housing, and quality health care for poor children and families, the cycle of poverty will be impossible to break.
People who experience poverty at any point during childhood are more than three times as likely to be poor at age 30 as those who were never poor as children.
Our child poverty crisis is unjust and unsustainable–and that’s why Children’s Defense Fund counts on your support. Together, we’ve made measurable strides to lift children out of poverty. But despite our progress, the facts remain dire.
Shameful facts. Long-term consequences.
- Over 12.8 million children live in poverty in America.
- Nearly 5.9 million children live in extreme poverty, which translates to less than $35 per day for a family of four.
- A baby is born into poverty every 41 seconds.
- The youngest children are the poorest.
- More than one-third of Black children under 5 are poor.
- The U.S. loses at least $700 billion per year due to productivity, health, and crime costs stemming from child poverty.
The push to address child poverty is growing louder and stronger every day. But we cannot wait another ten years, five years, or even one year to tackle the child poverty crisis. The time to act is now, and we refuse to leave any children behind. With your help, we can take action today to lift millions of children out of poverty.
Learn more about what the Children’s Defense Fund is doing to end child poverty right now.