You may find it hard to believe, but California — where 1 in 5 children lives in poverty — has never launched a comprehensive, research-backed plan to tackle this crisis head-on. We’ve done it for the environment. We’re doing it for transportation.

Now, thanks to the Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force and your support, California can end deep child poverty and reduce child poverty once and for all. It is both immoral and stupid not to solve this crisis when we have the absolute ability to do so.

On Wednesday, the Task Force gathered in the state capital to continue developing solutions to accomplish that goal. As co-chair of the Task Force, I was proud to be in the room, and cannot wait to share more updates as the plan comes together.

For now, one thing is clear: True change will not come from Sacramento, but from your voice and those of an army of Californians like you. If we don’t join together to demand an end to child poverty in our state, it won’t be done.

As Michael McAfee of PolicyLink told the Task Force Wednesday: “If you think you’re going to end child poverty without a fight, then you might as well go home.”

Well, the fight is on — and it is going to take all of us. From individuals who are struggling to make ends meet every day to organizations working on the front lines to end child poverty to concerned Californians like you — everyone with a stake must step up. We can do this. Now is the time.

Your voice will raise awareness of our mission, push our Task Force forward, and encourage others to join the movement.

Onward,

Conway Collis
Co-Chair, Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force
GRACE President & CEO

Just west of the 5 freeway in the center of Boyle Heights, across the street from Evergreen Playground park, sits Our Lady of Talpa School, a K-8 school run by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. We recently visited the campus and spoke with Principal John Rojas about some of the hardships faced by the families at his school, including the effect of the housing crisis in Los Angeles.

What are the biggest issues faced by the families at your school, and how does poverty affect your students’ school performance?

The biggest issue facing families at the moment is finding affordable housing. Boyle Heights is undergoing a period of gentrification. A significant number of new residents are moving into the community and are driving out the current residents—it is the simple law of supply and demand. A number of our families have had their rent increase significantly and have been forced to move in with other families in one apartment to divide the rent. When students and their families are worried if they are going to have a place to live, it is bound to affect their performance in school. If they are living in overcrowded apartments, they do not have a quiet place to study or do their homework.

Can you share some stories of things you’ve heard from families in regards to the struggle of living in poverty in LA?

Due to the housing crisis, we had a family that was essentially homeless. They were living in a dilapidated recreational vehicle which they were renting for $600 per month. The conditions were terrible—they had no access to electricity or running water. But in their minds it was better than living in a park or underneath a freeway. This is a new phenomenon that has arisen. Some people are renting awful RVs to families who simply cannot afford the astronomical rent prices. The owners take away the battery and keys from the renters, because they want to control its location. They typically are parked in unsafe, industrial areas where residents will not complain that they are permanently parked there.

If you could snap your fingers and change something for the children at your school and their families, what would it be?

If I could snap my fingers and change something for our families, it would be increasing access to safe and affordable housing. Having a roof over our heads is one of the most basic human needs. If students don’t have that sense of safety and security, it is very difficult to ask them to make gains in the classroom.

Poverty is complex and and the path forward may not always seem clear or direct. We hear from a lot of people that the issue is overwhelming. As a result, they disengage.

We’ve put together a list of articles to help you get smart about child poverty. The truth is it’s not that complicated, and after you learn more about it, you’ll see that real solutions are everywhere.

Happy reading!

The Way to Beat Poverty | The New York Times discusses the importance of intervening early and addressing the opportunity gap in America.

What Poverty Does to the Young Brain | The New Yorker dives into the physiological effects that poverty has on children’s brains.

Child Poverty in the United States Today | The Academic Pediatric Association provides an overview of child poverty in the United States today.

The Safety Net Is Crucial for Kids | US News & World Report outlines the importance of the safety net and how government programs like tax credits and SNAP are proven to lower childhood poverty rates.

How Poverty Can Follow Children Into Adulthood | Frontline dives into the long-term effects of poverty for children and how it leads to negative outcomes in adulthood.

Poverty as a Childhood Disease | The New York Times discusses poverty as an underlying threat to health and development.

After a roller-coaster ride of bad policies, the federal government capped off the year with a billionaire tax cut that says private planes are more important than kids living in poverty.

This is a shocking and terrible reality of today’s politics. But there are good reasons to be determined and hopeful about 2018.

This year, California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 1520—the Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Act—which established a statewide Task Force to reduce child poverty in our state.

This is a critical first step.

In December, the Task Force met for the first time to work on a comprehensive plan. The 35 members represented important perspectives: people with direct experience living in poverty, state and local service providers, state agency leaders, and criminal justice and local government representatives.

The same fact-based, expert-led strategy that has reduced California’s greenhouse gas emissions and made our state a world leader in environmental protections is now being focused on child poverty.

So, in spite of the bad news from Washington, we have every reason to be optimistic. 2018 will be a milestone year in the fight to end child poverty in California. We will elect a new governor and 100 state legislators. Let’s make sure our incoming leaders make our most vulnerable children a priority.

Updates will be coming your way throughout the year. It is your involvement that will make the difference. Let’s get this done.

Together let’s make 2018 count!

Conway Collis
CEO, GRACE