We’re honoring moms this week, because after-school programs, early childhood education, and access to high-quality child care benefit more than kids–they help lift moms out of poverty, too.

Failure to address child poverty guarantees the continued cycle of poverty. Moms want more for our kids and their futures.

Moms need support, and strong moms support AB 1520, the Lifting Children and Families out of Poverty Act.

Let’s break the cycle of poverty for one million California children. Join in to support AB 1520.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Sunday’s Rally to End Child Poverty drew almost 500 people to South Los Angeles, and marked a catalyst for the movement to end child poverty in California. The LA Times article features some of the rally’s speakers, including high school senior Ilene Garcia, Rep. John Lewis, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Assemblywoman Autumn Burke.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Rep. John Lewis join L.A. rally to end child poverty

Dear Supporter:

The national election results were shocking. Despite the results, I believe most Americans are good people who care about each other and our country. So we need to build bridges, respect one another, better communicate and fight hard everyday to ensure constitutional protections are enforced and essential services continue.

The election results also require that we fight to ensure that the vulnerable among us — including children — are provided equal opportunity. We can do that in California, as shown by the state and local election results. In addition to statewide results, the City of Los Angeles passed a measure to fund housing for the homeless, Marin County passed a measure to fund early childhood education and after school programs for low-income children, and San Mateo County passed a measure to fund programs that help to alleviate poverty.

But while California leads the nation in policies to combat climate change, provide equal pay for equal work, and raising the minimum wage, California also leads in the number of children living in poverty.

One in five children in California lives in poverty — 1.9 million to be exact — and 30% of Latino and 30% of African American children live in poverty.

I expect the new administration to take aim at health care and social services. But I am also confident that in California we can break the cycle of poverty because WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

In coordination with the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality, GRACE developed a comprehensive plan that will reduce poverty by 50%. It includes early childhood education and childcare, job training, voluntary home visiting and family support and income support programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

We know how to fix this but we need you to join our effort to raise awareness and take action.

Please sign up to the End Child Poverty in California campaign today. By joining our campaign, you’ll receive updates and actions you can take to help reduce the number of children in California living in poverty.

Now is the time for California to create a future for ALL of our children.

Let’s get to work.

Conway Collis

President and CEO

GRACE