Child Poverty in Westchester Advisory Council Breakfast January 28, 2009

Poverty Hurts Children Poor nutrition, poor health Insecure and inadequate housing Lower educational outcomes High stress and family dysfunction Continued cycle of poverty

Child Poverty Hurts Us Child poverty costs US $500 billion per year. Child poverty in Westchester: $ 7.5 billion over ten years

Hiding in plain sight

Route 287 = 12.7 miles 19,690 children in poverty 1,550 children per mile

Children Are Poorer

Poor Children in Every Community Provided by the Westchester County Department of Planning, 1999 Source: US Census Bureau, Decennial Census, 2000

Significant Income Gap Married Couple with Children Under 18 $134,656 Married Couple with Children Under 18 $134,656 Male Head Of Household With Children Under 18 $51,625 Male Head Of Household With Children Under 18 $51,625 Female Head Of Household With Children Under 18 $29,330 Female Head Of Household With Children Under 18 $29, Median Incomes in Westchester by Family Type

Poverty Varies by Race Children’s Poverty Rate by Race

Poverty Underestimated Not everyone is counted 10-20% under estimate of undocumented immigrants Poverty measure is imperfect Family Self Sufficiency = +/- 200% FPL

Children at 200% Poverty Level or Below 53,269 Children at 200% Poverty Level or Below 53,269 Children at 125% Poverty Level or Below 28,527 Children at 125% Poverty Level or Below 28,527 Children at 100% Poverty Level or Below 19,690 Children at 100% Poverty Level or Below 19,690 Number of Children Who Are Poor by % of Poverty Level

Almost one out of four children in Westchester County are 200% or below the Federal Poverty Level 200% of the Federal Poverty Level is $42,400 for a family of four

What Can We Do? Learn what works: – Policies matter: Senior citizens

Policies changed senior poverty

What Can We Do? Learn what works: – Policies matter: Senior citizens – Efforts in other communities Make ending child poverty a priority Take the first steps…