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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.
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Child Poverty in WestchesterAdvisory Council BreakfastJanuary 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
1,550 children per mile Route 287 = 12.7 miles 19,690 children in poverty
Poor Children in Every Community Provided by the Westchester County Department of Planning, 1999 Source: US Census Bureau, Decennial Census, 2000
Significant Income Gap 2007 Median Incomes in Westchester by Family Type Female Head Of Household With Children Under 18 $29,330 Male Head Of Household With Children Under 18 $51,625 Married Couple with Children Under 18 $134,656
Poverty Varies by Race Children’s Poverty Rate by Race - 2007
Poverty Underestimated • Not everyone is counted • 10-20% under estimate of undocumented immigrants • Poverty measure is imperfect • Family Self Sufficiency = +/- 200% FPL
Number of Children Who Are Poor by % of Poverty Level - 2007 Children at 200% Poverty Level or Below 53,269 Children at 125% Poverty Level or Below 28,527 Children at 100% Poverty Level or Below 19,690
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
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…