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Llenos de pasion despues del miercoles

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¡Mire  a nuestros colaboradores!

Los legisladores y activistas se reunieron en Pasadena el miércoles para dialogar  cómo movilizar a las comunidades para terminar con la pobreza infantil extrema en California para siempre. Estuvimos  encantados de tener a la líder de los derechos civiles y fundadora de la Fundación Dolores Huerta, Dolores Huerta, era la l co-lider de esta reunión fundamental y nos inspiró a todos a seguir cavando profundamente. ¡Juntos, representamos casi 20 organizaciones diferentes de todo California!

Dolores Huerta dirigiendo el grupo en un canto de “¡Si, se puede!”

En pasado mayo embarcamos en el recorrido en autobús de Acabar la Pobreza Infantil CA. En cada parada gritamos: “¡Sí podemos! ¡Pasa el plan!” como nuestro grito de guerra  a Sacramento. Nos escucharon. La legislatura dio un primer paso sin precedentes, asignando casi $ 5 mil millones para aliviar la pobreza infantil en el estado. Pero este fue solo un primer paso, en el 2020 necesitamos seguir luchando porque todavía hay niños y familias que se quedaron atrás.

Esta reunión fue un día de inspiración, de planear y dialogar , y un recordatorio profundo de por qué estamos en este movimiento: porque las historias — de días escolares perdidos, de ir a la cama con hambre, de sobrevivir día a día — no son historias que nuestros hijos deberían contar.

“Creo que hay muchas personas que no entienden lo difícil que es sobrevivir en la pobreza y la falta de vivienda … Cuando sobrevives un día de pobreza y falta de vivienda, y si lo superas, tienes que enfrentar otro”.
– Kenneth Chancey, National Foster Youth Institute

Mientras miramos hacia el futuro, estamos reafirmando nuestro compromiso de acabar con la pobreza infantil extrema en California de una vez para siempre. Lucharemos para acrecentar  el cuidado infantil, la reforma de la justicia juvenil, el acceso a la atención médica, los créditos fiscales para aquellos con niños pequeños independientemente de su estatus migratorio y muchos otros temas para sacar a nuestros niños de la pobreza.

Ahora necesitamos que se una con nosotros tambien! Firma para ser voluntario con la organización de Acabar Pobreza Infantil en tu comunidad siendo guiado por nuestro socio Dolores Huerta y la Fundación Dolores Huerta.

Gracias por ser parte de esto,
El equipo de Acabar la Pobreza Infantil CA

Fired up from Wednesday

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Take a look at our partners! 

Policymakers and activists gathered in Pasadena on Wednesday to discuss how to mobilize communities to end deep child poverty in California for good. We were thrilled to have civil rights leader and founder of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, Dolores Huerta, co-lead this pivotal meeting and inspire all of us to dig deep. Together, we represented more than 30 different organizations from across California!

Dolores Huerta leading the group in a chant of “¡Si, se puede!”

In May we embarked on the End Child Poverty in CA bus tour. At every stop we chanted, “Yes we can! Pass the plan!” as our rally cry to Sacramento. They heard us. The legislature took an unprecedented first step, allocating almost $5 billion to alleviate child poverty in the state. But this was just a first step, in 2020 we need to keep fighting because there are still children and families who were left behind.

It was an inspirational day of gathering, planning, discussion and a profound reminder of why we’re in this movement: Because the stories — of missed school days, of going to bed hungry, of surviving on a day-to-day basis — are not stories that our children should be able to tell.

“A lot of people I don’t think understand how difficult it is to survive in poverty and homelessness…When you do survive a day of poverty and homelessness, and if you live through it, you have another one to face.”

– Kenneth Chancey, National Foster Youth Institute

As we look ahead, we’re reconfirming our commitment to ending extreme child poverty in California once and for all. We’ll be fighting to expand childcare, juvenile justice reform, health care access, tax credits for those with young children irregardless of immigration status, and many other issues to lift our children out of poverty.

Now it’s your turn! Tell us why you’re committed to ending deep child poverty and what your priorities are for the fight ahead.

Thanks for being a part of this,
The End Child Poverty CA Team

To see and share this email as a web page, click here.

Enfoque: Parent Voices

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Un poco después de lograr su sueño de ser dueña de una peluquería, Jacquelyne Gettone se dio cuenta de algo que era un problema para muchos padres: no podía encontrar cuidado  infantil de calidad y a precio módico en el que podía confiar cerca de su hogar.

“Tuve que cerrar mi negocio porque no podía pagar el cuidado infantil”, dice ella.

Jacquelyne ha estado en la lista de espera de cuidado infantil subsidiado de California por más de un año — y todavía está esperando. “Para muchas familias, la lista de espera es realmente la Lista Sin Esperanza”, dice ella. “Me deja con el corazón roto. El ochenta y cinco por ciento de [los niños en la lista de espera] son ​​niños de color. Mi hijo Matthew es uno de ellos. Las probabilidades se están acumulando contra él como un niño afroamericano.

“Estar en la lista de espera significa pasar tres o cuatro horas por día viajando diariamente, no poder pagar un automóvil confiable, tiempo perdido en vez de poder pasarlo  con mis hijos, tener que perderme las actividades de escuela y deportivas de mis hijos … Significa vivir de sueldo a sueldo. Me ha hecho sentir desesperada, frustrada y estresada.”

Jacquelyne Gettone, Parent Voices

Jacquelyne está luchando para crear más oportunidades para familias como la de ella. Es miembro de Parent Voices, uno de nuestros colaboradores  de Acabar con Pobreza Infantil en California, y viajó desde Contra Costa a Sacramento esta primavera para compartir su historia con legisladores estatales.

Parent Voices es una organización dirigida por padres dedicada a hacer que el cuidado infantil de calidad sea accesible y a un precio módico para todas las familias. Trabajan duro para poner las experiencias de los padres en el centro de las decisiones políticas y brindan recordatorios poderosos de el problema que esta en nuestro estado: Padres están perdiendo trabajos y dejan de ir a la escuela debido a la falta de cuidado  infantil.

Para obtener más información sobre el importante trabajo que Parent Voices está realizando para expandir el acceso a un cuidado infantil de calidad para nuestras familias, siguelos en @ParentVoicesCA en Twitter.

Cuando las voces de los padres se unen con las de los creadores  de políticas, colaboradores y aliados como usted, suceden grandes cosas. Juntos, solo este año, obtuvimos $5 mil millones del Plan para Acabar con la Pobreza Infantil en el presupuesto estatal, ¡incluyendo 12,500 nuevos espacios para cuidado infantil, 10,000 espacios preescolares de día completo y garantías de cuidado infantil sin interrupción!

Jacquelyne (izquierda) y otros padres líderes de Parent Voices que asisten a una audiencia de presupuesto en el Capitolio.

Estoy orgullosa de lo que hemos logrado junto con colaboradores  como Parent Voices. Hay mucho trabajo por hacer para #EndChildPovertyCA, y espero presentarme con ustedes — y con todos nuestros increíbles colaboradores — para lograr aún más en el 2020.

Con cariño,

Jackie Thu-Huong Wong
Vicepresidente de Política y Abogacía
Acabar con la pobreza infantil CA

Her Own Words: Monique Rosas “Able to Breathe Again,” Parent Voices San Diego #EndChildPovertyCA

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Parent Voices leader Monique gets a hug from her son Makai after speaking in Chula Vista, CA
Parent Voices leader Monique gets a hug from her proud son Makai after speaking at the End Child Poverty CA Bus Tour kickoff event in Chula Vista, May 2019.

Monique is a parent leader from Parent Voices San Diego, and a single parent raising her amazing son Makai. In 2019, she’s been in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Sacramento fighting for parents in poverty. When we listen to the powerful voices of parents, we know without a doubt that all our kids can thrive. In May, Monique shared her story in front of a crowd of about 200 people at Castle Park High School in Chula Vista. Watch Monique’s speech here.

***

Hello, my name is Monique Rosas and I am a parent advocate for Parent Voices, an organization advocating for working families to have affordable child care.

We speak for the voiceless!

I am a 26-year-old San Diego native and single mother to a 4-year-old son named Makai. [Note: Makai is now 5!] Since 1992, my family and I have battled with homelessness. From birth until I was 8-years-old we lived in hotels, shelters, and other people’s homes — experiencing the trauma of being unstable and insecure. [M]y parents suffered from depression due to living in poverty, this led them to substance abuse, but they still did the best they could to support our family.

Growing up as a child into an adult I inherited my parents’ bad habits. Becoming a single parent affected by mental health and I started to abuse substances to relieve the pain of trying to provide for my son by myself. Tired of the intergenerational cycle of poverty, I made a decision to change it and applied for CalWORKs. My activity last year was a women’s recovery program where I became one year sober on January 14th, 2019. Then I graduated from a culinary apprenticeship program through CalWORKs.

I was excited to finally become successful. My next step was to move out. My case manager referred me to transitional housing, which was actually a tent. Now my worst nightmare of my son experiencing deep childhood poverty became true. Since I receive $577 dollars a month for Makai and I, we cannot afford housing. I pay all my bills by the 15th of the month and end up with less than $100 to decide if I pay for gas or toilet paper. I still don’t have enough to save and move out. Even with all my success, I still feel like I’m drowning and gasping for air. There’s no room for growth.

So I believe in this campaign to end childhood deep poverty because it’s going to be the beginning to breaking the cycle – so we may stop drowning to be able to breathe again. Thank you.

==> Listen to more from Monique here.

==> Check out our favorite video of Makai here.

***

California has 450,000 children living in deep poverty. We’re also the only state with a plan to END it. Californians across the state know that all our children can thrive. Already, almost $5 billion has been put toward the End Child Poverty Plan in the 2019-2020 state budget. Investments to end child poverty will pay for themselves over time as parents and children become healthier in body, mind, and spirit, and are able to break free from poverty.

There’s more work to do. We have the research, the plan, and the momentum to end child poverty. Now we need the political and moral courage to see it through.

Join the movement. Add your email at endchildpovertyca.org.

And to find out more about and join in with our partner Parent Voices and the amazing work they’re doing, click here.

In California, A New War on Poverty

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In September, new Census data were released that confirmed California still has the worst child poverty in the nation. The good news: organizations across California are working on bold initiatives to tackle the crisis. We’re proud to highlight what’s happening in California as we work to become the nation’s leader in fighting child poverty.

Here are three perspectives you should read:

  1. “In California, A New War on Poverty,” op-ed in Capitol Weekly co-written by our GRACE End Child Poverty Institute CEO Conway Collis and Professor David B. Grusky of the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality
  2. “Investing in California’s children is a moral imperative. But it’s also essential to our future,” op-ed in the Sacramento Bee by Shimica Gaskins, executive director of our partner the Children’s Defense Fund of California, and Tim Silard, president of the Rosenberg Foundation
  3. “Lobbying Isn’t Always a Bad Thing,” op-ed in Teen Vogue by Courtney McKinney of our partner the Western Center on Law and Poverty

The End Child Poverty in California coalition is getting ready for an incredibly exciting year. Make sure you’re subscribed to our email list for opportunities to stay educated and get involved.

ACTION: Close CA’s Worst Tax Loopholes

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We know that income inequality in the U.S. is growing at a staggering pace. As our economy gets stronger, the poorest among us have less of their share of the pie. California shouldn’t be a state of winners and losers. Our Golden State should be a place of opportunity for ALL.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) puts money back in the pockets of our lowest-income workers—money that families use in their local communities for food, rent, and school supplies. The EITC is one of the most powerful anti-poverty tools we have. California has plans to expand it, and fund the expansion by closing tax loopholes for elite corporations and the ultra-rich: tax loopholes that have already been closed in the federal tax code.

Our leaders need to hear loud and clear that we support closing corporate tax loopholes to open opportunities for low-income Californians.

TAKE ACTION NOW: SIGN THE PETITION

Californians don’t want more tax breaks for elite corporations and the ultra-rich. We want money in the pockets of those who work hard but still can’t make ends meet.

Stand with Governor Newsom and a broad coalition of labor, economic justice, anti-poverty, education, faith-based and small business voices to support the plan to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit and pay for it by closing California’s most egregious tax loopholes.

THANK YOU for your voice, your action, and your energy to keep up the fight for California families in poverty.

Help spread the word:

Urge our politicians who are on the fence to put low-income Californians first by retweeting:

Or copy and paste this link to share: https://www.endchildpovertyca.org/close-tax-loopholes/.

The End Child Poverty Bus Tour May 17-20, 2019 #ECPBusTour

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The End Child Poverty Bus Tour launches Friday, May 17, in Chula Vista, then heads to LA, Pomona, Weedpatch, Fresno, Salinas, Oakland, and closes with a rally in Sacramento on Monday, May 20. Parents, foster youth, elected leaders, and community advocates will be headlining the stops.

We want you with us.

Child poverty is a moral crisis, a public health crisis, and a state fiscal crisis. Before the state budget is finalized, we’re asking parents, children, and communities across California to demand action on our child poverty crisis. California has more children living in poverty than any other state. One in five California children lives in poverty. That’s almost 2 million children—with 450,000 of those children living in families trying to survive on less than $12,900 per year. But we also have a comprehensive plan to end deep child poverty. Let’s Pass the Plan.

Spread the word about the #ECPBusTour

Friday, May 17

  • Chula Vista | 9:15-10:30 am: Kick-Off Rally at Castle Park High School, 1395 Hilltop Drive, Chula Vista, CA, 91911, Organized by South Bay Community Services | RSVP for Chula Vista
  • Los Angeles | 1:30-2:30 pm: Community Meeting at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center, 808 West 58th Street, Los Angeles, CA, with Sen. Holly Mitchell & Asm. Autumn Burke, Organized by St. John’s Well Child and Family Center | RSVP for Los Angeles
  • Pomona | 5:00-5:45 pm: Community Event and Taco Line at Ganesha Park, Pomona, CA 91768, with Sen. Connie Leyva, Organized by Sen. Connie Leyva’s Office | RSVP for Pomona

Saturday, May 18

  • Weedpatch | 9:15-10:30 am: Community Meeting at Sunset School, 8301 Sunset Boulevard, Weedpatch, CA, 93307, Organized by the Dolores Huerta Foundation | RSVP for Weedpatch
  • Fresno | 12:45-2:15 pm: Community BBQ at the Sunset Community Center, 1345 W. Eden Avenue, Fresno, CA, 93706, with Sen. Melissa Hurtado and Senator Anna Caballero, Organized by Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission & Fresno EOC Street Saints | RSVP for Fresno
  • Salinas | 5:00-6:00 pm: Community Meeting at the National Steinbeck Center, 1 Main Street, Salinas, CA, 93901, with Sen. Anna Caballero, Organized by Sen. Anna Caballero’s Office| RSVP for Salinas

Sunday, May 19

  • Oakland | 12:15-1:30 pm: Community Meeting at Saint Mary’s, 925 Brockhurst Street at San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA 94608, **NOTE LOCATION CHANGE**, with Sen. Nancy Skinner, Organized by Sen. Nancy Skinner’s Office | RSVP for Oakland

Monday, May 20

  • Sacramento | 9:15-10:00 am: Closing Rally at the Capitol Steps, 1315 10th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95814, with Dolores Huerta & Legislators | RSVP for Sacramento

The End Child Poverty Plan

The End Child Poverty Plan will eliminate deep child poverty in four years and cut overall child poverty in half in 10-20 years by investing in programs that support families. Over 30 bills representing the plan are moving through the State Legislature right now.

Our voices and energy will ensure the plan gets passed. Now is the time to act.

#ECPBusTour #EndChildPovertyCA

TAKE ACTION: Support the Targeted Child Tax Credit #EndChildPoverty #PassThePlan

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We need your help to spread the word that California families in extreme poverty need our support. The problem is dire:

  • 450,000 kids in California live in deep poverty–that’s more than the entire population of Oakland. 
  • Deep poverty means a family of four living off of less than $12,900 per year. 
  • The toxic stress of deep poverty can affect a child their whole life–poor health, lower education levels, and lack of lifetime earnings.
  • Families in deep poverty often have a child or a parent with a disability that makes it hard to work, or they can’t find child care that would allow a parent to keep a full-time job. 

It’s a moral outrage that in the 5th largest economy in the world, we’re okay with so many families living in deep poverty. That’s why the #EndChildPoverty Plan recommends an innovative new tax credit that makes sure no family is left behind. 

The Targeted Child Tax Credit directly addresses our families in most dire need. It will help us END deep child poverty, and disrupt the cycle of poverty. Investments like this pay off.

The Targeted Child Tax Credit puts money directly into the pockets of families. We know from research and experience that families spend money they receive on their kids, and almost all of it goes back into local communities.

The Targeted Child Tax Credit will be heard in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee TODAY, Monday, April 29, at 2:30 p.m.

Here’s what we need you to do:

  1. Forward this email to a friend. We need more Californians to get educated about deep poverty.
  2. Tweet your support for the Targeted Child Tax Credit.
  3. Share this post on Facebook and let your friends know why this is important.

We also want to give you a HUGE THANK YOU for what you’ve already done. Your calls, tweets, and shares are pushing this movement forward. We’ve attended dozens of policy hearings in Sacramento so far this year. We’re hearing legislators talk about deep poverty, racial equity, and making sure our state policies create opportunity for ALL of us. This buzz is because of you and your fellow Californians. Thank you!

End Child Poverty Plan Advocacy Day in Sacramento 1/22/19

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On the heels of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend, we are gathering together at the state capitol to make our voices heard for the rights of our families living in poverty. Share these posts, and download the graphic to add on. Tag others. Our collective is powerful, and we look forward to seeing and sharing your photos, thoughts, and takeaways from the day.

ADVOCACY DAY SOCIAL SHARES

450,000 kids in California live in extreme poverty. 40 organizations are together today to say loud and clear: This is a crisis. It’s time to #EndChildPoverty and #PassThePlan.
No other state has a plan to end deep child poverty & cut overall child poverty in half. California can lead the way. #EndChildPoverty #PassThePlan http://www.endchildpovertyca.org/#theplan
If we cut child poverty in half, it will have a net benefit of $12 billion a year, every year. California has the plan. All we need is the will to make it happen. #EndChildPoverty #PassThePlan http://www.endchildpovertyca.org/#theplan

  • Click here to visit the post that includes issue-area specific social media content, graphics, and quotes to use.
  • QUESTIONS? Email evelyn@grace-inc.org.

BREAKING: Governor Releases Child-Centered Budget for 2019-2020

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Sacramento, January 10, 2019–

California is ushering a new era in the fight to end child poverty. Gov. Gavin Newsom just released his 2019–2020 budget, and he’s tackling poverty. We’re thrilled California is shifting from thinking in terms of piecemeal poverty solutions, to tools that work together in collaboration to help families leave poverty behind. California’s End Child Poverty Plan proposes a powerful group of anti-poverty tools. Many of the solutions in the plan were named today by the governor.

However, if we want to get at the root causes of intergenerational poverty, we need to leverage all of our tools. We listened to the Governor’s entire budget proposal. The biggest investment missing from the new budget? A targeted child tax credit that specifically addresses families in deep poverty.

Why?

Families in the most extreme poverty aren’t helped by many anti-poverty tools. These are families living below $12,500 per year for a family of four. They want the best for their children, and they are fighting hard. A targeted child tax credit (as recommended by the Child Poverty Task Force) will help families get to 50% of the federal poverty line. That’s still difficult to live on, but it will greatly reduce the toxic stress and unpredictability that these parents and children face.

“Governor Newsom’s budget is a magnificent start toward ending California’s unfortunate standing as the nation’s poverty capital,” said End Child Poverty in California and GRACE CEO Conway Collis. “Increasing the earned income tax credit, extending it to more people, and increasing CalWORKS grants will have a profound impact on our state’s overall poverty. The CalWORKS proposal will end deep child poverty for those eligible for CalWORKS. Now we have to finish the job. We must build on this foundation to shape a final budget that also changes life for many of the other 450,000 California children who live in deep poverty. As recommended by The Task Force’s Safety Net Subcommittee chaired by Jessica Bartholow from the Western Center on Law and Poverty, Assemblymember Autumn Burke’s AB 24 will do exactly that by developing a targeted child tax credit for those in deep poverty. We look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature on the targeted child tax credit to ensure our state’s budget lifts adults and children alike from deep poverty.”

It’s still a bright new year for our state. As Conway said, anti-poverty tools that invest in kids and families were the focus of the governor’s budget, including:

  • CalWORKS grants increases, championed by Sen. Holly Mitchell
  • CalEITC (Working Families Tax Credit) increases
  • 6 months of paid family leave
  • Health care expansion for undocumented individuals up to age 26
  • Early childhood education investments
  • Home visiting expansion for mothers from pregnancy through toddlerhood
  • Workforce development
  • Affordable housing investments

We’re so grateful for the work of advocates and partners who have tirelessly worked on these advances.

Join us in congratulating the governor on a children-focused budget and reminding him to keep his focus on families who are suffering the most in California.

Share on Facebook. 

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Make sure you’ve signed up for emails for action alerts on how to help with the End Child Poverty Plan.

Photo credit: California State Assembly Website

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