Creating a Circle of Protection Around our Nation’s Children

An eye opening report by 60 Minutes.

Hard Times Generation: Families living in cars

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We are living in tumultuous times. We are facing unavoidable choices about how to use our resources and how we should balance the burden and sacrifices as we deal with our nation’s budget deficit. As people of faith and good conscience we believe that these choices are not only economic and political but moral as well.

When we look at the proposals to lessen our deficit we ask…

Will children go to school hungry?

Will schools have enough teachers, books, and desks for our children?

Will all children have access to medical care?

Will there be space in Head Start for those who qualify?

Will children who want to go to college or get training get the opportunity?

Promise the Children has joined with dozens of other religious denominations and community organizations to promote a Circle of Protection around programs that have a dramatic impact on the nourishing and nurturing of our youngest and most vulnerable citizens.

Did You Know?

Nearly 15 million children in the United States – 21% of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level – $22,050 a year for a family of four.National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP)
The percentage of children living in poverty and extreme poverty (less than 50 percent of the federal poverty level) has increased since 2000.

Twenty-one percent of children live in families that are considered officially poor (15.3 million children).

Nine percent of children live in extreme poor families (6.8 million).

In 2009 30% of poor children ages 6-17 had not had an check up for over a year. (NCCP)

For the approximately 1.4 million people who make up the top 1 percent of taxpayers, the effective federal income tax rate dropped from 29 percent to 23 percent in 2008. While the top 400 taxpayers pay a lower rate than the next 1,399,600. (MSN Money)

TAKE ACTION…

Visit our Circle of Protection Issue’s Page

Be an Children’s Advocate in your church – carry the message to others.

Millions of people of conscience are saying “no” to balancing our nation’s deficit by sacrificing the most vulnerable.

In times like these the wealthy should be giving more to charity – not getting it.