Child Poverty Reduction

Nearly one in five New York children live in poverty, and that rate approaches one in four for Black, Latinx, and Native American children. The chronic stress of poverty can have devastating effects on growing families and impacts the brain development of young children.  

Many parents of young children lack access to state and federal programs designed to promote economic stability for New Yorkers and reduce child poverty.

Our Equity-Centered Approach

Investments in families’ economic security are critical measures to furthering equity statewide for Black, Latinx, and Native American families, families from low-income backgrounds, and immigrant families. We advocate for poverty-reduction policies that will provide economic stability for families, such as improving access to child care subsidies, food, and housing benefits, an expanded Empire State Child Tax Credit, and more. Our team also collaborates with the NY Can End Child Poverty coalition and the Governor’s Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council, which is charged with finding solutions to cut child poverty in half in New York State by 2032.

Latest Resource

Report: From Barriers to Opportunity: Confronting New York’s Systemic Barriers to Early Childhood and Poverty-Reduction Programs

Far too many New York families do not benefit from local, state, and federal support they need to raise healthy and thriving children due to systemic barriers standing in their way. These hurdles are especially steep for Black and Latinx families, immigrants, and other historically marginalized groups.

Across child care and public benefit programs, we found striking similarities in terms of the barriers that were most pernicious in limiting families’ access to resources, such as lack of information; difficulty applying for and securing benefits; and program-specific limitations.

Featured Reports and Resources Over the Years

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Parent Voice: Child Tax Credits Help, Working Families Credit Can Do More

In this blog, parent leader Amy Lee Funes discusses how the Working Families Tax Credit is a stronger version of a tax credit for families and how the credit would put more New York families on the path to economic stability.
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Sen. Gounardes’ Working Families Tax Credit Included in Senate & Assembly Budget Proposals

Tax credits reduce poverty, both from what we learned from child tax credits during the pandemic and what we hear from the families we work with. Parents EdTrust-New York works with through our policy and advocacy lab consistently tell us they will use this extra support to cover basic needs, which not only supports them but drives tax money into local communities.
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Testimony for the Public Hearing on Public Benefits (2024)

EdTrust-New York, through parent polls, focus groups, and the Early Childhood Parent Lab, have heard consistently from families and other stakeholders about the importance of an accessible, user-friendly public benefit system that does not place undue burdens on families that are caused by language barriers, bureaucratic processes, and more.

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Early Childhood Policy & Advocacy Lab

Early Childhood Policy & Advocacy Lab

The Lab equips parents and caregivers from across New York State, particularly communities of color and from low-income backgrounds, with tools to inform policymakers and advocate to improve systems that impact families with young children.

Data Snapshot

Nearly

Black, Latinx, and Native American children experience poverty in New York State.

Children in

other states are less likely to experience poverty than those in New York.

More Resources

Arlen Benjamin-Gomez named executive director of EdTrust-New York

Prior to joining Ed Trust–NY, Arlen worked as an education equity advocate and policymaker for more than 20 years, deeply rooted in the fabric of New York. She recently served as an education equity advisor and consultant, collaborating closely with states, districts, and nonprofit organizations to propel racial, socioeconomic, and cultural equity in education.

Preliminary Budget Hearing Testimony: Child Care in NYC

New York City cannot create an equitable, comprehensive system of care without including explicit strategies that center the unique needs of infants, toddlers, and support the most marginalized of families.  We offer the following recommendations to ensure that a high-quality early childhood care and education system is accessible and affordable for all families.