Child Poverty in Westchester Advisory Council Breakfast January 28, 2009

Child Poverty in Westchester

Advisory 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

Hiding in plain sight

Route 287 = 12.7 miles

19,690 children in poverty

1,550 childrenper mile

Children Are Poorer

Poor Children in Every Community

Provided by the Westchester County Department of Planning, 1999Source: US Census Bureau, Decennial Census, 2000

Significant Income Gap

Married Couple withChildren Under 18

$134,656

Married Couple withChildren Under 18

$134,656

Male HeadOf HouseholdWith ChildrenUnder 18

$51,625

Male HeadOf HouseholdWith ChildrenUnder 18

$51,625

Female HeadOf HouseholdWith ChildrenUnder 18

$29,330

Female HeadOf HouseholdWith ChildrenUnder 18

$29,330

2007 Median Incomes in Westchester by Family Type

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

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 Levelor Below

19,690

Children at 100%

Poverty Levelor Below

19,690

Number of Children Who Are Poor by% of Poverty Level - 2007

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…