Currently, 18% of all children in the United States — nearly 13 million kids total — are living in poverty.
Child poverty occurs when a child lives in a household where the combined annual earnings of all adults falls below a federally set income threshold. This threshold varies by family size and composition. In 2018, a family of two adults and two children were officially living in poverty if their household earnings fell below $25,465 annually.
Poverty elevates a child’s risk of experiencing behavioral, social and emotional and health challenges. Child poverty also reduces skill-building opportunities and academic outcomes, undercutting a young student’s capacity to learn, graduate high school and more.
The United States is one of the richest countries per capita in the world. When are people working an honest day of work but cannot provide the basic necessities for themselves and their family?