New York state has one of the worst child poverty rates in the country. In New York City, one in every four children lives in poverty. Tens of thousands of children are not getting enough food to eat, and their families are struggling to make rent.
Evidence shows that such hardship follows children throughout their lives. They are less likely to complete high school or go to college, and once they become adults, they are more likely to experience financial instability and poor health. Children’s Aid, a nonprofit group that was founded in 1853, supports families in the city’s poorest neighborhoods so that young people have the best chance at living full, healthy lives.
A central part of the organization’s work is providing families with relief for two essential needs: housing and food. Direct assistance from Children’s Aid helps many families pay rent after they’ve fallen behind, buy groceries and afford clothes for the winter. And for students who find themselves unable to afford college tuition, funding from the group has allowed them to complete the semester. In addition to financial help, the organization provides free vision screenings and prescription glasses for school-age children.
Another important initiative is education. About half of New York students from third through eighth grade are not proficient in reading. Research shows that poor readers who fall behind their peers are more likely to drop out of high school and earn less money later in life, trapping them in poverty.
“Literacy, the cornerstone of knowledge and opportunity, should be a birthright for every child, irrespective of their circumstances,” Casper Lassiter, the director of the Children’s Aid Dunlevy Milbank Community Center in Harlem, said in a statement. The center piloted the organization’s literacy program for kindergarten and elementary students.
The program offers one-on-one tutoring to help students catch up on their reading skills. During the 2022-2023 school year, it provided more than 200 sessions to 18 students. Mr. Lassiter believes that with the “unwavering support” that private tutoring offers, students get a better chance at succeeding. Studies show this kind of instruction from dedicated tutors is effective for helping students absorb lessons more quickly and reverse learning loss. The group hopes to expand the program to serve 100 students in two years, and 1,000 students by 2027.
Through the organization’s six community centers, Children’s Aid has also trained hundreds of teenagers in leadership and advocacy. Support from The New York Times Communities Fund will help Children’s Aid serve as an educational hub for children at every stage of learning so they can pursue their dreams and fulfill their aspirations.
You can learn more about the fund’s beneficiary organizations and donate at nytcommunitiesfund.org. To donate by check, please make your check payable to New York Times Communities Fund, and send to P.O. Box 5193, New York, N.Y. 10087.
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