Toward a Brighter Future: An Essential Agenda for America’s Young People

Posted by on September 22, 2008

Toward a Brighter Future: An Essential Agenda for America’s Young People

Eighteen percent of children in the U.S. are living in poverty, up from 17.4% in 2006—the highest percentage of child poverty since 1998. Every year over 14 million young people are left alone to care for themselves after school, while over 2 million runaways have no home to call their own. Eight million U.S. children are without health insurance. Although many young people in this country may be doing well, it’s clear too many are falling behind.

While most would agree that “children are our greatest asset,” the federal government’s investment in children and youth is in decline. According to the Children’s Budget Book, federal spending on children decreased by 10% in the past five years.

http://www.collab4youth.org/ncy/documents/TowardABrighterFuture-NCY.pdf