Critical gains for children have been made with the passage of the American Rescue Plan―the pandemic stimulus bill signed into law by President Biden in March. That is a solid start, but Congress needs to pass legislation to make ongoing investments and shrink the chronic inequality gaps faced by children and youth. It won’t be easy, but there is a real opportunity to make progress for children, youth, and young adults we haven’t seen for more than 50 years.
This Thursday, CHN and the Partnership for America’s Children are co-hosting a webinar that will give activists the knowledge and tools to act to demand Congress invest in our children.
We'll hear about education challenges in Philadelphia, child care in Louisiana, the Child Tax Credit from outreach experts in Connecticut, and we'll learn first-hand about the struggles of "opportunity youth"―young people who are disconnected from school and work, who are slipping through the cracks.
We’ll also hear from Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, President and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund, about the health and economic crises triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and how they have exacerbated long-standing problems for children and their families. CHN Executive Director, Deborah Weinstein, will explain what legislation is before Congress and detail actions we can take to move these critical pieces of legislation forward. Our moderator, Deborah Stein, is the Partnership for America's Children Network Director.
Our panel of experts will include:
- Ellen Teller, Director of Government Affairs, Food Research & Action Center
- Jim Bialick, Director, Government Relations, ZERO TO THREE
- Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus on Children
Even if you can’t attend, sign up to receive a recording of the webinar and other resources. (This webinar will be captioned.)