(NAME-MCE) Poverty by the Numbers: By Race, White Children Make Up the Biggest Percentage

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Poverty by the Numbers: By Race, White Children Make Up the Biggest  
Percentage of America's Poor  
NEW YORK, Nov. 20 (AScribe Newswire) --  A fact sheet released today by the 
National Center for Children in Poverty  (NCCP) shows that, contrary to some 
common stereotypes about America's poor, at  least one-third of the 13 million 
children living in poverty are white.  
"Poverty affects children of all colors,  contrary to stereotypes. The notion 
held by many Americans that poverty is not a  white problem is simply false," 
says Jane Knitzer, EdD, director of NCCP, a  research center at Columbia 
University's Mailman School of Public Health. "The  sooner all Americans realize 
these facts about poverty, the better chance we  have of eradicating it."  
The NCCP fact sheet shows that among  America's poor children, 4.2 million 
are white, 4 million are Latino, 3.6  million are African American, 400,000 are 
Asian, and 200,000 are American  Indian.  
While the figures indicate that indeed  more white children are poor, they 
also show, however, that higher percentages  of minorities live in poor 
families:  
- 10 percent of white children (4.2  million). In the 10 most populated 
states, rates of child poverty among white  children range from 7 percent in Texas 
to 12 percent in Michigan.  
- 27 percent of Latino children (4  million). In the 10 most populated 
states, rates of child poverty among Latino  children range from 19 percent in 
Florida to 35 percent in Pennsylvania.  
- 33 percent of black children (3.6  million). In the 10 most populated 
states, rates of child poverty among black  children range from 29 percent in 
California and Florida to 47 percent in Ohio.  
- 12 percent of Asian children (400,000)  and 40 percent of American Indian 
(200,000) Comparable state comparisons are not  possible due to small sample 
sizes.  
Nancy K. Cauthen, PhD, deputy director  of NCCP, adds that America has 1.2 
million more poor children today than in  2000. "It's troubling that the trend 
has been upward, but child poverty is not  intractable. Effective public 
policies can make a difference."  
One of the things NCCP recommends, says  Cauthen, are strategies that help 
parents succeed in the labor force, which will  in turn, help their children. 
"Low earning workers need higher wages but  policies such as earned income tax 
credits and child care assistance are  critical to supporting income growth for 
low-wage workers. These workers also  need access to benefits that 
higher-wage earners take for granted, such as  health insurance and paid sick leave."  
Dr. Knitzer says she would also like to  see more policies that target 
families with infants and toddlers, such as Early  Head Start, which have been shown 
to improve children's cognitive development  and their behavior. "Starting 
early and continuing investments in high quality  early learning through the 
preschool years, and indeed, into the early school  years, are critical to 
America's future productivity," she says. "High-quality  early childhood experiences 
can go a long way toward closing the achievement gap  between poor children 
and their more well-off peers." For the complete fact  sheet "Who are America's 
Poor Children? The Official Story," access:  
http://www.nccp.org/publications/fact_sheets.html .  
- - - -  
The National Center for Children in  Poverty is the nation's leading public 
policy center dedicated to promoting the  economic security, health, and 
well-being of America's low-income families and  children. Part of Columbia 
University's Mailman School of Public Health, NCCP  uses research to inform policy and 
practice with the goal of ensuring positive  outcomes for the next 
generation.  
- - - -  
CONTACT: Morris Ardoin, NCCP  Communications & Public Affairs, 646-284-9616  
_http://newswire.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/behold.pl?ascribeid=20071120.071437&time=
08%2003%20PST&year=2007&public=0_ 
(http://newswire.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/behold.pl?ascribeid=20071120.071437&time=08%2003%20PST&year=2007&public=0) 




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