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Friedman to Join with a Coalition of Legislators and Advocates to Announce Proposals to Combat Childhood Poverty

For immediate release:

SACRAMENTO— On Tuesday, Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) will join a coalition of legislators and community leaders representing more than 35 organizations from across the state will hold a press conference calling for smart investments to end deep child poverty based on the recommendations issued by the Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force. Following the press conference, the community leaders will fan out throughout the Capitol as part of an advocacy day where they will meet with legislators.

California has the highest number of children and highest percentage of children living in poverty of any state in the nation — almost 2 million children, or one out of every five California kids. 450,000 children live in deep poverty -- below 50 percent of the federal poverty line, or less than about $12,500 for a family of four. In addition, 204,000 California children experience homelessness.

The Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force recently issued a comprehensive report with recommendations to end deep child poverty in California in just four years when fully implemented. Key elements of the plan include funding for child care and a new child tax credit, housing to end foster youth homelessness, and expanded healthcare and promise neighborhood programs. The action plan would also reduce overall child poverty in California by 50 percent over 20 years, affecting 1.9 million children each year.

 

WHEN:

Tuesday, January 22, 10:30 AM

WHERE:

Eureka Room, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA

 WHO:

  • Senator Nancy Skinner
  • Senator Anna Caballero
  • Senator Ben Allen
  • Assemblymember Autumn Burke
  • Assemblymember Laura Friedman
  • Assemblymember Elois Gomez Reyes

And Representatives of:

  • CA Food Policy Advocates
  • CalEITCforMe
  • California Youth Connection
  • California Asset Building Coalition
  • California Catholic Conference
  • California Food Banks
  • CA Friends Committee
  • California Alternative Payment Program Association (CAPPA)
  • Child Care Resource Center
  • California Welfare Directors Association
  • Children Now
  • Children's Advocacy Institute
  • Children's Defense Fund
  • COCO Kids
  • End Childhood Poverty in California (ECPCA)
  • Epiphany Center San Francisco
  • First 5 Alameda
  • First 5 CA
  • First 5 Los Angeles
  • Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County
  • Fresno EOC Street Saints
  • GRACE (Gather, Respect, Advocate, Change, Engage)
  • Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Lutheran Office of Public Policy- CA Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Milken Institute
  • Mission Promise Neighborhood (MEDA)
  • National Center for Youth Law
  • National Council of Jewish Women
  • Parent Voices
  • Rise Together Bay Area
  • Rubicon Programs
  • St. John’s Well Child and Family Center
  • United Way Bay Area
  • Western Center for Law and Poverty
  • Youth Policy Institute

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Laura Friedman is the Chair of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and represents the 43rd Assembly District which encompasses the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and La Cañada Flintridge, as well as the communities of La Crescenta and Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, Beachwood Canyon, Los Feliz, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, and Silver Lake.