The Child Poverty Reduction Act will make clear that New York will no longer have one in five children living in poverty – one in two children live in poverty in the City of Rochester, in times of prosperity and in times of trouble.

Since the pandemic, hundreds of thousands more children and families have plunged into poverty, including 10,000 in Monroe County by June 2020. Racial inequities have widened and been laid bare. By March 2021, 31% of New York adults reported it had been somewhat or very difficult to pay for usual household expenses and 24% reported not being current on rent or mortgage, with eviction or foreclosure in the next two months likely.

New York certainly has the means to tackle child poverty.  Please urge the Governor to sign this bill into law so that New York can become the first state in the nation to publicly commit to cutting child poverty in half and take the steps to do it.