This week, the NYS Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council (CPRAC) voted on and passed its recommendations to help New York State achieve the historic goal of cutting child poverty by 50% by 2031.
Schuyler Center President and CEO Kate Breslin is an appointed member of the Council.
Schuyler Center was a driving force behind the landmark Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Act, which passed with near-unanimous support in 2021 and was signed into law by Governor Hochul that year. The Act commits the State to reduce child poverty by 50% over 10 years, with attention to racial equity. The recommendations issued this week are an important milestone on the path to meeting that goal.
With the release of the Council’s recommendations, Schuyler Center looks forward to meaningful and informed state action to meet its child poverty reduction goal.
CPRAC’s recommendations to Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature are built on proven strategies to combat child poverty, including:
- Expanding refundable child tax credits to provide direct and sustained economic support for families.
- Establishing a statewide rental assistance program to ensure stable and affordable housing.
- Increasing public assistance benefits to meet families’ basic needs and indexing them to inflation.
- Reintroducing state food assistance programs to fill gaps in federal SNAP coverage for children.
“Governor Hochul has the unique opportunity to make New York a national leader in the fight against child poverty. With nearly one in five children in New York facing poverty and many struggling to meet basic needs, the recommendations from the Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council provide a clear path forward. This is an exciting moment for our state and our children. We now need bold leadership to turn these proposals into reality and build a brighter future for New York’s children,” said Kate Breslin, President and CEO of the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy.
With the release of these recommendations, New York has a pivotal opportunity to become a national leader in the fight against child poverty. Schuyler Center urges Governor Hochul to include these powerful, evidence-based recommendations in the upcoming Executive Budget.
Sustained and intentional state action to reduce child poverty will uplift New York’s children and make our communities healthier, more vibrant, more affordable, and able to offer greater opportunities for all.
Now is the time for bold, decisive, and sustained action to ensure that every child in New York has the opportunity to grow and succeed. Schuyler Center looks forward to working with our partners in the New York Can End Child Poverty coalition, state leaders, community partners, organizations, and advocates to make New York State the best place to raise a child, regardless of their family’s income.
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