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Championing the Well-Being of Illinois' Children
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www.childrensadvocates.org
April 7, 2023
Dear Friend,
At Children’s Advocates for Change (CAFC), we believe that every child deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment. That’s why we work tirelessly to provide a voice for children who are at-risk and to advocate for policies and programs that support their well-being.
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One of the ways that we have been able to make a real difference in the lives of Illinois children is through our Helen R. Weigle Policy Forums. These forums bring together policymakers, advocates, and experts from across the state and country to discuss issues affecting children and to develop policy solutions that promote their welfare. We hosted successful policy forums on a variety of topics, including maternal and infant mortality, children’s mental health, and economic supports for families.
These forums as well as our work in data collection and analysis have resulted in CAFC creating, pursuing and advocating for meaningful policy changes, such as increased funding for early childhood education programs and improvements to the welfare and foster care system. We have been working tirelessly to ensure that children’s needs are heard by policymakers and decision-makers. Our recent efforts have included:
Advocating for an Illinois Child Tax Credit. The 2021 enhanced federal child tax credit, along with other COVID-19 relief measures, helped reduce child poverty nationally by an astonishing 46%. Unfortunately, that enhanced provision lasted for only one year. Twelve states had some form of a child tax credit last year, and we think it is time Illinois enacted one as well.
Identifying sponsors for and working with the Legislative Reference Bureau on legislation creating an income tax credit for low-income renters. Currently, a homeowner can take a portion of his or her property tax bill as a state income tax credit. However, approximately one-third of Illinois households are renter occupied. A higher percentage of Illinois African-Americans rent compared to non-Hispanic whites. U.S. Census data clearly shows that a far greater percentage of lower-income Illinois households pay more than 30% of their income on rent versus higher-income households. We need a tax code that helps working families meet their housing needs.
Working with members of the Illinois General Assembly on drafting language for legislation that would require state agency personnel to undergo training on the production of racial impact notes. Several years ago, CAFC worked on the passage of a state Racial Impact Note Act. The Act creates a legislative mechanism that allows a state senator or representative to request that a state agency produce a note on whether a pending bill will eliminate or possibly increase racial and ethnic disparities in the subject matter of the bill. We want these notes to be as informative as possible for our elected officials prior to a final vote on the bill to keep Illinois directed towards policies that let all individuals in the state thrive.
One of our recent successes has been the implementation of our Youth Public Policy LeadershipProgram. The goal of the program is to encourage civic involvement and provide students in underserved communities with the skills to become effective spokespeople for their neighborhoods. In a set of training sessions, program participants have the chance to identify issues of importance to them and their communities, learn the advocacy and communication skills, practice advocating for an issue with staff, and make the case for a policy change directly to elected officials -with those elected officials providing feedback on not just the content of the “ask” but also the overall presentation itself. Last year, we trained 77 high school students and training is underway this spring with more than 50 students.
However, there is still much work to be done. There are still far too many children in our communities who are living in poverty, experiencing abuse, and struggling to access basic necessities like food and health care. With your help, we can continue to make a real difference in the lives of these children.
I invite you to be a part of our mission and to help us make a lasting impact in the lives of vulnerable children. Your generosity will help make their lives better. Please donate today via our website at
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[link removed]. If you wish, you can also mail us a check at our new address: Children’s Advocates for Change, c/o Impact House, 200 W. Madison Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60606.
Join me in supporting Children’s Advocates for Change. Together, we can create a better future for the children in our communities.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tasha Green Cruzat, President
Children's Advocates for Change
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© Children’s Advocates for Change 2023. All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
c/o Impact House 200 W. Madison Street, Suite 300 Chicago, IL 60606
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