Moving the Needle
Since 2008, federal investments in children have increased from $219.9 billion to $276 billion — a jump of 17.5% when adjusted for inflation. Despite these gains, children currently receive less than 8% of all federal funding.
First Focus President Bruce Lesley charges advocates “to speak the truth more loudly and consistently” in an effort to expand federal funding for our nation’s children. One great place to start? By studying up on the financial facts, which fill more than 180 pages of this graph-packed report. Readers will encounter snapshots of federally supported programs for children and learn how much the government has invested in each since 2008. They will also find out what role — if any — the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has played in boosting program funding streams and how each initiative will fare, should the next Presidential budget plan pass.
Consider this: For every federal dollar that we invest in our children, we spend three times as much on defense. Yet, nearly one in four children lives in poverty, nearly the same fraction are hungry or at risk of hunger, and 1.3 million students drop out of school every year. Our country’s future doesn’t look bright, say experts, and the time for action is now.