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Advocacy Journal Summary Sheet

Summary Sheet – Impact of COVID Pandemic and Child Poverty (COVID-19 Invisible Victims) in Seattle, WA​

 

Issues Related to COVID & COVID-19 Invisible Victims

Since the pandemic’s onset, Washington families have experienced a rolling crisis in jobs, hunger, health, and education. The prospect of eviction hangs over far too many. Food insecurity has skyrocketed. Childcare facilities have closed, many of them permanently. And a rocky transition to remote learning is now impeding students’ educational progress. The acute stress on children and families may harm kids’ health, their education, and their ability to earn a living.​

Children poverty has lifelong consequences from it. When children have malnutrition, it can last a lifetime & it can have long-term consequences on children’s physical, social, and emotional development.​

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The Needs of Change

Seattle has a serious problem in poverty even before COVID. According to welfareinfo.org, the poverty rate in Seattle is 12.5% (that’s mean one out of every 8 residents of Seattle lives in poverty).  83,562 of 670,182 Seattle residents reported income levels below the poverty line in the last year.

13.2% of children age 6-11 Years old live-in poverty in Seattle​

13.1% of children under 6 years old are live in poverty in Seattle​

32.1% of Black residents live in poverty in Seattle

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I think this is related to the fact that only 40 percent of our high school students obtain a postsecondary credential and miss out on the best job opportunities on offer. Over the past 10 years, the college cost has skyrocket that cause more family can’t afford to pay for the college.

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Proposed Solutions

In short term

  • To help reduce children’s malnutrition, I will need to work with grocery stores, business, schools, and farmers to introduce how to reduce food waste while helping the needy through the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.

According to USDA (Food Loss and Waste | USDA), businesses that are helping to lead U.S. efforts to reduce food loss and waste can be recognized as U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions. These businesses and organizations have made a public commitment to reducing food loss and waste in their operations in the United States by 50 percent by the year 2030.  The businesses will get tax benefits/deduction when they participate in reducing food waste while helping people that are starving to reduce children’s malnutrition.

USDA also introduce SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) to help reduce hunger and become more self-sufficient

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In long term, government needs to help parents and future generation to a better job, so they don’t live in poverty

  • Make college become more affordable for young students to attend college.

 The Washington College Promise is approved by Gov Inslee in 2019. It’s to provide a scholarship to 65 public and independent colleges and universities in the state. By guaranteeing qualifying students the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education, it will reduce the amount of loans students may need to pay for their education and improve students’ ability to successfully graduate.

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In 2021, the Washington College Promise will guarantee financial aid to eligible students ($61,500 annual income for a family of four). Students may attend a community and technical college, public baccalaureate institution, independent college, eligible private career school or apprenticeship program. The scholarship will pay up to the full value of tuition and mandatory fees. It may also cover other costs associated with postsecondary education, such as books, housing and food. A student who receives other forms of financial aid, such as an award made by the college itself, would add that amount on top of the College Promise Scholarship, so more education-related costs are covered.

 

The goals are to decrease financial barriers to access, decreases debt burden, & increase student’s success & completion

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  • Provide career training pathways and options to help create pathway for people that do not graduate high school to get a good paying job for all Washington students. 

 

Gov. Inslee approved Career Connect Washington initiative  in 2019. It is a partnership between business, labor, government and education leaders to provide all Washington students access to real-world training and education opportunities that connect them to high-demand, high-wage careers.

 

Gov Inslee also approved the Workforce Education Investment Act continues efforts to expand a statewide study-and-work system so students can get real-life work experience and high school or college credit at the same time. The goal of this public-private partnership is to connect 100,000 of Washington’s young people with employer internships, registered apprenticeships, career exploration programs and other learning opportunities. The act also increases capacity for high-demand degrees such as computer science, engineering and nursing, and funds the Guided Pathways program at community and technical colleges that help more students finish college and connect to a career.

 

Supporting Organizations

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Outcome if the Proposed Solutions are not Implemented​

Children poverty has lifelong consequences from it. When children have malnutrition, it can last a lifetime & it can have long-term consequences on children’s physical, social and emotional development.

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We are paying the prices for that failure. More people live in poverty as they don't have high skill jobs. More people depend on welfare. More people go to prison. Crime rate is going up. More kids need more special ed.  As a nation, we are also paying more for health (obesity, mental health, hearth failure, etc.)​

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References

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