Westchester Children’s Association to Host Critical Discussion on Local Poverty and Support for Vulnerable Families

Westchester Children’s Association (WCA), the county’s leading independent voice for the children and youth of Westchester, will host, Poverty Pulse, a pivotal discussion on issues affecting children across the county on Wednesday, November 20. The event will take place from 10:00 AM to 11:30 PM at the Boys and Girls Club Remington Club House, located at 1 Remington Place in New Rochelle.

The WCA’s groundbreaking research consistently shows that many families in Westchester County face persistent insecurities around housing, food, clothing, and other essentials—challenges that often go unrecorded in traditional government datasets. In response, the WCA has developed an innovative new data tool, the Poverty Pulse, which provides real-time insights into the state of poverty in the county.

“The child poverty rate, arguably the most well-known measure of children’s economic well-being, is released by the US Census Bureau nearly a year after the data is collected. Given how quickly the economy has changed, we reached out to our community partners to find out how our children are doing in the here and now. The results will be discussed at this important event,” commented Allison Lake, Executive Director of WCA, who will moderate the panel on November 20th.

During the event, the WCA will unveil findings from its 2024 Pulse on Poverty report, which gathers and analyzes current data from community organizations actively engaged in poverty reduction efforts across Westchester. This report highlights the immediate and pressing needs of families living in poverty and explores potential solutions for their long-term financial stability.

The morning will also feature a panel discussion with prominent local organizations deeply involved in addressing poverty, including Feeding Westchester, The Sharing Shelf, West Hab, and United Way of Westchester and Putnam. This discussion aims to deepen the understanding of the challenges these families face and to forge pathways to significant and sustainable improvement in their lives.

Community leaders, stakeholders, and media representatives are encouraged to attend to learn more about how they can support the efforts of WCA and its partners in making a tangible difference in the lives of Westchester’s children and families, registration is required.

About Westchester Children’s Association: Westchester Children’s Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Westchester’s young people by shaping policies and programs to meet their needs, and by keeping the county’s decision-makers and the public informed about the issues affecting youth.

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