October 2024 Newsletter

Kansas Action for Children | October 31, 2024
Data Shows Spikes in Food Insecurity among Kansas Kids after Pandemic-Era Programs Ended
Earlier this week, we released the 2024 Kansas KIDS COUNT© Data Book, which is a comprehensive resource filled with data that details how kids and their families are doing in economic well-being, education, and health outcomes.
Last year’s Data Book showed a lot of progress due to several COVID-era programs — like the temporarily expanded federal child tax credit, no-cost school meals for all kids, increased food assistance benefits, and other measures relieving financial burdens — easing the financial pressure for many Kansas families.
Sadly, though, with the end of those programs, we’re now seeing devastating spikes in food insecurity rates among Kansas kids. In fact, every single Kansas county has more kids not knowing where their next meal will come from than the year before.
And that’s not all. Children living in homes with a high cost burden, being less proficient in reading and math, and lacking access to health insurance have also worsened. While we’re saddened to see key indicators of kids’ well-being showing signs of decline, we know we can make quick progress – if that’s what our state decides to prioritize.
Our goal with the Data Book is to make child- and family-focused data more accessible and easier to understand, so everyone can advocate for the things they care about. We’ve also included policy solutions that we are confident would improve the lives of Kansas kids.
Learn more about the Data Book and the KIDS COUNT© project here and access the digital version of the Data Book here.
Thank you for being an advocate for Kansas kids and families. With your continued support, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Kansas kids and families.
If you have questions or comments about the Data Book, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].