Reducing Child Poverty in the United States

Ending child poverty remains an economic and moral imperative. Policy changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic caused dramatic reductions in child poverty and child food insecurity, but when the 2022 poverty and food insecurity numbers are released, we expect to see that much of these gains reversed.  

On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution convened leaders and experts to examine the economic impacts of child poverty and propose solutions to get back on track to a thriving American childhood. The event featured a fireside chat between U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Amna Nawaz of PBS NewsHour. 

The forum also included two panel discussions featuring Lauren Bauer (Brookings), Wendy Edelberg (Brookings), Robert Greenstein (Brookings), Vince Hall (Feeding America), Bradley Hardy (Georgetown University), Grace B. Hou (Illinois Department of Human Services), Christine James-Brown (Child Welfare League of America), Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach (Northwestern University), and Eric Schwartz (76 West Holdings).  

The event coincided with the release of three essays focused on delivering in-kind nutrition benefits to children; addressing place-based poverty; and instating a partially refundable Child Tax Credit. 

For updates on the event, viewers followed @HamiltonProj on Twitter and joined the conversation using #ChildPoverty.