FLINT – the U.S. Census Bureau today released its 2023 national poverty statistics, showing a 1.3 percentage point increase — to 13.7% — in child poverty. Dr. H. Luke Shaefer, co-founder of Rx Kids and Professor at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, released the following statement in response:
Dr. H. Luke Shaefer
“The data released today is a sobering acknowledgment that millions of families across America are struggling to get by each day. It is also a stark reminder that poverty in this country is a policy choice. We have seen firsthand the positive impact of policies like the pandemic-era expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which brought child poverty and food insecurity to historic lows. Compared to 2021, when these policies were in place, there are 6.1 million more children in poverty.
“Rx Kids — the first-ever citywide cash prescription program for moms and babies — is modeled on the same concept of the expanded CTC: giving families the resources they need to support their kids. We know that cash empowers families to purchase what they need the most, and at Rx Kids, the same holds true. Overwhelmingly, our participants are utilizing our support to purchase absolute essentials such as food, baby supplies, and rent. In its first year, Rx Kids has almost 100% takeup rate in our Flint, equipping all new mothers and mothers-to-be in the city with the nation’s highest child poverty rate with the freedom, support, and dignity they need to thrive.”