At Voices for Children, we believe that all kids deserve the best possible opportunity to succeed regardless of the circumstances they are born into. For almost 30 years, we have worked to hold systems accountable for effectively meeting the needs of kids and families. We know that many organizations focus on helping one child at a time, and that is important, but it is only through changing systems and policies that we can truly make Nebraska the best place to be a kid. Because of our work:
- More babies have access to prenatal care under Medicaid
- More working families have access to quality affordable child care
- Our juvenile justice system offers young people better pathways to rehabilitation
- Our child welfare system provides more resources to help keep families together
But we still have work to do. Our annual Kids Count in Nebraska Report tells us that some of our kids and families are still falling behind. In 2014:
- Over 4,000 babies were born to mothers who didn’t have adequate prenatal care
- Over 4,000 kids experienced some form of substantiated maltreatment
- Almost 25,000 kids didn’t have health insurance
- Almost 80,000 kids lived below the poverty line and
- Almost 100,000 kids experienced food insecurity
And in every case, our data continue to show troubling barriers to opportunity for children of color. Help us continue fighting for Nebraska kids by making a donation today through Omaha Gives. Even small donations made through Omaha Gives between now and midnight on Wednesday, May 25th help us leverage a share of matching dollars. We hope you will join us in our fight for Nebraska kids!
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