Advocacy Project on Children-at-Risk


South Dakota has children who are at risk of hunger and poverty, uninsured health problems, violence, ... These unmet needs in childhood are tragic now and sometimes exact an even heavier toll later.  To help Christians speak up on issues that impact the lives of these
children, the Association of Christian Churches of South Dakota has an email advocacy network during the state legislature (mid-Jan to mid-March). Phone calls or emails will be most needed during the fast-moving legislature. Sometimes there is time for letters, but not as often.

Children need voices in Pierre. If you, are concerned about children and poverty and are willing to speak up when legislation affects them, then you are needed in this network.   

If you will help, you can get in on the action by emailing your name & address to:
breadsd@gmail.com

(This network is combined with the Bread for the World-SD email network during the Legislature.)

2011 STate-Level Priorities for Children-at-Risk
The Board of the Association of Christian Churches of South Dakota

1. Improve wages and farm income.
The minimum wage adjustments 2007-2009 helped some children and families. However, South Dakota has average hourly wages at the bottom of the nation. [2009] Low wages and low farm income leave families, despite their best efforts, without the ability to provide basic necessities for their children and reduce the time that parents are available to supervise and nurture their children.

2. Improve the condition of children in need, especially those in the TANF program.
 To meet basic needs of impoverished children, TANF payments should be raised to be closer to actual need. The current buying power of TANF cash assistance is only 36% of the poverty level and even farther below SD's Self-Sufficiency Standard. Current average: $394/mo per family [Aug'10]

3. The Unemployment system could better help working families.
Last year 34% of SD's registered unemployed workers received unemployment checks.FY'10 Benefits should be available when workers are ready to return to work after a period of unemployment resulting from temporary health problems, family caregiving responsibilities, or a move to keep a family together during a job reloca-tion. These family-friendly changes would help families through stressful times.

4. All Children should have full Health Care.
Progress in covering South Dakota children has been significant. There remain children and pregnant mothers with no health coverage and children with inadequate insurance needing wrap-around coverage. Every child and pregnant mother in South Dakota should have both preventive and acute healthcare.

5. Support Enriching Childcare and After-School and Youth Programs.
South Dakota has the highest percentage of families with both parents working outside the home. Quality childcare, early childhood education, and after-school activities require maximum cooperation among government, churches and other community organizations.

6. Remove sales tax from groceries and utilities.
In these economic times, family budgets are stressed. A helpful response by the state would be to end, or even reduce, the tax on food and heat.
Refunds do not solve the problem. South Dakota's food tax rebate system, to reimburse low-income households for the tax they pay on their food, reaches only 372 of all of South Dakota's low-income households. [state data, 3rd quarter 2010]
General sales tax, including tax on food and utilities, should not be increased, raising the cost of living, to fund new city projects. It becomes a fairness issue when nursing homes and families who already have trouble paying for life's basic necessi-ties like food, are also asked to pay for special projects, possibly even event centers.
Inadequate diets and cold houses threaten the happy, healthy childhoods we envision for all children.

7. End Predatory Lending.
High interest, fees, and rollover costs on loans can trap families in untenable situations, sapping their ability to provide for their children. Recent regulatory steps help, but there is a long way to go.

8. End Video Lottery.
The addictive nature of this type of gambling has been ruinous for many South Dakota families, both financially and emotionally.