CDF-MN In the News

MinnPost: Recession Taking a Toll That May Last a Lifetime For Many Children Throughout the Nation

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 – by Beth Hawkins, MinnPost

Economists may have declared the recession officially over, but for the very young, some of its effects are likely to last a lifetime, two new national reports predict. Unfortunately, the national data are likely to hold true for Minnesota, too.

Report: More MN Fourth-Graders Should be Bookworms

May 24, 2010, Public News Service – Fourth-graders in Minnesota, and the rest of the nation, could stand to be bigger bookworms. The latest KIDS COUNT report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds two-thirds of students at that grade level are not proficient in reading. In Minnesota, 68 percent of fourth-graders are not reading as well as they could.

Bridge to Benefits Online Program

April 2010 – The City Magazine: Bismarck•Mandan•Dickinson

City Magazine and KFYR Salutes by Tom Regan

There’s a new online resource for North Dakota families who are struggling financially. The Bridge to Benefits website, www.bridgetobenefits.org, provides an online screening tool that helps families determine their potential eligibility for financial assistance programs for child care, food, energy/heat, health care and tax credits.

Federal Income Taxes on Middle-Income Families at Historically Low Levels

Middle-income Americans are now paying federal taxes at or near historically low levels, according to the latest available data says the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

4 'Beat the Odds' scholarship winners have found the strength to succeed -- and be happy

Four metro-area high school seniors who have endured hardship and tragedy will be rewarded for their perseverance this week with $4,000 'Beat the Odds' scholarships.

By Richard Chin rchin@pioneerpress.com

Casey Amendment Would Protect and Ensure Children's Health Care

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced an amendment to protect and ensure health care coverage for low-income children and would, in part, continue full funding for CHIP through 2019, ensure affordable coverage and high quality benefits for children and make it easier for families to enroll in the program. Please call Minnesota Senators Franken 651-221-1016 or 202-224-5641 and Klobuchar 612-727-5220 or 888-224-9043 to thank them for taking the lead by co-sponsoring the Casey CHIP Amendment.

140,000 of Minnesota's Kids are Living in Poverty

From the Star Tribune: As economic problems deepen, many Minnesota children faced the "toxic stress" of poverty last year, the 2009 Kids Count report says.

Kids Count's No. 2 Is a Warning Signal

Star Tribune editorial: "It's been a rough economic decade for too many Minnesota children. That -- and not a glowing No. 2 ranking among the states -- ought to be the message for Minnesotans in this year's respected annual Kids Count report, issued recently by the Annie E. Casey Foundation."