Kathryn Corazzelli:
"While much of this year's data concerning children's health and well-being in Summit County is similar to last, there was an increase in the number of children living in poverty, and those belonging to families relying on assistance such as free-and-reduced lunch at school.
The Kids Count in Colorado! is an annual report measuring children's health, education, family and community across the 25 counties in the study (the counties represent about 95 percent of Colorado residents under 18). It is a publication of the Colorado Children's Campaign, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and advocacy organization focused on improving the quality of and expanding access to child health, K-12 education and early childhood experiences. Information is taken from numerous data centers like the United States Census Bureau, so the 2012 report contains information from 2010, while last year's chronicled 2009.
The most stand-out changes for Summit County in the 2012 report is the number of children qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and those living in poverty, according to Lucinda Burns, director of Early Childhood Options, a Summit nonprofit agency that works to improve the quality and availability of local early childhood programs. This year's report listed 34.9 percent of Summit children as qualifying for one of the lunch programs, compared to 30.7 in last year's. Children under the age of 18 living in poverty rose from 11.6 percent in 2009 to 12.9 in 2010.
“That's a little concerning because it's not going in the direction we'd like it to go. It really has impacts across the board,” Burns said. “When you think of the cost of living in Summit County and what it takes to live at an average or low-paying job, it's pretty significant, and it has a significant impact.”...."
The Kids Count in Colorado! is an annual report measuring children's health, education, family and community across the 25 counties in the study (the counties represent about 95 percent of Colorado residents under 18). It is a publication of the Colorado Children's Campaign, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and advocacy organization focused on improving the quality of and expanding access to child health, K-12 education and early childhood experiences. Information is taken from numerous data centers like the United States Census Bureau, so the 2012 report contains information from 2010, while last year's chronicled 2009.
The most stand-out changes for Summit County in the 2012 report is the number of children qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and those living in poverty, according to Lucinda Burns, director of Early Childhood Options, a Summit nonprofit agency that works to improve the quality and availability of local early childhood programs. This year's report listed 34.9 percent of Summit children as qualifying for one of the lunch programs, compared to 30.7 in last year's. Children under the age of 18 living in poverty rose from 11.6 percent in 2009 to 12.9 in 2010.
“That's a little concerning because it's not going in the direction we'd like it to go. It really has impacts across the board,” Burns said. “When you think of the cost of living in Summit County and what it takes to live at an average or low-paying job, it's pretty significant, and it has a significant impact.”...."
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