Even in a relatively prosperous area of the state like Northwest Arkansas, many thousands of children live in poverty. As AACF outlined in conjunction with our recently released child poverty report , Northwest Arkansas was not immune to the state's growth in poverty over the last few decades. Since 1990, during a time of economic growth for the region, the number of children living in poverty has grown faster than the population. In the 3rd Congressional District, which includes some of the state's most prosperous cities, child poverty grew from 20 to 25 percent in one year, from 2008 to 2009.

AACF's Northwest Arkansas Office opened in September 2008 after years of planning and effort by AACF staff and board members. The office serves the community through researching the state of children in the area and spreading that knowledge to help better the lives of children and families.

Laura Kellams, AACF's Northwest Arkansas Director, spent the first year on the job conducting a "listening tour" to learn about the specific challenges that low-income children in the area face.

Read about the highlights of the findings in her "Profile of Northwest Arkansas Children."