Kids at the Capitol 2015
This legislative session, like many others before it, had its ups and downs. The children and families of Arkansas won some, but suffered some major losses as well. The Private Option, […]
Child Poverty in Northwest Arkansas
Even during relatively “good” economic times in Northwest Arkansas, child poverty has grown faster than the overall population. As our region has grown more successful, many of our children have fallen behind. While the […]
Creating a Prosperous Future: Reducing Poverty in Arkansas
Imagine you’re exhausted. You’ve worked for the past 20 hours straight, your son has a cold that has gotten worse over the last week and your daycare won’t let him […]
A Boost for Working Families: How the EITC helps Arkansans, and our economy
5 things you should know about the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) 1. Both sides of the aisle are singing the praises of EITC programs. Since its inception, the EITC […]
What Would It Take to Be Number One (2014)
Every year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation releases the Kids Count Data Book, a comprehensive, 50-state look at child welfare. Arkansas made gains in health coverage and education over the […]
Income Inequality is Hurting Arkansas, February 2014
The gap between the rich and poor in Arkansas is growing, and it is hurting all of us. Increasing inequality in Arkansas holds back economic growth, damages the democratic process, […]
Paying a Living Wage Will Make Arkansas A Better Place to Live and Work, January 2014
Arkansas’s Current Minimum Wage Is Inadequate A fair and adequate minimum wage is critical to a strong economic system that both supports the economic well-being of workers and their families […]
2012 Child Poverty Update
The child poverty rate in Arkansas, now at 26.8 percent, is higher than the national average and shows a disturbing upward trend that’s likely to continue as the state experiences […]
The State of Working Arkansas 2011 (1st quarter)
The Arkansas economy continues to strain under the recession that has swept the nation. The Great Recession’s toll on Arkansas workers has been particularly heavy for those who started behind […]
Child Poverty in Arkansas 2010: A Deepening Problem
Thirty-one years ago, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families cobbled together data on the well-being of children from census reports, annual reports, planning documents and grant proposals. The result, “Arkansas […]