Kids Count Release

Contact Information:
Teresa Rupp, Executive Director
Office: (316) 682-1853
E-mail: trupp@childstart.org

Anne Maack, Director of Public Affairs
Office: (316) 682-1853
E-mail: amaack@childstart.org

Child Poverty an increasing problem in Kansas

Child Start Services to Low-income Families Increasingly Important in Face of New Numbers

PHOTO OP: Identified children receive preschool services through Child Start’s early childhood program. Please contact Teresa Rupp for information about times and locations.

WICHITA, KAN. -- Children growing up in poverty is an increasing problem in Kansas according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s newly-released 2009 Kids Count Data Book. Poverty is one important indicator of child well-being tracked by the Kids Count Data Center. The new data indicates that the child poverty rate in Kansas has increased 25 percent since 2000.

“Poverty is an obstacle, but not one that can’t be overcome with high-quality early childhood programs. When we give young children the experiences they need during the foundational early years, we can close the gap between poor children and their peers, and these new statistics indicate that our services are more important than ever,” said Teresa Rupp, Executive Director of Child Start. Child Start’s early childhood program works to provide low-income families with all the resources they need to prepare young children for success and break the cycle of poverty.
National and state-level Kids Count data are available on the Internet at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/. County-level data will be available later this fall.

Child Start, Inc. is a private, nonprofit agency in operation since 1958 promoting early childhood environments that prepare children for success in school and beyond. Administering Early Head Start, Head Start and the Child Care Resource and Referral program, Child Start works with parents, child care providers, early educators and caregivers providing a wide range of services to ensure that children enter school ready to learn. For more information about Child Start, please visit www.childstart.org on the Internet or contact the agency at 316-682-1853. Child Start is located at 1069 S. Glendale in Wichita.

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		For immediate release June 25, 2009 Contact Information: Teresa Rupp, Executive Director Office: (316) 682-1853 E-mail: trupp@childstart.org Anne Maack, Director of Public Affairs Office: (316) 682-1853 E-mail: amaack@childstart.org Child Poverty an increasing problem in Kansas Child Start Services to Low-income Families Increasingly Important in Face of New Numbers PHOTO OP: Identified children receive preschool services through Child Start’s early childhood program. Please contact Teresa Rupp for information about times and locations. WICHITA, KAN. -- Children growing up in poverty is an increasing problem in Kansas according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s newly-released 2009 Kids Count Data Book. Poverty is one important indicator of child well-being tracked by the Kids Count Data Center. The new data indicates that the child poverty rate in Kansas has increased 25 percent since 2000. “Poverty is an obstacle, but not one that can’t be overcome with high-quality early childhood programs. When we give young children the experiences they need during the foundational early years, we can close the gap between poor children and their peers, and these new statistics indicate that our services are more important than ever,” said Teresa Rupp, Executive Director of Child Start. Child Start’s early childhood program works to provide low-income families with all the resources they need to prepare young children for success and break the cycle of poverty. National and state-level Kids Count data are available on the Internet at http://datacenter.kidscount.org/. County-level data will be available later this fall. Child Start, Inc. is a private, nonprofit agency in operation since 1958 promoting early childhood environments that prepare children for success in school and beyond. Administering Early Head Start, Head Start and the Child Care Resource and Referral program, Child Start works with parents, child care providers, early educators and caregivers providing a wide range of services to ensure that children enter school ready to learn. For more information about Child Start, please visit www.childstart.org on the Internet or contact the agency at 316-682-1853. Child Start is located at 1069 S. Glendale in Wichita. -###-