What child poverty in America really looked like in 2022
When we talk about child poverty, we usually turn to the data, but numbers can’t show what’s at stake on a day-to-day level. That’s why I reached out toA 5-year-old wanted a birthday party. A 6-year-old needed school uniforms. Both were among the wishes this Virginia group granted.
“Child is essentially raising herself now,” reads a request about a 12-year-old girl in Virginia. It describes her as losing the grandmother who raised her and living with a father who doesn’t interact with her. “She is resilient but experiencing depression due to the loss of her grandmother and current living situation. Child is excited to be part of our running club but doesn’t have any of the clothing or appropriate running shoes.
Running shoes. A sketchbook. Summer camp. The lack of those basic things is what child poverty in America looked like in 2022.