About one in four children in Alabama live in poverty, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. More than 17,000 young children in Alabama were not counted in the 2010 Census, which, measured by percentage, was much higher than the national average. About one in three households lacks access to the Internet. And the state is rural – very rural, explains Rhonda Mann, Deputy Director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children, a group that is conducting groundbreaking work to make sure all kids are counted this time around.

Taking food away from very poor people does not promote work. It simply compounds their hardships. The Trump Administration today ignored the will of Congress, the judgment of states, more than 100,000 concerned comments, and its own estimate of the harmful impact on close to 700,000 people. It will time-limit food assistance to only three months every three years if people are unable to get steady part-time work.

How can we make sure that young children are accurately counted in the 2020 Census? One answer is rooted in the work of a small but effective state agency in upstate New York, which is working to ensure that state government plays its part. Among all 50 states, the New York Council on Children and Families is a leader in working with state agencies to promote the 2020 Census and make sure that all kids are counted. Its work could serve as a roadmap for other states to follow as they grapple with coordinating the work of state agencies, local and state nonprofits, and advocates who are working to get the word out about the Census.

More than 50,000 individuals or groups submitted comments via CHN’s website opposing a Trump Administration proposal to shrink the poverty line measure.