Rally Pushes Candidates to "Step Up For Kids"
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September 16, 2008
Albany, NY — Health, education and the needs of children aren't getting enough attention in this busy and contentious election season. That's the message at today's "Step Up for Kids" rally in New York.
Karen Schimke, president of New York's Schuyler Center, says politicians shouldn't have to be pushed to focus on topics that are critical to children's welfare. Today, however, that's the plan.
"It's an effort to raise awareness about the need for all candidates running for any office whatsoever--from president on down--to talk more directly about meeting the needs of the children, youth and their families."
Politicians often speak about children being New York's most prized group of people, but Schimke notes that, too often, youngsters get short shrift when budgets are set and other important decisions are made.
Jessie Rock agrees. As head of the Long Island advocacy group, Every Child Matters, Rock says the Suffolk area may be known as a weekend playground for the wealthy, but it's also home to thousands of poor kids. More than 8 percent currently live below the poverty line there.
"These numbers seem so high; 8.5 percent in Suffolk seems incredibly high to me, and 65,000 children are uninsured. There is funding out there, and this is an affluent area--and yet, even here, the policies aren't covering all the children."
For the past week, advocates have been gathering hundreds of tracings of children's hands, representing a call to action for county, state and federal lawmakers.
The rally kicks off at 11 a.m. today on the State Capitol steps in Albany.
Additional information is available at www.newyorkcan.org and www.everychildmatters.org.