Overview
Currently, forty-two percent of children in the city are living in poverty, which means nearly half of our youth are deprived of essential resources such as adequate food, stable housing, and healthcare. To provide perspective, this figure is two and a half times greater than the state average and three times higher than the national average.
LaShay D. Harris, Rochester City Council Vice President, and Chair of the People, Parks and Public Works Committee, led an initiative to examine the levels of poverty for children in the City of Rochester. The Committee engaged with residents, families, and youth regarding the issue of childhood poverty. They listened to their narratives of resilience, the shortcomings of dysfunctional systems, and the effects of generational poverty and historical trauma on our community. Additionally, the Committee gathered numerous suggestions on how to reform these systems, create pathways for upward mobility, and foster a brighter future for our children.