The Children’s Agenda offers this review of the proposed 2021 County budget and its impact on children and youth. It is a contribution to the local dialogue about how to best use limited resources to create a thriving community for families. Children are the poorest and most diverse segment of Monroe County’s population. This report was developed amid a sharp uptick in COVID-19 infections locally, ten months into a pandemic which has resulted in greater needs among Monroe County children and restricted access to services to address them. The United Hospital Fund estimates that 10,000 more Monroe County children will be pushed into poverty as a result of the pandemic. And all of our children’s health, learning, social interactions, and safety are markedly threatened.

The Children’s Agenda offers this review of the proposed 2021 County budget and its impact on children and youth. It is a contribution to the local dialogue about how to best use limited resources to create a thriving community for families. Children are the poorest and most diverse segment of Monroe County’s population. This report was developed amid a sharp uptick in COVID-19 infections locally, ten months into a pandemic which has resulted in greater needs among Monroe County children and restricted access to services to address them. The United Hospital Fund estimates that 10,000 more Monroe County children will be pushed into poverty as a result of the pandemic. And all of our children’s health, learning, social interactions, and safety are markedly threatened.