via Flickr
Billions of dollars might be taken from federal assistance programs if President Trump has his way.
He introduced cuts to government programs that were specifically created to alleviate the poverty millions of Black children experience each year, and that’s a big problem.
The average family’s income simply does not meet the ever-rising costs of living.
With limited budgets squeezed tight each month, programs such as SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps) and Medicaid are crucial to addressing the most expensive costs - housing, food, and healthcare.
Restricting them would make it impossible for many children to be fed nourishing meals or have health problems treated by a doctor.
Poverty itself is a condition born from the scarcity of affordable housing and healthcare, as well as jobs that pay a livable wage.
Children have no control over any of these factors and should not be made to suffer at the hands of politicians who ignore the larger impact of their decisions.
Legislators like Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), however, are fighting back against the disturbing cuts with data and proposals of their own.
Hopefully, they will succeed in securing funding for programs that have been proven to increase outcomes for families living in poverty including job training, college assistance, affordable healthcare, and tax credits.