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Editor's Note
Despite the summer heat, there's a whole lot of shakin' going on in Congress. Last week, Sen. Menendez (D-NJ) introduced the Children's Budget Act, which would require federal budget proposals to add up spending on children and children's programs. For benchmarking purposes, First Focus and the Urban Institute are among the groups that offer analyses of past spending on children. As proponents note, the Children's Budget is simple, free ... and now in Congress' hands.
And voters are watching. A new Every Child Matters survey of 800 registered voters finds strong agreement among Democrats, Republicans and Independents that we must do better by our young people -- especially in the face of a recent UNICEF study that ranks U.S. child well-being near the bottom among rich industrialized nations. The updated "Homeland Security" report that accompanies the poll looks at child well-being and state spending on kids and calls for more investment nationally.
Some real shakin' (and sweatin') will happen tomorrow, when Richard Simmons takes his Physical Education in Schools Campaign to Capitol Hill. He'll testify before Congress and host an outdoor rally to push for more attention to child obesity.
The timing's good for such a rally, since rising food costs are putting the squeeze on families and federal nutrition programs alike. We've got resources on the paradoxical link between hunger and obesity and the programs that are working to help.
Also find out about new after-school resources, strategies for helping disconnected youth, funding alerts and more.
Keep us posted on your work, everyone!
Caitlin Johnson
weekly@connectforkids.org
 To read PDF files, download the free Adobe Reader.
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New on CFK
Spreading the Early Childhood Message: An Advocacy Q&A
With school out and election campaigns gaining momentum, it's a great time to consider the importance of early childhood and the need to support parents as children's first teachers. The Parents as Teachers National Center has some easy-to-use information about getting the early childhood message to key decision-makers.
What works? The Need to Evaluate Programs Targeting Out-of-School Youth - A CFK Summary
Graduation rates are near 50 percent in large U.S. cities -- of those who graduate, too few are ready for college, work and life. A July 18 Working for Change forum sponsored by the Community Service Society of New York and the Coalition on Human Needs looked at the existing research on programs designed to improve these numbers. Maria Allen has this summary.
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Resources for Reconnecting Youth
Call for Reports/Evaluations on Efforts to Support College- and Career-Readiness
The American Youth Policy Forum is collecting research studies, reports and evaluations for a compendium of effective and innovative programs and practices. This compendium is focused on supporting college- and career-readiness for all students, particularly youth from disadvantaged communities. Please send any relevant information by July 31, 2008.
Using Workforce Development Strategies to Reengage Youth (July 30)
Reengaging disconnected youth in our nation's cities holds promise not only for young lives but also for a more vibrant local economy. Some cities have tailored workforce development to meet the needs of youth who have dropped out, entered juvenile justice or become disconnected from positive influences in their lives. This Municipal Network for Disconnected Youth audio conference will look at what's working, why collaborations matter and how to sustain effective programs. To register, email complete contact information to becerra@nlc.org by July 28th.
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Sweatin' on the Hill to Fight Obesity, Boost Fitness & Nutrition
Richard Simmons' Pro-PE Campaign hits Capitol Hill 
Tomorrow (July 24), fitness guru Richard Simmons is shakin' it in the House -- the House of Representatives that is -- to testify on childhood obesity and how public schools can improve physical education (PE) before the Health, Education and Labor Committee. He will host a "Pro-PE" rally on Capitol Hill after the hearing. The Senate holds its committee hearing on childhood obesity today, July 23. The Washington Post's "Sleuth" blog has more on both events.
Making the Connection: Record Food Stamp Numbers & Rising Food Costs
With food costs rising across the country, more people than ever are turning to the federal Food Stamp Program for help -- new USDA data show that participation in April hit a record high. Still, one in three eligible people do not have access to food stamps. Here's what you need to know:
Without Policy Changes, School Meal Programs May Raise Prices or Cut Staff
Federal investments in child nutrition programs have not kept pace with soaring food costs, which is straining school meal programs. Early results of a new School Nutrition Association (SNA) survey presented at a July 9 hearing before the House Committee on Education and Labor show that 75 percent of school nutrition directors plan to increase school meal prices for students and 62 percent plan to reduce staff. SNA offered specific policy recommendations to help.
The Paradox of Hunger and Obesity: Tools and Resources
It may seem strange to some, but the "hunger and obesity paradox" continues to find scientific backing. Periodically going without food has been linked to obesity, as has relying on cheaper, high-calorie foods to cope with a limited food budget. Here are some useful resources on this complex and critical issue:
- Operation Frontline - tools to support healthy eating on a tight budget (recent evaluations prove its effectiveness). Obesity Action Coalition - educational and advocacy information and support to those impacted by obesity.
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Kids & Politics: Investing in Kids to Improve Outcomes
Children's Budget Act in Congress: A Simple Way to Find Out if Our Money's Where Our Mouth Is
When it comes to the federal budget, not much is a simple. But a new bill introduced in Congress this week has potential. The "Children's Budget" legislation -- introduced in Congress last week by Senator Menendez (D-NJ) and several co-sponsors -- would require future Presidents to add up all the different sources of funding for children's programs in the federal budget plans they submit each year, much the way they currently tally spending on homeland security. It carries no cost and is an easy way to paint a clear picture of overall spending on children's programs.
Investments in Kids and Families to Date
To help measure progress, here are two analyses of how children's programs have been budgeted in the past:
- Children's Budget 2008. This report from First Focus is a road map for the bill in Congress. It found that only one penny of every new, non-defense dollar spent by the federal government has gone to children and children's programs. Since the 1960s, the share of spending on kids has dropped 23 percent.
- Kids' Share 2008. From the Urban Institute and the New America Foundation, this report looks at trends in federal spending and tax expenditures on children and finds that kids have historically not been a budget priority. In 2007, children's spending did not keep pace with GDP growth and will continue to be squeezed in the next decade unless policies change.
Voter Survey: Concern about Kids, Poor Standing on International Child-Well Being Rankings
The nonpartisan Every Child Matters Education Fund surveyed 800 registered voters and found that regardless of party, strong majorities are concerned about a recent UNICEF report ranking U.S. child well-being near the bottom of the industrialized world. The majority of those surveyed agree that "we need bold leadership to address poverty, child abuse, health, and education." A quarter of registered voters could not give any response when asked about the two candidates' strengths on children's issues.
"Homeland Insecurity" Updated with State, National and International Comparisons 
To accompany the survey above, Every Child Matters (ECM) has updated this key report. Among the findings: "the U.S. ranks last among the rich democracies on the two most important health measures -- infant mortality and longevity -- even though we spend much more on medical care." There are 13 million children in poverty, 8 million without insurance and 3 million reported abused or neglected each year.
The states that rank worst on key child-well being indicators include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, New Mexico and Nevada, but even those faring far better -- such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota and Washington state -- fall far short of the top G8 nations in the health and safety of kids.
ECM is calling for a 10-year, $500 billion invest-in-kids-agenda, which it says can improve well-being in all states.
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Measuring Poverty, Measuring America
 Congressional Hearing on Creating a New Poverty Measure
Annie E. Casey Foundation president Doug Nelson testified at a July 17 hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee's subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support. The topic? A proposal to establish a new, more accurate federal measure of poverty. Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity has the lowdown, along with a video of highlights from the hearing.
New York City to Implement New Poverty Measure
Mayor Bloomberg has a
new plan and it's the first time any local government has put in place
an alternative to the country's 40-year-old standard for measuring
poverty, the National Academies reports.
The Measure of America
This book marks the first time a human development approach to measuring well-being has been applied to an industrialized nation. Published by the Social Science Research Council and Columbia University Press, it ranks states and congressional districts according to the "American Human Development Index." This index goes beyond economic output to include three aspects of well-being: health and longevity, access to knowledge (educational attainment and enrollment), and standards of living (median earnings). Hard copy: $16.47 or access findings for free on the Web site.
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After-School and Out-of-School Time News
 Help Create America's After-School Storybook
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the Afterschool Alliance is creating a storybook featuring people whose lives have been improved through out-of-school time programs. Share your stories and program nominations and check out sample stories online.
Forum's Out-of-School Time Policy Commentary is Back!
In this new issue, "Unpacking Youth Work Practice," the Forum for Youth Investment discusses the implications of recent research led by Bart Hirsch, Reed Larson and Charles Smith. Each study helps deepen our understanding of youth work practice and can inform policy strategies aimed at developing a strong, stable, committed and prepared OST workforce.
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Foster Care and Child Welfare News
 Continuing in Foster Care Beyond Age 18: How Courts Can Help
By examining foster youth in Illinois -- one of the few states that extends care up to age 21 -- this new Chapin Hall study finds that a higher degree of advocacy by juvenile courts is linked with more services for older foster youth, greater involvement by caseworkers and adults, more positive attitudes about remaining in care beyond 18 and a greater awareness that by law youth may remain in care beyond 18.
Child Abuse and Neglect: General Information Packet - New and Updated
Looking for information on child abuse and neglect? The Child Welfare Information Gateway has new and updated resources in English and Spanish. The packet includes definitions, signs to watch, data on what works and toll-free numbers for help. The English version includes a summary of updated statistics from the Child Maltreatment 2005 report.
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Tools for Your Work 
Youth Work Counts Toolkit
This toolkit from Next Gen toolkit is designed to help
organizations collect and use local survey and focus group data about
frontline youth workers to make the case for investing in workforce
development. The tools include a guide, survey and focus group
instruments, data entry and analysis worksheet and a sample presentation. (Find more resources in the July 2008 Next Gen Bulletin, now online.)
Connecting Families, Schools and Community Resources
Schools can be more than vibrant places for learning, they can also be year-round hubs that connect families and communities to resources and services. This brief from the National Human Services Assembly looks at schools that doing just that and outlines what it would take to make school-linked services available in a greater number of communities. For more great tools, check out the National Assembly's Family Strengthening Center.
Ready by 21 Big Picture Messages & Frameworks Webinar
How can we improve the odds for young people? This Forum for Youth Investment Ready by 21 webinar examined the major child and youth development frameworks and offered real-world experiences of how a coordinating a framework can improve youth programs and policies -- and outcomes for children and youth.
The Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants Library - now online!
The searchable library allows users to find information about the work and findings of Children's Bureau projects that evaluate child welfare approaches. It includes a list of all grantees and information about the programs and work.
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Grants and Funding
Multigenerational & Civic Engagement Projects Funding
This National Council on Aging program is offering funds
to help multigenerational and civic engagement projects document
effective local approaches and impact. Deadline for concept paper: August 1.
2009 Healthy Vision Community Awards
This program awards up to $10,000 for collaborative initiatives that support the vision objectives in Healthy People 2010, which address examinations and prevention, eye diseases, injury and safety and vision rehabilitation. Deadline: August 29.
Rural Health Outreach Services Grant Program
The Health Resources and Services Administration has a new funding opportunity. Up to $375,000 will be awarded for demonstration projects to improve health care access in rural areas. RFP deadline: October 16. For more program information, click here.
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Caitlin Johnson and Thaddeus Ferber
Connect for Kids and the Forum for Youth Investment
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