Voices for Vermont’s Children calls for the state to strengthen the systems families count on to thrive as Vermont drops from 2nd to 4th in 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book ranking. Annie E. Casey foundation’s new scoring index shows how Vermont’spolicies and budget priorities affect children’s well-being.
H.657 is a bill that affects the 200,000 families that use services from the Department of Children and Families. A passage in the House makes equitable change closer to a lived reality for our most vulnerable communities.
As Vermont navigates a benefits crisis amid the government shutdown, the Annie E Casey Foundation’s new data snapshot report on the Supplemental Poverty Measure clearly validates that safety net programs work, and that withdrawing public investment brings serious consequences for child well-being.
There’s a moment in childbirth called transition when everything intensifies – emotions are bigger, pain is sharper, and it’s not uncommon for the person giving birth, overwhelmed with fear and exhaustion, to cry “I can’t do it!” The same dynamic plays out in social change movements. Right now, we are navigating backlash against decades of painstaking progress toward equity and justice. We are reeling from the impacts, but when it comes to our kids’ futures, we must dig deep, tap into our shared power, and deliver the world they deserve.
