On February 16th, NC Child and the NC Institute of Medicine released the 2021 Child Health Report Card. Among key findings that relate directly to our NCCUMC Congregations for Children (C4C) initiative are the facts that 44% of NC children live in poor or low-income households and 67% of NC schools have turned to distance learning. Quoting from the Executive Summary:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has touched the lives of all North Carolina families. As many families try to find their footing, the pandemic is putting a harsh spotlight on the deeply embedded barriers that create massive racial and economic inequities in health and well-being…. Before COVID-19, nearly half of children in North Carolina lived in a family that was struggling with poverty. Now, many more families are having a hard time meeting their children’s basic needs. COVID-19 is also changing the way children receive education across the state. While most schools have turned to full-time or part-time distance learning (67.3%), access to the internet and computers remains a challenge for many families, particularly for low-income households and rural communities….Approximately 1 in 4 families with children struggle to pay rent, while a fifth of homeowners with children are behind on mortgage payments. Twenty percent of households with children report not having enough to eat over the past week.”
Our faith calls us to respond to this reality. One avenue of ministry is our Congregations for Children (C4C) initiative that partners local churches with nearby public elementary schools to support low-income children and their families in a variety of tangible ways. For more information on how your church can establish a new C4C partnership or expand an existing one, visit our website or contact David Rockefeller at drockefeller@nccumc.org.