Our Initiatives
A dedicated group of change leaders in Connecticut have created a unified platform for advocacy that is positively impacting our communities. By combining the strengths of foundations, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and community members behind a shared vision to End Child Poverty Now, we can more effectively work towards positive, lasting change in Connecticut and beyond.
Our Vision
Our advocacy collaborative envisions a thriving and economically robust Connecticut, where no child experiences the debilitating effects of poverty. We believe that every child deserves access to basic necessities, quality education, and a nurturing environment that fosters their physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. We engage with lawmakers and policy influencers to promote and enact policies that address the root causes of child poverty.
Our collective goal for the 2025 legislative session is to advance the following:
- Support permanent, refundable CT Child Tax Credit at $600 per child. (Find more information from United Way of CT here.)
- Support universal no-cost healthy school meals (breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack). (Find more information from End Hunger CT here.)
- Expand Care4Kids child care subsidies for families earning up to 85% of the State Median Income.
- Expand good cause eviction protections to support family housing stability. (Find more information from Partnership for Strong Communities here.)
Achievements from the 2024 legislative session
In 2024, we lobbied for paid sick days which previously only covered 12% of workers in Connecticut. The bill was passed by the legislation, expanding paid sick leave to nearly all workers, guaranteeing 40 hours of paid sick leave annually, introducing broader protections, and setting a model for other states. In addition, lobbying efforts resulted in partial coverage of no-cost healthy meals for children from families with lower incomes. We continue to lobby to make this a benefit for all students.
CFECT Testimonies in Support of Legislative Bills for 2024 Session:
- Just Cause Evictions: S.B. 143
- Adjusting the State Budget: H.B. 5048
- Connecticut Paid Sick Days: S.B. 7
- Child Tax Credit: S.B. 36 and H.B. 5113
- Funding for School Meals: H.B. 5510
Additional Testimony from Trustees and Community Partners
Just Cause Evictions: S.B. 143 (Community Foundation Trustee Carol Williams)
Organizations who have signed onto the End Child Poverty Now platform:
Access Community Action Agency
Alliance for Community Empowerment
Always Home
American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut
Branford Community Foundation
Castle Church
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Norwich
Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity Eastern Connecticut (CHEO)
Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut
Child & Family Agency of Southeastern CT
City of New London, CT
CLiCK Inc
Community Foundation of Eastern CT
Community Foundation of Greater New Britain
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness
Connecticut College
Connecticut Community Foundation
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities
Connecticut Fair Housing Center
Connecticut League of Conservation Voters
Connecticut Legal Services
Connecticut Network for Children and Youth
Connecticut Voices for Children
Connecticut Youth Services Association
CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs
Cultural Coalition
East Lyme Library
EASTCONN
Eastern Connecticut Housing Opportunities, Inc. (ECHO)
Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra
Eleven+
End Hunger Connecticut!
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
First Congregational Church of Old Lyme
Florence Griswold Museum
FRESH New London
Garde Arts Center
Generations Family Health Center
Girls on the Run of Southeastern CT
Greater Hartford Legal Aid
Groton Human Services
GROW Windham
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Hartford HealthCare
Haven’s Harvest
H.O.P.E.
Habitat for Humanity of Eastern CT
Health Education Center
High Hopes Therapeutic Riding
Higher Edge
Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern CT
Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy/The New School
Interfaith Human Services of Putnam
Janet Carlson Calvert Library
Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation
Jeniam Foundation
Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut
La Grua Center
Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Main Street Community Foundation
Mitchell College
Montville Youth Service Bureau
Mystic Museum of Art
NAACP Norwich Branch
New Canaan Community Foundation
Niantic Children's Museum
Northwest CT Community Foundation
Norwich Human Services
Ocean Community YMCA - Naik Family Branch
Otis Library
Partnership for Strong Communities
Preston Public Library
Pro Bono Partnership, Inc.
Project Oceanology
Public Library of New London
Safe Futures
Save the Sound
She Leads Justice
Slater Library
St. Vincent de Paul Place
States United to Prevent Gun Violence
Stonington Free Library
Sustainable CT
Teach For America – Connecticut
TEEG
Thames River Heritage Park Foundation
Thames Valley Council for Community Action (TVCCA)
The Arc Eastern Connecticut
The COMMUNITY Foundation for Greater New Haven
The Guilford Foundation
The Housing Collective
The Riverfront Children’s Center
Trumbull Family Foundation
Uncas Health District
United Community & Family Services
United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
United Way of Connecticut
United Way of Southeastern Connecticut
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut
Valley Community Foundation
Waterford Country School
Waterford Public Library, Inc.
Wesleyan University
William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund
Windham Area Interfaith Ministry
Yellow Farmhouse Education Center
If your organization would like to be part of this important effort to End Child Poverty in Connecticut, contact Lauren Lyons, Program Officer.
