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:

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:

  1. Just Cause Evictions: S.B. 143
  2. Adjusting the State Budget: H.B. 5048
  3. Connecticut Paid Sick Days: S.B. 7
  4. Child Tax Credit: S.B. 36 and H.B. 5113
  5. 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

Advancing CT Together

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 State University

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

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital

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 Coastal and Western 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.