I was privileged to hear Marian Wright Edelman speak earlier this month at a conference sponsored by Pisgah Legal Services. As founder of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), she has tirelessly worked to improve the lives of children living in poverty for more than 40 years.

Their website states, “CDF provides a strong, effective and independent voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor children, children of color and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investments before they get sick, drop out of school, get into trouble or suffer family breakdown.”

There are more than 14 million children living in poverty in the United States and in 2014, one in four children were living in poverty in Polk County. More than 60 percent of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch and more than half of our clients at Outreach are children and families.

What exactly does “living in poverty” mean? It means that you are not sure where you may live from year to year or even where your next meal is coming from. According to CDF, “Growing up poor has lifelong negative consequences, decreasing the likelihood of graduating from high school and increasing the likelihood of becoming a poor adult, suffering from poor health, and becoming involved in the criminal justice system. These impacts cost the nation at least half a trillion dollars a year in lost productivity and increased health and crime costs.”

Ask yourself, how do we measure success in our country? What is the legacy that we will leave for the next generation? Are we committed to doggedly growing GDP and widening the gap between rich and poor? Should we continue to support weapons programs that run over budget by billions of dollars? Should we spend more to incarcerate than we do to educate? We can make a difference, right here at home.

So what can I do to help, you say? Think about how you spend your time and how you spend your dollars. Support your local agencies that support children and families, such as Outreach, Pisgah Legal Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Steps to HOPE, and the Department of Social Services. Start today. Visit www.tboutreach.org to make a difference in a child’s life tomorrow.