A Growing Voice for Children

by Jann Jackson

Did you know that, based on 2002 data, almost 1.4 million children under the age of 18 reside in Maryland?  While Maryland has made strides in improving the quality of life for children during the past decade, we still face a significant gap between our wealth and our children's well being.  Currently, Maryland has the highest median household income in the country but ranks 27th in the nation in child well-being.  On every indicator where it is possible to analyze data by race, significant differences are found between white children and African American children.

Only 52 percent of children entering a kindergarten in Maryland in 2003 were assessed as having achieved full readiness for entering school.  School violence in Maryland has increased by 24 percent since 1993.  Approximately 11 percent of our children lack health insurance.   Maryland has consistently ranked among the bottom for percent of low birthweight babies and infant mortality rate since 1990.  There are 50,000 juvenile arrests each year in Maryland.

Responding To Needs

Thousands of Maryland's nonprofit organizations are dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and families and securing gains in some of the major indicators of child well being: education, health, economic stability, child welfare.  In fact, many groups that we often think of as health, education or social service organizations exist in some part or entirely to benefit children, youth and families.  Organizations ranging from community nursery schools to child abuse prevention programs; from scouting groups to mentoring projects; from faith-based ministries to group homes for developmentally disabled – are all concerned about the well being of our children and improving family life in Maryland.  In addition, many hospitals, arts and cultural centers, legal services, community development, and recreational organizations focus significant resources on children and families.

Beyond service delivery programs, Maryland is also home to many issue advocacy organizations, policy groups, and activist coalitions striving to achieve solutions to root causes of the social problems that contribute to struggles for families in our state.  These organizations address such concerns as childhood poverty, including homelessness and hunger; child support enforcement; child health and safety; adolescent mental health; and civil rights for people with disabilities to name a few.  Advocacy organizations and coalitions might seek enforcement of laws or creation of new laws that establish eligibility for government programs.  They might conduct research or recommend changes in social policies they believe are detrimental to children, youth and families.  They often organize in communities impacted most by public policies they seek to alter.  

Advocacy organizations partner with service programs, schools, and health care providers to determine priority needs that are not being addressed adequately, and pursue ways that the government, private, and nonprofit sectors can partner to raise the quality of life for all children and families in our state.  All are committed to achieving improved quality in education, overall child health, and greater public attention to the need for greater child safety and economic stability for families with children.  

You Can Help Make a Difference

Donors who want to support nonprofit organizations in Maryland concerned about children will find no shortage of specialized service providers.  Examples of these kinds of organizations include day care centers, health screening programs for immigrant children who lack insurance, family planning programs, job training centers for unemployed parents, faith-based approaches to reducing crime among youth, and many others.  These groups are oftentimes small and are located in perhaps one or two neighborhoods, and may be run by volunteers or a small number of staff.  Others may, in fact, be very large, perhaps serving citywide, countywide or statewide.  All are seeking new funding to keep their programs thriving.

Donors who want to invest in advocacy on behalf of Maryland's children will also find a wide array of groups that are organizing concerned constituents, writing policy papers, conducting litigation or gathering media attention to a problem that demands public attention.  Service providers and the advocacy organizations often work together in coalitions that draw on each other's strength and combine resources to achieve their missions.

Maryland's citizens are currently debating the role of government and society's responsibility for the future of education, health care, and the social safety net for our children, youth and families.  While these debates play out, over $130 million in state government funds for programs serving children and families have already been cut over the past year, putting increasing financial pressure on both government agencies and nonprofit organization, many of which are now seeking funding through new donors, foundations, and businesses to replace lost funds.  Maryland's nonprofit sector plays a vital role in serving and achieving gains for our children, and that role is certain to grow in the future.  

Jann Jackson is the Executive Director of Advocates for Children and Youth, a statewide public policy organization that serves as an independent voice for the needs of at risk children in Maryland.