PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – Nonprofits say more New York children are living in poverty than state numbers reflect, and thousands of families are struggling to keep their heads above water.
“This is an issue that we need to have a greater sense of urgency about,” New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said.
DiNapoli says New York’s child poverty rates are some of the worst in the nation, ranking 41 out of 50 states.
“We now have one in five children in New York are living in poverty; that is more than 700,000 children across our state and every region is affected by that, including the Champlain Valley, North Country, the Adirondacks,” DiNapoli said.
2022 data shows the child poverty rate was 18% statewide. However, in places like Franklin County, those rates were higher.
According to the United Way of the Adirondack Region, the child poverty rates are higher when you include ALICE families, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Those families are above the federal poverty level but don’t earn enough to make ends meet, including nearly half of all New Yorkers.
“We always try to make it cheap or not much money,” said Miranda Ouimette of Au Sable Forks.
“Because everything is expensive,” added William Ouimette.
“Everything is expensive,” Miranda agreed.
William works for the town of Jay’s highway department and is also a volunteer firefighter. Miranda is a stay-at-home mom to their three kids between the ages of 6 and 9.
“It’s harder and harder for people just to get by on a job like working for the state or the town or anything now,” William said.
The Ouimettes say they can’t afford to pay for things like a car repair, at times food or even new items for their kids.
“They don’t understand the whole process Daddy and Mommy cannot afford all of the fancy things for them but then it also, then they are sad or upset about it and then it just takes a toll on Daddy and Mommy that they cannot get them everything they want,” William said.
Now, the Ouimettes fear they may soon be priced out of the place they’ve called home for generations. That’s why DiNapoli is calling on state lawmakers to do more about it.
“We need to be sure that in the context of the state budget negotiations as we head into next year that initiatives that address the child poverty issue in our state need to be given a priority,” DiNapoli said.