The decisions made in Texas shape the direction of millions of children's lives in countless ways: from the school a child attends to whether he can see a doctor, from what happens if a child's mistreated to how she's treated if she breaks the law. When policies ensure a better start in life they make our whole state stronger, healthier and more secure. When laws fail to put kids first and on the path to success, we all pay the price.
Laws don't happen by accident. They happen when people like you make their voices heard. Advocacy is often something simple, like picking up the phone to call your elected leader, or learning what matters to you and making the case. However, the impact of even simple actions can be enormous. Consider:
Can you imagine feeding 2.7 million kids here in Texas, the state where children are most likely to go hungry?
Advocates for children pushed for a program years ago and made it happen: today the School Lunch Program offers at least one affordable meal a day to millions of low- and moderate-income school children.
Can you imagine healthier Texas children, here in the state with the highest percentage of people without health coverage and where there's a growing obesity crisis?
Advocates for children furthered that vision, and now more than 2 million Texas kids can see a doctor because of successful programs like CHIP and Children's Medicaid. Millions more have recreation centers, sidewalks, and community swimming pools because of supportive laws in their communities.
Can you imagine new investments in Texas, one of the most fiscally cautious states in the country, to bring $25 million for early education during an economic downturn?
Advocates for children made the case, and Texas had the biggest increased investment in preschool of any state in the nation in 2009 ensuring more Texas children have what they need to be ready to learn, right from the first day of school.
Can you imagine preventing hundreds of children from experiencing the trauma of abuse, neglect and being stripped from their families?
Advocates for children help stop abuse before it happens by championing programs like the Nurse Family Partnership, which national researchers have shown cuts lifetime child abuse and neglect rates in half in the high-risk families served.
Can you imagine state leaders recognizing that kids with mental health problems need treatment to keep them from growing up to be criminals here in Texas, the state with the highest corrections population of any state?
Child advocates made this link and successfully ensured statewide juvenile justice reforms include a real focus on mental health services.
When you join others in advocating for children, you may never know how many lives you affect. The first step is to simply make a commitment to speak out: to let elected leaders know children matter to you, to write about children's issues, and to vote with kids in mind, knowing you are making a better future for all of us.
For more on the role of advocacy, get the Texans Care for Children Advocacy Manual.
