End Child Poverty Bus Tour Across California

Elected officials, community members and leaders, local parents, and anti-poverty advocates will participate in the statewide End Child Poverty Bus Tour, Friday, May 17 to Monday, May 20. 

Led by the End Child Poverty in California coalition, the tour will launch in Chula Vista and will make stops and hold open press events in Los Angeles, Pomona, Weedpatch, Fresno, Salinas, Oakland, and Sacramento. 

OVERVIEW

State legislation created the Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force to develop an anti-poverty plan to be released just before the new governor and legislature took their oaths of office in January. The End Child Poverty in California Coalition rallied people and organizations and lobbied elected officials to adopt the Task Force’s End Child Poverty Plan, which would end deep child poverty in just four years when fully implemented. The plan would also reduce overall child poverty by 50% over the next decade.

As a result, Gov. Newsom’s recently released May Revise budget includes unprecedented investments to address deep child poverty. Furthermore, several pieces of legislation and budget proposals have been introduced to implement the comprehensive End Child Poverty Plan.

The Bus Tour will highlight this magnificent start and urge our elected leaders to continue the momentum by passing the governor’s budget and the End Child Poverty Plan-related legislation this year and next. In addition, the coalition on the bus and gathered at the various stops will share their lived experiences with poverty and showcase the wide range of challenges across different parts of California and the common threads among our communities.

SCHEDULE

Friday, May 17

Chula Vista, 9:15 a.m.
Kick-Off Rally
Castle Park High School, 1395 Hilltop Dr., Chula Vista, CA 91911
Visuals: Crowd of 200+ including students; wrapped bus, bus loading/departure
Speakers Include: Castle Rock’s Principal and Students, Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis, Monique Rosas of Parent Voices San Diego, South Bay Community Services, former foster youth

Los Angeles, 1:30 p.m.
Community Event
St. John’s Well Child and Family Center 808 West 58th St., Los Angeles, CA
Visuals: Press conference, bus arrival/departure, patients, EITC/CalWORKs recipients 
Speakers Include: Sen. Holly Mitchell, Asm. Autumn Burke, Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis, Community Voices & Crystal Stairs Parent

Pomona, 5:00 p.m.
Community Discussion & Taco Line
Ganesha Park, 1575 N. White Ave., Pomona, CA
Visuals: Community gathering, press conference, bus arrival/departure, taco line, parents & children, EITC/CalWORKs recipients 
Speakers Include: Sen. Connie Leyva, Asm. Eloise Gomez Reyes, Pomona Vice Mayor Rubio Gonzales, Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis 

Saturday, May 18

Weedpatch, 9:15 a.m.
Community Discussion Hosted by the Dolores Huerta Foundation
Sunset School, 8301 Sunset Blvd., Weedpatch, CA (Bakersfield, CA 93307)
Visuals: community gathering, press conference, bus arrival/departure, EITC/CalWORKs recipients, parents & children
Speakers Include: Jose Gurrola, Mayor of Arvin; Sherry Gonzales, Lamont & Weedpatch Family Resource Center; Leticia Prado, Vineland School Dist.; Jesus Alonzo, Water Board of Lamont & Lamont Public Water District; Camila Chavez, Dolores Huerta Foundation; Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis

Fresno, 12:45 p.m.
Community BBQ with the Street Saints
Sunset Community Center 1345 W. Eden Ave., Fresno, CA 93706
Visuals: Afternoon community gathering with DJ & BBQ, remarks from advocates, leaders & community members, bus arrival/departure
Speakers Include: Sen. Melissa Hurtado; Sen. Anna Caballero; Fresno PD Capt. Mark Salaza, Fresno Economic Opportunity Commission, Fresno Street Saints, Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis

Salinas 5:00 p.m.
Community Discussion
National Steinbeck Center 1 Main St., Salinas, CA 93901
Visuals: Afternoon community gathering, remarks from advocates, leaders & community members, former foster youth, bus arrival/departure
Speakers Include: Sen. Anna Caballero, Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis

Sunday, May 19

Oakland, 12:15 p.m.
Community Event
St. Mary’s Center, 925 Brockhurst St. (at San Pablo Avenue), Oakland, 94608.
Visuals: Community gathering, press conference, bus arrival/departure, former resident of parent/child support facility, former foster youth  
Speakers Include: Sen. Nancy Skinner, Assemblymember Rob Bonta, Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis, Parent Voices Oakland, Hayward Promise Neighborhood

Monday, May 20

Sacramento, Time TBD
Closing Rally on Capitol steps
West Steps, 10th between L&M, Sacramento, CA 95814 
Visuals: Speakers and gathered crowd on Capitol steps speaking about anti-poverty state budget investments and state legislation; bus parked in front of Capitol
Speakers Include: Dolores Huerta, legislators, Task Force Co-Chair Conway Collis

BUS TOUR PLANNING & SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:

GRACE

CA Interfaith Coalition

CA Youth Connection

Children NOW

Children’s Defense Fund CA

Children’s Institute

Cradle to Career

Daughters of Charity

Dolores Huerta Foundation

Latinas for Reproductive Justice

Mission Economic Development Agency

Parent Voices

South Bay Community Services

Western Center for Law & Poverty

Youth Policy Institute

See All Coalition Partners: https://www.endchildpovertyca.org/#partners

BACKGROUND
The report issued by the Task Force pegs the cost of the four-year plan to eliminate deep child poverty for 450,000 California children starting at $1.6 billion the first year. If concentrated as a population, 450,000 would represent the state’s eighth largest city — larger than Oakland, twice as large as San Bernardino, and just smaller than Long Beach. When fully realized, savings generated by lifting these children from poverty would total $12 billion annually, on an ongoing basis, representing a dramatic return on investment.

California has the highest number of children and highest percentage of children living in poverty of any state in the nation — almost 2 million children, who represent one out of every five California kids. Deep poverty is defined as families living at or below 50 percent of the federal poverty line, or less than about $12,500 for a family of four. In addition, 204,000 California children experience homelessness.

For background and to read the plan, visit: http://www.endchildpovertyca.org/

LA Times Story: https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-child-poverty-task-force-report-20181119-story.html

Sen. Nancy Skinner represents the 9th District.