Members of the Rochester community got a chance to speak out about child poverty at a public forum Tuesday night.
The New York State Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council visited the Flower City to discuss its work and hear from residents directly impacted by child poverty. Officials with the agency say they will then develop policy recommendations that can support low-income families.
Rochester was chosen for input because it has a very high rate of child poverty, according to data in a report by Rochester City Council.
“It’s a perfect place to be to hear from individuals; it’s also a great place to be because Rochester also has a very strong network of providers that are very engaged in the community,” said Barbara Guinn, commissioner of the state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
A state report from 2022 found more than 2.7 million New Yorkers live in poverty. Among that number, more than 735,000 are children.
That expands to upstate New York, where more recent data from the Census Bureau found Syracuse, Rochester, Albany and Buffalo are ranked among the top in the nation when it comes to child poverty.