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Economic Security

Create an equitable & cohesive early childhood system

Across the state, families are feeling greater economic pressures than ever before. Rising inflation and a stagnant job market are contributing to an environment in which families are feeling the strain on every purchase from diapers to groceries--crucial expenses families with young children cannot go without.

Children under age 3 are more likely than any other age group to experience poverty. Far too few parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers are able to access income supports and other public benefits to meet their families’ needs. For example, only 36.3% of eligible families in Illinois participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in 2021. Caring for a sick child or going to the doctor often comes at the expense of work stability, with 40.5% of working parents in Illinois lacking any family or medical leave, even unpaid. Families deserve a stronger social safety net in order to thrive.

Our Goal

Strengthen the social safety net available so all expecting and new families have the resources and supports necessary to successfully fulfill their personal and professional needs.

Objectives

Promote family access, uptake, and improvements to existing nutrition assistance, income supports, and tax credits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program, Earned Income Tax Credit, and Child Tax Credit.

Establish and expand multimodal approaches to other forms of resource assistance, including housing and homelessness, guaranteed income, and diaper benefit programs.

Ensure paid time off, and establish a paid family and medical leave insurance program with adequate wage replacement, for employees statewide.

“The economic pressures are only increasing on working families in my community. More support is needed and that support must be offered in an accessible, coordinated, non-stigmatized way. Unfortunately, with the current context, my community members are even more convinced that no help is coming.”

-Raising Illinois Member

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