Empowering Kids, Unlocking Opportunity

Imagine if there were an accessible and effective way to boost a kid’s academic performance, improve attendance rates, and increase their chances of enrolling in college. Well, there is—it's mentorship. This is just one of many empowerment tools available to help kids excel in school and beyond. With a mentor, a young person is 52% less likely to skip a day of school compared to their peers. Give a child access to stable internet, and they can unlock endless learning opportunities. Provide them with career training, and they’re more likely to secure economic freedom for themselves and their family. 

This is the power of empowerment programs. These tools are often taken for granted in favor of seemingly more urgent priorities, but without them, kids can face long-term challenges. Children who lack a safe place to live, access to quality education, or health care encounter even greater barriers to accessing basic resources like help with a school subject they're struggling with, mental health support during tough times, or assistance with college applications when it's time to enter the adult world.

These compounded challenges are the reality for the 11.6 million kids living in poverty in America today. In the U.S., children remain the poorest age group, with children of color, children under five, children of single mothers, and children in the South experiencing the highest poverty rates. This means that more kids than ever face the risk of behavioral, social, emotional, and health challenges. It also means many more kids will struggle with impaired learning abilities, limiting their potential to succeed academically and become productive, responsible citizens in the future.

 That’s why at Comic Relief US through initiatives like Kids Relief we support programs that not only disrupt the cycle of poverty by offering kids and their families critical support but also those that provide opportunities to level the playing field and build resilience so that every child has a fair shot at success. This includes:

• Education Support  – According to the 2022 US Census, 25% of people without a high school diploma live in poverty, compared to just 4.3% of people with a bachelor’s degree. Education is the key to creating economic possibilities for kids, and education doesn’t just mean access to school, but also career support, supplies, and other learning programs that can help kids thrive. High-quality early childhood education opportunities and STEAM programs (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) in schools, after-school, and in summer, to equip kids with the modern skills they need to succeed.

• Leadership Training –When kids can participate and lead –  they experience improvements in developmental, social, educational, and employment outcomes.  Programs like the Youth Advisory Council’s  Juntanza Fund, which funds youth-led organizations allow youth participation and give young people a platform to work together to address important issues they face: climate justice, health, and gender equity, racial equity, and justice for those who are disabled. 

• Digital Access - In the US, more than 18 million households face challenges in gaining access to high-speed broadband. Overall an estimated 15 to 16 million K-12 learners do not have sufficient access to reliable, high-speed broadband and/or technology tools for learning. When kids are connected, they are better able to access vital online services, such as telehealth, counseling, social services, remote employment opportunities, and job training. Eliminating the digital divide is critical to ensuring all learners can participate in today’s increasingly digital world. 

Join us in raising crucial funds to support programs that help every kid fulfill their true potential with Kids Relief this September. DONATE TODAY

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