Anne Kuhnen

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau makes one thing clear: public programs work.

Data from the 2024 Supplemental Poverty Measure shows child poverty in Michigan would double without supportive public policies like refundable tax credits, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and housing subsidies. These programs and others kept 287,000 children statewide out of poverty in 2024.

Poverty is dangerous for children, undermining their development, and long-term well-being. It reflects whether kids have enough to eat, a safe place to sleep and access to health care when needed. And poverty does not just affect children and their families; communities also bear the costs through lost productivity, lower lifetime earnings, and higher spending on health care.

The child poverty rate according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure has worsened since the pandemic in Michigan, rising from 7% in 2021 to 10% in 2024 as some temporary interventions like the expanded Child Tax Credit and higher monthly food assistance payments expired.

In 2021, the expanded federal Child Tax Credit alone lifted nearly 3 million children out of poverty nationally and cut the child poverty rate to a historic low. The failure of federal lawmakers to learn from this success and make the expansion permanent resulted in an immediate spike in child poverty. Poverty increased across all demographics, but children of color experienced the sharpest rise.

We can see the consequences of child poverty in our local communities. More than 1 in 5 families across Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties spend over 30% of their income on housing costs, straining household budgets, and leaving less money to spend on other essentials. In addition, childhood food insecurity in the region worsened in recent years after over a decade of improvement, a trend associated with higher health care costs and unfulfilled potential among students and workers.

State policy also has an impact on family economic security. The decision by Michigan lawmakers to increase the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit in 2023 puts more money into the pockets of families with low and moderate incomes, increasing financial security, and returning more dollars to their local economies. On their 2023 tax returns, over 4,200 families in Alpena, Alcona, Montmorency, and Presque Isle counties received the Earned Income Tax Credit, boosting their incomes by $718 on average.

But the federal programs children and families rely on are now being put at risk. Federal policy changes in the Republican mega bill signed by the president in July will increase barriers to access for SNAP and the Child Tax Credit, two of the proven effective programs shown to reduce child poverty. All children need enough healthy food to eat, a safe home where they can sleep and a supportive environment in which to thrive, but the actions of our federal policymakers right now undermine these shared values.

Lawmakers in Michigan also have a role to play. The 2026 budget passed in October provides a new $250 million investment to expand the successful Rx Kids program, which helps families make ends meet by providing direct cash payments to pregnant people in their third trimester and babies in their first year of life. In addition, the budget will allow schools to continue offering free breakfast and lunch for all students, ensuring more kids have access to healthy meals.

As families cope with the rising cost of essentials — like groceries, rent, and child care — they will continue to need supportive public programs that help keep them out of poverty. Policymakers must prioritize investments that are proven to help families lead good lives and meet the needs of kids in every county in Michigan.