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Children in the Recession Task Force:
September 29, 2009 meeting 

Leading the first meeting of the task force are, in the top row, House Speaker Christopher Donovan and the task force co-chairs, Representatives Diana Urban (center) and Karen Jarmoc. In the front row are, from left: Erin Reig, a parent advocate from Meriden, Lynda Trebisacci, a parent advocate from Pawcatuck, and Dawn Crayco, a child-nutrition advocate with End Hunger Connecticut!

Media coverage | Meeting documents | Photo gallery | Task Force home page

Media coverage

You may watch the full meeting below, courtesy of the Connecticut Network (CT-N). If a video window does not appear, go to the CT-N website. Length: 1 hour, 33 minutes.

"New Task Force Aimed At Helping Children" - Video from WFSB-TV, Eyewitness News, including an interview with Representative Diana Urban, co-chair of the Task Force.

"Children's Task Force Investigates Effects of Recession on Children" - Video from WTIC-TV, Fox 61, including an interview with Representative Urban.

"Census data: Recession forcing more families into poverty" - Connecticut Post article, including statements made at the meeting by Speaker Donovan, Ralph Forsht of First Focus, Fasaha Traylor, senior program officer for the Foundation for Child Development, and Elaine Zimmerman, executive director of the state Commission on Children.

"Number Of Hartford Area People Living In Poverty Increases" - Hartford Courant article quoting Representative Urban

Meeting documents

• Agenda
• PowerPoint presentation from Ralph Forsht, Senior Vice-President, First Focus, Washington, D.C.
• "Child Poverty Caused by Recession Will Cost Connecticut Well After the Recovery," a fact sheet from the Commission on Children
• "Hard Times for Kids," New York Times article
• "The Recession Generation," By Ruby Takanishi of the Foundation for Child Development, published on CNN.com
• "Simulating the Effect of the 'Great Recession' on Poverty," a report from the Brookings Institution Center on Children and Families
• "The Cost of Doing Nothing: The Economic Impact of Recession-Induced Child Poverty," by First Focus
• "Turning Point: The Long-Term Effects of Recession-Induced Child Poverty," by First Focus
• "2009 Child and Youth Well-Being Index," PowerPoint summary by Kenneth C. Land, Ph.D., Foundation for Child Development, Duke University
• "Recession Could Cause Large Increases in Poverty and Push Millions Deep into Poverty," from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, D.C.
• "Projecting the Impact of Poverty-Reduction Proposals," by the Urban Institute, Washington, D.C.
   

Photo gallery

The panel heard presentations from Fasaha Traylor, of the Foundation for Child Development in New York City, and Ralph Forsht, of First Focus in Washington, D.C.

Bottom row, from left: Maggie Adair of the Connecticut Association for Human Services, State Child Advocate Jeanne Milstein, Jamey Bell of Connecticut Voices for Children, Susan B. Dunn of the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, Annie Chittenden of CT SafePet, parent advocate Erin Reig, parent advocate Lynda Trebisacci, Dawn Crayco of End Hunger Connecticut!, Christy Rubenstein of the Partnership for Strong Communities, and Eva Bunnell of 1st District Congressman John B. Larson's office.

Top row, from left: Senator Edith Prague of Columbia, House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan of Meriden, Representative Diana S. Urban of North Stonington, Representative Karen Jarmoc of Enfield, Commission on Children Executive Director Elaine Zimmerman, and Representative Catherine Abercrombie of Meriden. Bottom row: parent advocate Erin Reig, parent advocate Lynda Trebisacci, Dawn Crayco of End Hunger Connecticut!, and Christy Rubenstein of the Partnership for Strong Communities.

Top row, from left: Erika Tindill of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Representative Barbara L. Lambert of Milford, Representative Kevin Ryan of Montville, Representative Michelle L. Cook of Torrington, Senator Edith Prague of Columbia, and House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan of Meriden.

Top row, from left: Representative DebraLee Hovey of Monroe, Mark Masselli of Community Health Center Inc., Representative Toni E. Walker of New Haven, and Senator Edward Meyer of Guilford. Bottom row: Jill Deloma of 3rd District Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro's office, Hilda Santiago of 5th District Congressman Christopher Murphy's office, Lee Reynolds of U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd's office, and Karen Weseliza of 2nd District Congressman Joseph Courtney's office.