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Our Work for Children in the United States of America

In rural communities across the country, children from a wide range of backgrounds often struggle to access early education, nutritious food and the other resources they need to thrive.

»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵworks with local partners throughout rural America to ensure children have a healthy, strong foundation to succeed as learners and in life. We bring decades of experience and expertise to delivering scalable solutions to the unique challenges ruralÌýchildren face.

Through partnerships, programs, innovation and advocacy, we provideÌýeducational support, child care and mental health resources, and so much more.Ìý

Save the Children's Rural Child Well-Being Dashboards Reveal the Stark Disparities for Children in Rural America

According to this new analysis, kids living in rural America are more likely to live in poverty, be food insecure and need public assistance than their non-rural peers. Living in rural America also has advantages. Community connections—which can be leveraged to find childcare and employment—are, for example, stronger in rural communities.Ìý

Explore the lives of rural America’s children and families with Save the Children’s Rural Child Well-being Dashboards. We tell their story from many angles, translating complex data into clear, visual insights.

Mobile Feeding Units - California, 2022
  • In California, a family sits together and enjoys a snack provided by Save the Children's mobile feeding unit.ÌýÌý
  • In 39 states, rural children are more likely to grow up in poverty than non-rural kids. Rural families are nearly 20% more likely to receive public assistance than non-rural families.Ìý
  • Rural children are more likely to face food insecurity, with 43% eligible for free and reduced-price meals.Ìý
  • Over 1 in 20 households in rural America don’t have a private vehicle. Rural households are more vulnerable to natural disasters.Ìý
  • Rural Vermont, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Hampshire are also among the healthiest environments ((most walkable, lowest exposure to pollutants, etc.) in the United States for children.

Learn More About Our Programs in the U.S.

A smiling pre-school student clutches a book to her chest at the Early Steps for School Success program (ESSS) in Barnwell, South Carolina: Photo credit: Susan Warner/Save the Children, October 2014.
Education
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Working across rural America, our education experts help children get ready for kindergarten and achieve the critical reading and math milestones.
Anthony, 7 at home in New York. Anthony participates in the Save the Children-funded Journey of Hope program, an 8-week program that helps children with their emotional recovery after disasters like Superstorm Sandy that deeply affected his coastal community. Photo credit: Susan Warner/Save the Children, August 2013.
Social and Emotional Learning Programs
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Whether coping with the devastation of a disaster or facing long-term impacts of growing up in poverty, Save the Children's social and emotional development programs help kids cope and build resiliency.
A woman wearing a red »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵAction Network t-shirt and stands in front of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. Photo credit: Susan Warner/Save the Children, March 2017.
Advocacy
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From our first days fighting for children’s rights to today, advocacy is central to Save the Children’s work. In 2014, we founded »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵAction Network (SCAN), our political advocacy arm, to work with our nation’s leaders at all levels to expand early childhood education in the U.S., protect the world’s children living in conflict and much more.
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U.S.-Mexico Border
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For more than 100 years, »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵhas protected the world’s children from harm and ensured their rights are upheld. Today, we are working along the U.S. southern border through a network of shelter partners and social service agencies that welcome and support asylum seekers.

Advocate for Children in the U.S.

Advocate for children in the United States by joining our political advocacy armÌý—Ìý'sÌý—ÌýÌýefforts to send a message to Congress. Tell Congress:ÌýImproving the Child Tax Credit (CTC) could change children's futures. It'd help low-income families afford necessities like food and housing, benefiting more than 1 in 5 kids.

How to Help Children in the United States of America


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