This column originally appeared in The Alpena News on April 15, 2020
This week is the annual Week of the Young Child, a celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Around the country, educators, service providers, and policymakers are asked to focus attention on the needs and services that benefit young children and their families. Available at naeyc.org, NAEYC has created daily themes with activities parents can do at home while staying safe from COVID-19 all week.
One daily theme that stuck out to me was “Tasty Tuesday.” On this day, parents are encouraged to make a snack with their kids — following recipes uses math skills, so a double win there — and learn more about food security. Sounds fun!
The realities of food security in Michigan are not so fun, though. According to the latest data from the Kids Count in Michigan project at the Michigan League for Public Policy:
- Food insecurity among children is higher than it is for all people in Michigan;
- One in five young children (ages 0 to 5) live in poverty during the time where the brain develops the most;
- Food insecurity for children of all ages in the Alpena area is above the state average – 16% of kids in Alpena County and 18.5% in Alcona County are food insecure;
- In some rural counties, including Presque Isle County, over 20% of children of all ages are food-insecure;
- Not all children who are food-insecure qualify for federal nutrition programs because their family income is above the limit (about $45,000 for a family of four)
Those numbers are unacceptable and threaten the future health of our state and success of our children.
A lack of readily available, healthy food stops children from getting the right balance of calories and nutrients they need for optimal brain and body development. Plus, outside of the sustenance value of food, there is a timeless joy of families coming together to share a good meal. Strong family relationships and community are also a critical part of children’s healthy development.
As the coronavirus pandemic impacts thousands of jobs, food insecurity will surely get worse. As of last Thursday, two out of every 10 Michigan workers have applied for Unemployment Insurance since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Michigan.
The state Department of Health and Human Services is seeing a massive increase in applications for their food assistance program during this time. We applaud state leadership for making decisions to create and expand food access, including meeting daytime food needs for students as they learn remotely.
But, as families struggle to make ends meet, food security will weaken.
Unfortunately (but understandably), cutting the food budget is one of the first ways families adjust to economic hardship: you can’t pay 80% of your rent, but you can reduce what you spend on groceries. That tradeoff over time leads to poor nutrition and health. Poorer health comes with the risk of decreased work time and income and, in the worst-case scenario, less time to be with one’s children. Four of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. are nutrition-related (heart disease, cancers, strokes and diabetes).
To address food insecurity in the long term, we must address its root causes: lack of economic security caused by low wages and high costs of living.
In 2018, there were nearly 550,000 positions paying under $10/hour in Michigan (close to the $9.25 minimum wage). Those jobs are important — some even essential. For example, occupations most likely to make below $10/hour include food preparation and service workers. Their role in our economy and food system has become even clearer during our current emergency.
At the same time, the cost of living continues to make it difficult for families to get by, particularly for low-wage earners. Nearly 30% of Michiganders spend more than a third of their income on housing costs. If someone has a low income, they are nearly twice as likely to experience this “high housing-cost burden.” Child care costs account for 34% or more of income for minimum-wage earners, and affordable child care continues to be a challenge for the whole state.
In this way, a whopping 70% or more of income for low-wage earners can go to meeting a family’s basic needs — not including food. In too many instances like these, food quality, abundance and long-term health suffer for parents and children throughout the state.
As we work to help our economy and families bounce back strong, residents and policymakers must prioritize policies that reconsider fair wages and costs of living.
It’s only in this way that we can truly ensure readily available, nutritious food and so much more for all the little ones that are counting on us.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
