A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.
As excitement builds at the top of the ballot for the upcoming presidential election, it’s important that the candidates running for the highest office in our U.S. government–and all elected officials for that matter–recognize the power of data in making informed decisions that will have a positive impact on people and communities. In addition to national data, it’s important to drill down deeper into data at the state and local levels in order to have a clear picture of how people are faring and what they really need to thrive. For children, especially, the stakes are so high.
Children experiencing food insecurity, for example, is an issue area where data has helped to inform some recent, positive changes here in Michigan. Following years of improvement in food security, our state’s latest Kids Count data shows a recent uptick in food insecurity from 282,320 (13.1%) in 2021 to 378,040 (17.9%) in 2022. This increase is concerning because we all know that when children don’t have enough nutritious food to eat, it can have a catastrophic impact on their development and lead to poor outcomes in their physical and mental health and educational achievements.
Fortunately, the Michigan Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have made some smart decisions over the past few years that we hope to see reflected in future Kids Count data. In 2023, Michigan became the seventh state in the nation to authorize universal free school meals for all public school students–a program that will continue to be offered in the upcoming school year thanks to the state’s continued investment in the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget. Additionally, the federal summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program has now been made permanent, with the state continuing to allocate funds to provide food assistance via EBT in the summers when children lose access to school meals and child hunger spikes. The state has also continued its strong support of the Double Up Food Bucks program by increasing funding over the past two budget cycles, and a one-year, hunger-free campus grant program pilot is planned for the upcoming fiscal year to combat college-age student hunger.
In addition to directly addressing food insecurity, the state has also made some recent, historic strides in better supporting the overall basic needs of Michigan families by investing more Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding in the state’s basic cash assistance program, boosting the Earned Income Tax Credit from 6% to 30% of the federal credit and supporting the implementation and expansion of the Rx Kids program.
All of these investments have been critical, especially in the wake of the decision by federal officials to end the pandemic-era expansion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in early 2023 as well as the uncertainty swirling around the Farm Bill and whether it will be completed this year or not. In any case, it’s important that the provision that reimburses SNAP participants whose benefits have been stolen be extended. And as future Farm Bill discussions press forward, it’s also crucial that our existing social safety net programs be strengthened, not weakened, as tens of thousands of families and children across the country rely on them to survive, including a growing number right here in Michigan.
In fact, according to our latest Kids Count data, the percent of Michigan children ages birth to 18 receiving SNAP benefits has slowly increased since 2019 and the percent of children ages birth to 4 receiving Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program benefits increased significantly from 2021 to 2022 after several years of steadily declining. In 2023, 23.6% of our state’s kids relied on SNAP benefits and, in 2022, nearly half–48.7%–of our state’s infants and toddlers relied on WIC benefits.
Food insecurity is just one of many important issues facing children in our state and country today, which is why both our national and state Kids Count data is critical in continuing to monitor how kids are faring and making informed decisions at every level of government. Later this month, the Michigan League for Public Policy will host its Champions for Kids Luncheon, where we will release our 2024 Kids Count in Michigan Data Profiles, which will delve deeper into many issues facing Michigan kids today and explore solutions to improve child well-being. The Data Profiles include statewide, county and select city data across four categories, including economic security, education, health and safety, and family and community. New this year, the Data Profiles also include specific indicators for children ages birth to 5 in order to shine a brighter light on early childhood in Michigan.
Registration is currently open for this not-to-be-missed event, which will include an exceptional lineup of honored guests, speakers and panelists. If you work on and/or have an interest in issues around the well-being of kids and young adults here in Michigan, this event is for you! We hope to see many policymakers and state leaders at the luncheon as well as advocates, educators and any other interested community members.
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.
