Background

In 2022, the State of California made a commitment to more than 55,000 children bereaved by COVID and foster youth to invest in their lives so they could have solid foundations to thrive in their adulthood. In establishing the groundbreaking HOPE Accounts program, California took an unprecedented step toward addressing intergenerational poverty and closing the racial wealth gap.

This investment is vital for the futures of foster youth who are three times more likely to be homeless than other children; and the 70% of youth who age out of foster care and are arrested by age 26. Moreover, children who lost a parent or caregiver to COVID have lost a breadwinner and the security that all children deserve, with compounding generational impacts.

HOPE Accounts are the only initiative in the nation specifically aimed at recognizing the loss children experienced due to covid loss and made the commitment to support these children for paying the ultimate price to keep our economy afloat during the pandemic.

Now that promise is days away from being broken.

Proposed Cut:

Governor’s May Revision proposes to reduce HOPE Accounts funding by $50 million. This cut threatens to break a promise made to more than 55,000 low-income children—children who lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19 or who have experienced the foster care system.

Without this funding, we risk:

• Reducing the number of children who will receive an account

• Lowering the amount of funding per child

• Breaking a moral and policy promise made by California

Our ask: Reject the $50 million cut to HOPE Accounts to ensure every eligible child receives the meaningful investment they were promised.