Families & Community

It’s been a busy week here at State of Opportunity, so here’s all the stuff you might’ve missed.

1. Charles Murray speaks with State of Opportunity

Today, we’re going to dive into the bureaucracy.

This is the story of a state program that’s improved the lives of children in Michigan, and why that program is ending –  at least for now.

The story starts with a woman we're calling "Mary."

Mary’s husband brutally abused her for years.

A little over a year ago, she found the courage to escape. Her husband is behind bars, but she still fears what might happen if he ever gets out, so we’re not using her real name, or the names of her children.

In 2010, one out of three kids in this country lived in a house where neither parent had full-time, year-round work. That new figure comes from the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count report.

It shows one of the uncomfortable truths of the Great Recession: that kids were among the hardest hit. 

Ronnie Coulter can’t tell you much about the recession.