A day after our state's health coverage program, Apple Health for Kids,
was awarded $17.6 million in federal money, deputy director Jon Gould
spoke on KOMO Newsradio on Apple Health's progress in covering all kids.

Children's Alliance Executive Director Paola Maranan authored an Op-Ed published in the Seattle Times on Sunday, November 7th, 2010. She makes the case that Congress should protect funding for Working Connections Child Care by passing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund. The article makes it clear that failing to protect the Working Connections child care and employment program can only hurt kids, families, and the Washington state's economic recovery.

Deputy Director Jon Gould was featured on the TVW program Inside Olympia on November 11th. He called upon legislators to protect kids during these difficult economic times. 

Watch a clip below, or see the full program on the TVW website.

The Columbian published an opinion - editorial by Executive Director Paola Maranan on September 26, 2010. The piece addresses some misinformation being spread by the soda company-backed Initiative 1107. 

Child and senior advocates teamed up today to send a joint message to Governor Gregoire and other state lawmakers: Keep Washington’s values at the core of the budget debate.  

The Seattle Times published an Op-Ed co-authored by Paola Maranan, executive director of the Children’s Alliance, and Ingrid McDonald, advocacy director of AARP Washington. They write:

Right now Congress has the once-every-five-year opportunity to improve the quality of school, child-care and summer meals and make them available to more children.

The Seattle Times ran an oped by Linda Stone, senior food policy coordinator at the Children's Alliance, calling on Congress to listen to the call that President Obama and anti-hunger experts have made to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act with an increase of $1 billion per year over 10 years.

On Friday, July 2, three initiative campaigns turned in voter signatures in hopes of qualifying for the November ballot. State officials will determine whether the initiative campaigns have enough valid voter signatures to meet the requirement.

One of these initiatives is I-1107, which would slash state revenues raised from new taxes on pop, candy, gum and other non-essential items. I-1107 is mainly funded by the American Beverage Association, which has given almost $2.5 million to the campaign.

KUOW reports on new findings from the Food Research and Action Center showing there are fewer summer meal programs available for low-income children while the need is rising. In Washington state there are 700 schools, parks and community centers that serve sack lunches — that's 23 fewer than last summer.

Lawmakers in Olympia are considering establishing a Washington Food Policy Forum, currently sponsored by Sen. Ken Jacobson, Senate Bill 6343. Linda Stone, senior food policy coordinator of the Children's Alliance, and Jim Baird, a farmer in the Royal City area, discuss why the Forum would address food costs, access to healthy food and finding ways to support local farms. They write: