Massachusetts KIDS COUNT provides citizens, policymakers and child advocates with accurate and non-partisan data on a range of social, economic, education and health indicators on the well-being of children. It is supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and aims to raise public awareness of children's issues, stimulate dialogue, and help policy makers and advocates make informed decisions to provide a better future for our state's children. Massachusetts KIDS COUNT is a program of Massachusetts Citizens for Children, the oldest state-based child advocacy organization in the country. MCC's mission is to improve the lives of the state's most vulnerable children through advocacy by concerned citizens.

With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, child advocates in the six New England states formally launched the New England Consortium in January 2010. Its member organizations - Connecticut Association for Human Services, Connecticut Voices for Children, Maine Children’s Alliance, Massachusetts Citizens for Children, Children’s Alliance of New Hampshire, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, and Voices for Vermont’s Children - will develop cross-state strategies that have the best prospects of reducing child and family poverty in the region.

Members of the New England Consortium meeting at MCC in Boston to develop the strategic plan.

As the Massachusetts partner in the Initiative, Massachusetts Citizens for Children and its KIDS COUNT Online Data Center will provide cities with their latest child well-being data and link them to promising efforts in other locations. With our colleagues in the state and region, we will work with the New England Congressional Delegation to push for federal policies that have the best chance of advancing an effective poverty reduction agenda.