Nearly 200 parent advocates, non-profit leaders, foundation representatives, researchers and policymakers met at the Kellogg Foundation yesterday for the first in a series of roundtable discussions aimed at examining the portrait and challenges of vulnerable children in single-parent families.

Moving Above the Line is one of four roundtables the Kellogg Foundation will host in Miss., New Mexico and Wash., D.C. to engage the voices of community leaders, policymakers, employers and potential partners.

“Lifting all vulnerable children out of poverty is a strategic investment in our collective economic future,” said Sterling Speirn, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “To do this, it’s important to move people above the federal poverty guideline, which is $22,050 for a family of four. So what we’re really striving for is to move people to a self-sufficiency standard which is recognized as 200 percent above these poverty guidelines.”

Roundtable participants examined new data and public opinion  about how single parent households are faring in the current economy. In addition, the Kellogg Foundation showcased successful programs that place women-headed families at the focal point of greater societal change and facilitated a roundtable discussion to identify promising solutions for increasing the number of children and their families able to move out of poverty.

Single parents remain hopeful and express deep commitment to their families and believe in their ability to provide a strong home life and future for their children despite the obstacles which is why it is important to break the cycle.

“We have seen a spike in the number of children growing up in women-headed families. We need to identify new pathways that link both mother and child to educational and economic opportunities if we are ever going to disrupt the malicious cycle of poverty.  We can’t risk losing two generations.”