Posted September 5, 2003
Sen. Talent Discusses Health Care For Low-Income Families At Operation Breakthrough In Kansas City
U.S. Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) today discussed the need for increased access to health care for low-income families and childcare and early childhood education options for working parents during a visit to Operation Breakthrough in Kansas City. "It is encouraging to visit Operation Breakthrough and see first-hand the services they provide for children and families in the Kansas City area," Talent said. "Operation Breakthrough provides essential services to those who need them the most in Kansas City, including day care, meals, dental services, speech therapy, clothing and housing assistance. I appreciate Sisters Berta and Corita and the entire staff for inviting me and thank them for their hard work." Operation Breakthrough's core mission is to provide quality childcare and early childhood education to children of the working poor. Operation Breakthrough cares for more than 450 children, ages 6 weeks to 16 years, daily. Because all but a handful of these children live below the federal poverty guidelines, Operation Breakthrough offers an array of social service programs designed to help meet the physical, health, educational and emotional needs of the children and their families. Approximately 25 percent of Operation Breakthrough's children are homeless with another 25 percent in foster care due to abuse or neglect. Many of the rest come from working-poor families, most of which are headed by single moms who typically earn less than $12,000 per year. Ninety-six percent of Operation Breakthrough's children are African American. "We are very pleased that Senator Talent is including a visit to Operation Breakthrough in Kansas City,' said Sister Berta Sailer, Co-founder and Co-director of Operation Breakthrough. "Because of his leadership on health care issues, we are excited for him to see firsthand what we do day in and day out to meet the significant health and mental health needs of the population we serve. Likewise, as a leading architect of welfare reform in the United States Congress, we welcome the opportunity to visit with him about how welfare-to-work impacts our children and families. By taking the time to tour Operation Breakthrough, Senator Talent is saying these children are important. All too often these children and others like them are simply ignored." Sen. Talent also emphasized his support for the Healthy Start program for children. "I am a strong believer in the power of programs that help children at risk and their families," said Talent. "That is why I have advocated for Healthy Start and other initiatives that give women and children a chance to lead healthy and productive lives." For more information or to schedule an interview contact Rich Chrismer at (202) 224-6154 or (202) 309-8644.