February

For some children, childhood is getting tougher in America.

According to a 2011 study conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the official child poverty rate in the U.S. has increased 18% since 2000.

According to the Food Bank of Iowa, one in five Iowa children do not get enough to eat.

As our nation continues to ponder difficult economic questions, consider that budgets are not only about facts and figures, but also about the moral priorities we have as a society.

For supporters of LSI, children have long been a priority. Your passion for children ensures infants receive important developmental screenings and helps parents of young children gain access to critical resources. Your support provides treatment for young people living with the trauma of abuse and neglect and helps others avoid trauma by keeping their family safely together.

LSI will hold its 16th annual “Have a Heart for Kids” ball and auction on February 11, an evening that celebrates the community work being done for children and reminds us that we can all play a part in it.

Thank you, especially in these critical times, for having a heart for kids.

Pr. Doug Johnson, president & CEO, Des Moines