New Mexico Appleseed

Homelessness for more than 12 years, new mexico appleseed has focused on the educational needs of students experiencing homelessness, couch surf, live in motels. Or somehow cram themselves into an overcrowded home with other family. This commitment is rooted in the belief that every child, regardless of housing status, deserves equal access to education. Through targeted policies and innovative programs, new mexico appleseed aims to address the specific challenges these students face, promoting both short-term stability and long-term success. Building on the pilot's success, new mexico appleseed is proposing a statewide guaranteed payment for attendance (gpa) program to reach 1,500 mckinney-vento students. This initiative will offer monthly payments of 500, contingent on regular school attendance, to help students surmount the financial and social challenges they face. With an estimated 10 million annual budget, gpa aims to raise new mexico's graduation rate for mckinney vento students, setting a precedent in supporting homeless youth and enhancing statewide graduation rates.

Hunger new mexico appleseed, in partnership with the new mexico department of health (doh), is working on efforts to increase enrollment and participation in the women, infants, and children (wic) program. This program provides essential nutritional support to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children. Recognizing the program's potential to alleviate food insecurity and improve health outcomes, new mexico appleseed and is working with the doh to craft several innovative strategies to address barriers to wic participation, especially in rural and high-poverty areas. These strategies aim to ensure that more families can benefit from wic's support, contributing to better health for the entire household.

Evidence-based policymaking new mexico appleseed has long focused on creating data-driven solutions to address child poverty and improve social outcomes. One of our most significant projects, the family success lab (the lab) at the new mexico department of health (doh), is the result of years of advocacy for an integrated data system that helps the state better identify the needs of vulnerable children and families. Although initial efforts to pass legislation in 2017 to formally create the family success lab were unsuccessful, we achieved our goal through state appropriations. Today, the family success lab could play a crucial role in evaluating state programs for children and ensuring resources are effectively allocated to prevent childhood adversity and promote best practices.