The Human Rights Magazine recently told the story of Johnny C., an eleven year old boy whose homeless mother left him after being unable to care for her two children. The boy looked for his mom for days, while managing to earn $135 as a dishwasher at a local restaurant in San Diego. When recovered by a social worker, Johnny C. had severe cavities, a curable bone disorder and years of missed school.

The National Center for Child in Poverty reports that Johnny is not alone. Nationwide, 13 million — or 17% — of all children languish in poverty in our nation, one of the richest on Earth. They live below the federal poverty line for a family of four, which is just over a meager $21,000 per year. Low wages and transient employment for a family can severely impact a child’s health, education, and general well-being.

According the following graphic from the New York Times, states with the most significant increases in child poverty rates are in the Southeast, Midwest and Mountain regions. Colorado, with the highest increase, is also highlighted and discussed below.

Finally, the Colorado Children’s Campaign this week reported a 73% increase in the number of poor children that state over a six-year period, the greatest such increase nationwide. A stagerring 180,000 children or nearly 16% of all Colorado children live below the Federal Poverty Line mentioned above, the vast majority of whom are of color. In fact, the poverty rate for Native American children in Colorado rose nearly 500% in the same six-year period from 2000-2006.