NC Child hosts Cape Fear State of Kids Luncheon in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)– The well-being of children across the Cape Fear was the focus of an event in Wilmington on Tuesday.   

NC Child and the New Hanover Resiliency Task Force Hosted its “State of Kids” Luncheon at the Cameron Art Museum. 

Ahead of the 2023-2024 school year, two organizations and four counties are coming together to address the well-being of children across the Cape Fear.  

“We are releasing our annual county data cards, which look at multiple indicators of childhood outcome,” said Erica Palmer Smith, NC Child’s Executive Director.  

“We’re looking at infant health, we’re looking at educational goals, really just those overall determinates of health that are really the indicators of how we’re doing,” said said J’vanete Skiba, the Assistant Director of the New Hanover County Task Force.   

NC Child and the New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force looking at so-called “data cards”, that contain statistics on children in New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, and Pender counties.  

Erica Palmer Smith with NC Child says while there’s a lot of good news from this year’s numbers, there is still work to be done. 

“Some of the good news is that we saw fewer children living in poverty, and fewer children suffering from food insecurity. But, we also saw some really concerning statistics particularly around youth mental health,” said Smith. 

Representatives from all four counties attended Tuesday’s luncheon, which J’vanete Skiba, with the New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force, says was a powerful environment to address the issues the children of our community face.  

“We really want to help propel change in our area. No longer admiring the problem. Taking those steps towards action. That’s what we accomplished today, and that’s what we hope to continue to accomplish in what we do, at the state and local level,” said Skiba.    

Several New Hanover County elected officials attended the luncheon, including Commissioner Rob Zapple, District Attorney Ben David, and School Board Member Josie Barnhart.