Our Work for Children in the U.S.
Across rural America, where one in 5 children live in poverty, families face significant challenges accessing vital resources and essential services like child care, quality education and economic opportunity. That's why Save the Children partners with rural communities, and has for over 90 years, to help children thrive—from early learning and Head Start to disaster recovery.
Your donation to Save the Children can help deliver critical aid to the most vulnerable kids in rural America.
Learn More About Our Programs in the U.S.
Save the Children's Rural Child Well-Being Dashboard: Understanding Childhood in Rural America
Explore the lives of rural America’s children and families with Save the Children’s Rural Child Wellbeing Dashboard. See how well-being in your state compares to the nation, or investigate specific indicators like poverty, food security, vehicle access and opportunity.
- Rural families are nearly 20% more likely to receive public assistance than non-rural families.
- Rural children are more likely to face food insecurity, with 43% eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
- Over 1 in 20 households in rural America don’t have a private vehicle.
Advocate for Children in the U.S.
42 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to put food on the table. But lawmakers will soon be debating a proposal that'd drastically cut this critical support.
Join Save the Children's political advocacy arm, Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), and send an URGENT message to lawmakers: Protect SNAP funding! We cannot push more kids into hunger.
Updated: June 23, 2025