Have Fun • Do Good: Submit Your Children of the Recession Story to Katie Couric

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Submit Your Children of the Recession Story to Katie Couric

Yesterday I represented BlogHer on a conference call with bloggers from the Silicon Valley Moms Blog, and Katie Couric. Couric wanted our help getting the word out about the issues being covered in CBS Reports' new series, Children of the Recession.

According to Couric's post, Katie Couric's Notebook: Children of the Recession:

"Since the recession began, more than one million children have lost health insurance as their parents lose their jobs.

One in 50 American children is homeless, and as more homes go into foreclosure that number will rise."

The series will features stories throughout the year on The CBS Evening News, The Early Show and Sunday Morning about the impact of the recession on children. So far, they've reported on Safe Families for Children in Need, Teens Bring Economic Stress to School, and How to Address Your Kids' Recession Fears.

Couric and the producers hope that the series will motivate people to act, give, and get more involved to solve the problem. You can find info about How to Help or Get Help on the series' landing page.

When Kim Tracy Prince, of Los Angeles Moms Blog, asked Couric during the call, "How do you and your producers deal with it emotionally? You are emersing yourself in all this heartbreak. How do you handle it?"

Couric talked more about her hopes for the series:

"I truly feel this is critically important, and I kind of feel it's a higher calling for all of us. And yes, it's very upsetting, and heartbreaking, and depressing, but the only way that we're going to get these families help is to expose the problem. And so, I think we feel like there's a purpose here, a higher purpose if you will, not to sound too weird about it. And that's why I think we feel really motivated and really excited.

I haven't felt this proud about my work in a long time because I feel like we can really have an impact, but that's why we're looking to you all for help because we can't do it alone."

If you know any children who are suffering from the effects of the recession, email their story to recession@cbs.com with the subject line, "CBS REPORTS: Children of the Recession." Young people can submit their story about how the recession is impacting them via video.

Upcoming "Children of the Recession" stories this week include:

Wednesday, May 20
The Evening News: Abuse and neglect

Thursday, May 21
The Early Show: Child abuse
The Evening News: Homeless kids

Friday, May 22
The Early Show: School for the homeless

Sunday, May 24
Sunday Morning: 5 kids, 5 stories, 5 films about the recession

For more coverage of the call check out: