What is the Child Watch Visitation Program?

September 15.1992I am writing to you to invite you to join us in a Child Watch Visitation Programon October 14, 1992 at 8:30 A.M. at the Boston City' Hospital's Failure to Thrive Clinic.The Child Watch Visitation Program is sponored by the Children's Defense Fund inWashington, D.C. in collaboration with other national service organizations includingthe American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Association of Junior LeaguesInternational, Kiwanis International, the National Council of Black Women, the NationalCouncil ofLa Raza, and the National Council ofChurchesBoston is one of 50 American cities participating in this program, the purpose ofwhich is to dramatize, personalize, and publicize the plight of America's children wholive in poverty, by arranging face-ta-face encounters between community leaders and theprogtiuns established to deal with these problems.JYou have no doubt seen the study entitled Children Are Hungry in Massachusettswhich was released in May 1991, and are familiar with the Massachusetts ChildhoodHunger Relief Act (H 4842.) One in four children in Massachusetts faces the reality ofhunger. This is a critical issue which needs immediate attention.In Boston AARP is collaborating with a number ofchild welfare advocacy groups(listed below) to conduct a series ofChild Watch Visitation Programs. The intent of theprogram on October 14, 1992 at the Boston City Hospital's Failure to Thrive Clinic is togarner support for the passage and appropriate funding of the Massachusetts ChildhoodHunger Relief Act as well as to have media coverage of the event to promote public .awareness of the problem.The plan for the visit is to meet at 8:30 A.M. at the Piano Lounge at the BostonCity Hospital, 3rd floor, for a briefing on the issues. Coffee and a light breakfast will beserved. After the briefing, at about 9:00A.M. until about 9:30 A.M. there will be a brieftour of the Failure to Thrive Clinic.Representatives of television stations and newspapers will be invited to be presentfor both segments of the morning's program. Escorts will be available at the AmbulatoryCare Center entrance of the hospital to accompany participants to the Piano Lounge andfrom there after the briefing, to the Failure to Thrive Clinic. Directions to parking and to97