What We Do

Meriden Children First Initiative seeks to assist children age birth to eight and their families residing in the greater Meriden area.  The CFI Collaborative recently developed a statistical overview or "snapshot" of the condition of children and families in Meriden.  For a copy of this report, contact CFI.

A Snapshot of Meriden 

• Meriden is a young community; one-fourth of its residents were under age 18 in 2000. (Source:  U.S. Census Bureau) 
• Meriden's population is more diverse that then state's with Hispanics representing 21% of the total, a rate more than double that of the state. 
• Meriden is a working community but not a wealthy one.  It ranks 138th of 169 CT towns in per capita personal income.  Average annual wages are 85% of the state average.  (Source:  CT Policy & Economic Council, May 2000) 
• 72% of Meriden adults had a high school diploma in 2000, compared to 79% statewide, while 84% lacked a college degree.
• In 1999-2000, 43% of all school-age children and 48% of elementary school-age children qualified for the federal free/reduced price meal program with eligibility set at 185% of the poverty level. 
• Licensed child care programs provided the capacity to serve approximately 48% of all Meriden children under age 4 as of 9/2000. 
• In 1999-00, 23% of Meriden students lived in families in which a language other than English is the primary language - double the state rate of 12%. 
• Overall, 15% of Meriden school children were receiving special education services in 1999-00, close to the 1999-98 state rate of 13%. 
• The cumulative high school drop out rate was 19% for the class of 1999, 10% less than 1998.  The state rate was 14%.  
• 16% of all births to Meriden residents in 1998 were to teen mothers, twice the state rate of 8%.  Births to Meriden teens of Hispanic origin accounted for half of all births to teens from 1996-98. 
• 70% of Meriden women giving birth in 1998 received adequate prenatal care, an increase from 1996 but below the state rate of 86%. 
• 7% of all Meriden infants born in 1996-98 were low birth weight, on part with the state rate.  
• 80% of Meriden children enrolled in the CT Immunization Registry Tracking System (CIRTS) were adequately immunized by age two, compared to 70% statewide.  
• 39% (5,688) of Meriden children were enrolled in HUSKY A, above the state rate of 22%. 
• 9% of children enrolled in HUSKY A had asthma, compared with 10% of those in state.