Michele Kayal Vice President, Media and Communications
Michele Kayal is an award-winning journalist who has covered everything from post-Communist Europe to country music cookbooks for the New York Times, Associated Press, NPR and other national outlets. As a “recovering reporter” she now deploys her media and communications skills on behalf of the children served by First Focus and First Focus Campaign for Children.
Before joining First Focus, Michele spent three years leading communications for Relief International, a $100 million humanitarian organization providing refugee assistance in 16 countries. For more on Michele’s background, please visit her LinkedIn profile.
Children hit hard by COVID-19 fallout
Michele Kayal | April 21, 2020 |
Advocate Demands Congress Protect Kids COVID-19 may not be killing children in the same numbers as adults, but the virus that has locked down …
Statement: Senate package good first step for kids but children need more robust measures
Michele Kayal | March 26, 2020 |
We commend Senate lawmakers’ unanimous passage of the $2 trillion coronavirus emergency bill, and even more, for using it to offer relief to America’s …
Statement: Congress’s coronavirus response is a good first step, but bigger, bolder measures are needed
Michele Kayal | March 18, 2020 |
We applaud Congress for passing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, providing families and children with increased food and nutrition assistance, supplemental state funding …
First Focus Campaign for Children identifies 120 lawmakers who prioritize children
Michele Kayal | March 12, 2020 |
In 2019, nearly one-in-six of our nation’s children lived in poverty. The number of kids without health insurance rose to more than 4 million, …
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) would become permanent under bipartisan bill
Michele Kayal | March 11, 2020 |
A bipartisan team of lawmakers have introduced a bill to make the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) permanent, a move overwhelmingly supported by pediatricians, …
New HUD Homeless Data Grossly Undercounts Children and Youth
Michele Kayal | January 8, 2020 |
Decline in rate misleading and Fast Facts about children, youth and homelessness Government data released yesterday grossly undercount homeless children, youth and families, and …
Congress must prioritize children and address unfinished business in budget deal
Michele Kayal | December 20, 2019 |
First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC) is pleased that Congress has produced an appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) that includes important investment …
Statement: Congress Must Pass Budget Deal And Ensure Timely Resources for Children
Michele Kayal | July 24, 2019 |
First Focus Campaign for Children applauds budget progressUrges lawmakers to ensure timely resources for children The budget caps and debt limit deal reached by …
Proposed Changes to SNAP will Overwhelmingly Harm Children
Michele Kayal | July 23, 2019 |
Today, the Trump Administration has proposed yet another rule that will make it harder for families with children to put food on the table. …
Press Release: First Focus Campaign for Children applauds passage of H.R. 3300 as a positive first step toward cutting child poverty in half
Michele Kayal | June 20, 2019 |
A second bill, on child care, also provides vital supports for families WASHINGTON—The Economic Mobility Act of 2019 (H.R. 3300), passed yesterday by the …