RALEIGH—North Carolina ranks near the bottom in the nation for child welfare.

The state ranked 37th in a kid count study done by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Experts said children in the state need help from organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, which aim to improve kids lives and make sure they don't slip into poverty.

The organization will help to benefit society as well as the kids it is helping, according to Wake Boys and Girls Club CEO Ralph Capps.

"The mission is to help young people, especially those who need us most to realize their potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens," said Capps.

Tom Vitaglione of Action for Children said the state has improved in some areas like infant mortality and teen pregnancy. But a study from 2008 showed 20-percent of North Carolina children live in poverty. 28-percent live in a household where neither parent works full time.  And 34-percent live in single family homes.

"When you have those underlying factors that really hamper progress, it's really hard for a service system to keep up," said Vitaglione.

New Hampshire was ranked first, while Mississippi ranked last in the report.