Half in Ten: From Poverty to Prosperity » Our State Coalitions

Minnesota: Advocating to Extend the TANF Emergency Fund

mboteach — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:17:47 +0000

The Half in Ten partners in Minnesota are focused on the immediate, as well as plans for the winter. The Affirmative Options Coalition has been working with its members to urge our state’s two senators to renew funding for the emergency TANF Emergency Fund. Minnesota has been able to invest $11 million from TANF into creating short-term, skill-building jobs for parents on the state’s welfare to work program. The coalition is working with nonprofit employment services agencies to identify participants and employers helped by the program who are willing to tell their individual stories to news media—and to Senator Al Franken and his staff.

A Minnesota Without Poverty is planning a major statewide convention for December 9th to once again draw attention to the need to tackle poverty in Minnesota. All three candidates for governor have been asked to commit to attending that event if they are elected. Two of the candidates have agreed to do so if elected. The event will also feature web-linked connections around the state.

Arkansas: Making the Case for the Child Tax Credit

mboteach — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:17:22 +0000

August has been a very busy month in Arkansas with our fight to cut the poverty rate. We have concluded all of the town hall meetings that we helped facilitate and we began reporting back to the Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunity. Members of the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families staff reported at the task force’s public hearing on recommendations from the town hall meetings. A common theme was the need for governments and community organizations to be visible and active in impoverished areas. The time for action is now!

AACF has also been in an active dialogue with both Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Sen. Mark Pryor’s offices to advocate on behalf of federal policy issues that help keep people out of poverty. Both senators have expressed interest in supporting the extension of the refundable Child Tax Credit, leaving the earning threshold at $3,000. Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has also partnered with local law enforcement and the national “Fight Crime: Invest in Kids” network, advocating the tax credit extension as a means of keeping children out of poverty and out of trouble with the law.

Colorado: Building a grassroots movement to cut poverty in half

mboteach — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:16:19 +0000

The Colorado Half in Ten campaign held a community meeting in August to discuss real solutions to reducing poverty in our community. The event attracted about 50 people from across the state, plus State Senator Evie Hudak. The diverse crowd discussed realistic and meaningful solutions to reducing poverty in specific ways. The group divided into five committees to find solutions to problems faced in education, job expansion, invisibility, oppressive systems, and housing.

The Colorado Half in Ten campaign is leading community meetings throughout the state—from Grand Junction to Alamosa to Boulder—to compile personal stories and solutions from those directly affected by poverty. It plans to then share the compiled information with the Economic Opportunity and Poverty Reduction Task Force, a body of the state legislature charged with cutting poverty in Colorado in half over the next decade. You can read stories and solutions from Colorado Half in Ten’s meetings on the Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force blog.

Colorado has also doubled its individual Half in Ten supporters and expanded organizational endorsers to include homeless advocates, faith leaders, job training sites, and others directly working with ending poverty.

Colorado Coalition Featured in the Boulder Daily Camera

George — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:14:43 +0000

The first thought that comes to many peoples’ minds when they think of Colorado is the Rocky Mountains and ski resorts. It may be surprising to hear that in the same state where many escape for vacation, the child poverty rate is growing faster than anywhere else in the US. The disadvantages which these children face make them more likely to perform poorly in school, have inadequate health, and struggle as adults.

Luckily, it does not have to be this way and there are people committed to the idea that no Coloradan should live in poverty. The Half in Ten Colorado coalition brings together people from a wide variety of backgrounds, from policymakers to faith leaders, to work towards the goal of cutting poverty in half by 2020.

Click here to read commentary on the Colorado Half in Ten Coalition by the Boulder Daily Camera.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Holds Town Halls Across the State

George — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:31:20 +0000

Half in Ten’s state partner Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families announced last month that it would be organizing a town hall meeting to discuss issues surrounding poverty in Arkansas. AACF joined with the Legislative Task Force on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunity on a hot July day to welcome almost 50 people at the event. The group was split into two small groups with one focusing on public health and education issues, and the other focusing on business development and community organizing. AACF also participated in a similar event in Dumas, Arkansas, and will work with the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on another town hall meeting later this month.

As Half in Ten’s partner, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is leading the effort to compile all of these findings from meetings statewide and deliver a report to the governor in November. AACF Executive Director Rich Huddleston serves as the co-chair of this taskforce along with state Sen. Joyce Elliott.

In other news, Rich Huddleston highlighted our Half in Ten campaign work during a panel discussion at the Clinton Presidential Center on July 15, 2010. The group addressed issues of childhood hunger, obesity, and poverty to more than 200 attendees.

Colorado Half in Ten Hosts Community Meeting on Solutions to Reduce Poverty

George — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:30:23 +0000

The Colorado Half in Ten campaign is currently planning for the upcoming community meeting on real solutions to reducing poverty. The community meeting will present Half in Ten policy solutions and include a discussion on what solutions individuals think would be viable for reducing poverty in their own neighborhoods. This community meeting is planned to be the first of many across the state to get input from diverse communities.

“What are Real Solutions to Reducing Poverty?” will be held on Monday, August 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Blair-Caldwell Library at 2401 Welton Street in Denver. Light refreshments will be provided and child care upon advanced request. To RSVP, contact Bridget Kaminetsky at 303-628-0925 or bridget@9to5.org.

Virginia Coalition Films Documentaries and Launches Legislative Strategy

George — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:19:58 +0000

Virginia’s Half in Ten campaign is building momentum. The Blank Street Project is filming roving documentaries of poverty featuring Virginians talking about jobs and homelessness. We started our legislative strategy this month by meeting with state Sen. John Watkins, chairman of the Unemployment Insurance Commission at the Virginia General Assembly, to talk about extending unemployment insurance. The Half in Ten coalition is forming and we have hosted conversations with major partners about collaboration and policy areas on which the Half in Ten coalition will focus.

Minnesota Coalition Connects Half in Ten to State Policy Work

George — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:18:43 +0000

Two of the lead partners in the Minnesota Half in Ten campaign effort brought their governing boards together this month to talk about how to ramp up efforts to engage Minnesota organizations and people in the Half in Ten campaign. This was a chance for leading nonprofit antipoverty organizations and faith-based social justice groups to talk about how the Half in Ten campaign fits into their state policy work, and how it might interact with their federal allies or parent organizations. We will be approaching those groups and others for their organizational endorsements.

Cut off from unemployment benefits: Terry Hokenson’s Story

George — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:26:07 +0000

A paralegal by training, Terry has been out of work for two years and his unemployment insurance benefits ran out in May. He has not insisted on staying in the same field and has retrained in electronic health records. He applies for jobs and the latest has been at a hardware store.

But like many workers in Minnesota, where the number of job seekers outnumbers job openings by 24 to 1 in some regions, there are no job offers. He gets by on food stamps, depleting his retirement savings and what he calls a hodge podge of short-term assistance.

He is 62, just old enough for Social Security and has already applied — although he would rather work. Applying for Social Security early is not good for him: he will receive lower benefits amounting to only 40 percent of what he was receiving through unemployment insurance. Nor does discontinuing temporary unemployment benefits to Mr. Hokenson and having him turn to permanent social security benefits save the federal government any money.

Here is a link to an interview in one of the local daily newspapers a couple of weeks featuring Mr. Hokenson: http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=118895697

New Half in Ten Coalition in Virginia Documents Hardship Across the State

George — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:59:43 +0000

Virginia advocates are beginning to develop Half in Ten priorities as part of the national campaign to end hunger and poverty in America. They have jumped in with both feet, focusing particularly on faith community partnerships. They deployed a team of videographers in June to document the stories of individuals and families in situational poverty throughout the state. The www.blankstreetproject.com team has been collecting stories of those affected by unemployment, predatory lending, and health care disparities, posting vignettes to their website and garnering media attention for their work. The project will culminate in a documentary film. These stories are a vital way to highlight the reasons that poverty exists and the prescriptions to overcome its grip.

The Virginia Interfaith Center recently named Ali Faruk, one of its leading policy analysts, as the lead staff person on Virginia’s Half in Ten campaign. Ali is developing a multi-year strategy to educate the public and decision makers on the causes of poverty and the ways we can work at both policy and program levels to reduce its power over the most vulnerable families. We look forward to presenting this plan to you in next month’s update.

More than 150 advocates from across the state came to the Interfaith Center’s annual lobby day at the General Assembly, January 19. Noted political blogger and developer of Richmond Sunlight Waldo Jaquith addresses the group at the Holocaust Museum following the morning’s round of legislator visits.

The New England Consortium Acts as a Catalyst for National Change

George — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:58:25 +0000

The New England Consortium is a six-state collaborative of child research and policy organizations that have come together to develop a common set of priorities to reduce poverty across the region and act as a catalyst for national change. The consortium and Half in Ten share a belief that we will not reverse the disturbing trend of rising poverty without purposeful action and federal leadership.

The consortium’s mission is to reduce poverty and provide opportunities for New England children and families through research and advocacy on a set of strategic state and federal policy priorities, as well as effective implementation across the region. The consortium envisions a New England region where children and their parents’ basic needs are met, educational and economic opportunities are available to all, and families are financially secure and a crucial part of their community’s economic success.

Consortium members include the following seven state-based child advocacy and policy organizations, all of which support the campaign’s goal of cutting poverty in half in 10 years:

The consortium will work closely with the region’s congressional delegation to identify and work to promote broader initiatives for reducing poverty and creating opportunities for children. It will also champion a series of strategic and timely legislative initiatives that will reduce the number of children and families in poverty. Current federal opportunities to support families include tax credits, extended unemployment benefits, access to nutrition, health care, and investments in education and training.

The Half in Ten Campaign and its partners share these priorities, and the consortium looks forward to working with other advocates in the region, as well as national partners who share the goal of cutting poverty in half in 10 years and ultimately ending child and family poverty. National, regional, and state-specific resources to help support and inform this goal are featured on NEC’s new website: www.endpovertynewengland.org.

Arkansas Half in Ten Engages Elected Officials in Tackling Child Poverty

George — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:49:33 +0000

Last month we told you about our new study, “Child Poverty in Arkansas 2010: A Deepening Problem.” We learned through the report that almost 25 percent of Arkansas children grow up in poverty. This month, we have taken a step toward addressing the issue by increasing public awareness.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families recently announced that it will host a town hall meeting to specifically address the problem of child poverty in Arkansas. The keynote speaker will be state Senator Joyce Elliot (D-Little Rock), who also happens to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in the Second District. AACF hopes to begin a regular dialogue with community leaders and elected officials using the lessons we have learned through recent studies to quickly and aggressively attack the problem of childhood poverty.

Half in Ten Coalition in Minnesota Holds Gubernatorial Candidate Forum

George — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:59:47 +0000

Seven candidates and more than 200 citizens attended the gubernatorial candidates’ forum sponsored by A Minnesota Without Poverty and the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition on Monday, May 14. The candidates in attendance pledged that if elected they would attend a December 9 event planned by A Minnesota Without Poverty. The three partners in Minnesota are following that up by encouraging members to attend candidate forums around the state. A Minnesota Without Poverty has identified seven questions about poverty and opportunity to ask candidates at forums and in other conversations.

A Report from Half in Ten’s Arkansas Partner Highlights Growing Child Poverty Rate

George — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:24:24 +0000

On May 25, 2010, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families released its report entitled “Child Poverty in Arkansas 2010: A Deepening Problem.” According to the report, 24.9 percent of Arkansas children, or nearly one in four, lived in poverty in 2008. The high rate of poverty not only impacts the ability of individual children to grow into successful adults, but the related health and education impacts can limit growth in Arkansas’ economy. And in our current economic recession, the problem is only getting worse.

Years of research have shown that there are successful methods of reducing the impacts of poverty on children. Examples of such methods include encouraging quality early education and expanding after school and summer programs to help children gain a stronger foothold on their current and future schoolwork.

In addition to enacting solutions that directly benefit children, we must also create an environment in which parents have the tools and ability to provide for themselves and their children. AACF’s report addresses several initiatives aimed at reducing poverty among parents including improved quality childcare, work and income support for parents, adult education, and job training.

AACF’s report can be viewed by clicking here.

Over 300 Organizations from 42 States Support Funding For Supplemental Poverty Measure

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:43:57 +0000

On Friday, June 4, 2010, the Half in Ten Campaign sent a letter to members of Congress urging them to support funding for a supplemental federal poverty measure and for the development of an additional economic indicator reflecting what it takes to “make ends meet.” Already, 349 organizations from 42 states have signed onto this letter in support of this funding.

A new supplemental poverty measure will enhance the ability of policy makers to allocate resources by providing a more adequate account of the constraints American families face today and how well federal programs are working in providing pathways out of poverty. The additional “make ends meet” indicator would represent a more secure level of income for families not only to meet their basic needs, but to get a foothold on the bottom rungs of the middle class. Together these two indicators would provide better information to Members of Congress in crafting policy to promote family economic security.

Read the full text of the letter below.

Dear Senators Inouye and Cochran and Representatives Obey and Lewis:

The undersigned organizations write to respectfully request that the Senate and House Appropriations Committees fully fund the President’s FY2011 Budget request for development of a supplemental income poverty measure in the amount of $5 million to the U.S. Census Bureau and $2.5 million to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This funding will ensure that agencies have the necessary resources to release the new measure in September of 2011. We are also writing to request that Congress provide funding to develop and implement an additional economic indicator of what it takes to “make ends meet” that alongside the supplemental measure would be helpful in informing government policy to strengthen pathways to the middle class.

Developed in the early 1960s, the traditional measure of poverty was based on the cost of an emergency food diet at the time multiplied by three. That was because in the most recent expenditure data available, for 1955, food only made up one-third of an average American family’s budget. Since then, however, this poverty line has merely been indexed to inflation, amounting to only approximately $22,000 per year for a family of four in 2009. This outdated budget is inconsistent with today’s reality. Food now makes up approximately one-seventh of an American family’s budget while other family expenses such as housing, child care, and medical out of pocket costs have risen disproportionately.

The result is that a family of four living at the federal poverty line today has an income amounting to only about 28 percent of the median income, whereas when the measure was first designed in the 1960s, the same family would have had an income equivalent to 50 percent of the median. Certainly, this discrepancy masks the hardships and struggles of working families who are at or above the outdated poverty threshold. We need a supplemental measure of poverty that reflects these 21st century realities.

By funding the supplemental poverty measure requested by the Obama administration, Congress will not replace the existing poverty measure in terms of determining eligibility for programs or disbursement of federal dollars, but instead will provide a more accurate statistical measure of income poverty in America.

The objective of this new poverty statistic can be compared to that of the unemployment rate, which in and of itself does not make a family eligible to receive unemployment benefits, but provides an aggregate picture of how the economy is faring and prompts action to create jobs and better target public policies. Similarly, the new supplemental poverty measure will enhance the ability of policy makers to allocate resources by providing a more adequate account of the constraints American families face today and how well federal programs are working in providing pathways out of poverty.

Beyond the supplemental measure, additional standards are needed to tell how many families are able to obtain a foothold on the bottom rungs of the ladder into the middle class. The undersigned organizations therefore ask for funding for the speedy development and implementation of a measure would more accurately reflect the amount of income it takes families to “make ends meet.” This additional indicator would represent a more secure level of income for families not only to meet their basic needs, but to save for the future and have a cushion for emergencies.

Thank you for considering our request to fully fund the administration’s request of $5 million for the Census Bureau and $2.5 million to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for release of a supplemental poverty measure and additional funding for development and implementation of a standard that would reflect the income it requires to “make ends meet.” These statistics will provide a more realistic picture of the struggles millions of American families are facing and in doing so, help create better, more effective policy.

Respectfully,

National Organizations

9to5, National Association of Working Women
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
Bread for the World
Center for Law and Social Policy
Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP)
Center for Women Policy Studies
Center of Concern
Coalition on Human Needs
Community Action Partnership
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Every Child Matters
First Focus Campaign for Children
Generations United
Global Justice Ministry, Metropolitan Community Churches
Insight Center for Community Economic Development
National Assembly on School-Based Health Care
National Association of Commissions for Women
National Association of County Human Services Administrators
National Association of Social Workers
National Center for Law and Economic Justice
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council on Aging
National Women’s Health Network
National Women’s Law Center
New America Foundation
Northwest Federation of Community Organizations (NWFCO)
PolicyLink
PTA
Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need
RESULTS
Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
School Sisters of St. Francis
Secular Franciscan Order
Sojourners
Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice
The Episcopal Church
The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
Union for Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
United for a Fair Economy
USAction
Wider Opportunities for Women
Women of Reform Judaism

State and Local Organizations:

Alabama:
Community Service Programs of West Alabama, Inc.
YWCA Central Alabama

Arizona:
Arizona Advocacy Network
Arizona Community Action Association
Association of Arizona Food Banks
Community Action Human Resources Agency
Desert Mission Food Bank
Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition (PAFCO)
Save the Family Foundation of Arizona
United Food Bank
United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona

California:
9to5 Bay Area (CA)
9to5 Los Angeles
Area Agency on Aging
Artful Children
California Senior Leaders Alliance
California/Nevada Community Action Partnership (state association)
Catholic Charities of California
Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County
Community Living Campaign
Congregation B’nai Chaim
Congress of California Seniors
County of Santa Barbara Department of Social Services
County Welfare Directors Association of California
Dixon Family Services
Echo Park United Methodist Church
Eldertouch Consulting
Elsdon, Inc.
First 5 Alameda County
First 5 Marin Children and Families Commission
Food for People
Grass Roots Organizing Grows
Healy Senior Center of Southern Humboldt
In-Home Supportive Services Consortium of San Francisco
Libreria del Pueblo, Inc
Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California
McKinleyville Family Resource Center
National Council of Jewish Women, California
North Coast Resource Center
Northcoast Children’s Services
Opportunity Fund
Pacifica’s Environmental Family
Parent Voices Southern Alameda County Chapter
Plumas Rural Services
RAVEN Project
San Francisco Department on the Status of Women
San Luis Obispo County (California) Department of Social Services
Sisters of Mercy
Supportive Parents Information Network, Inc.
The Alliance for Children’s Rights
United Methodist Church
United Way of the Bay Area
Voices for Justice
Wiyot Tribe
Women’s Initiative
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), San Diego

Colorado:
9to5 Colorado
Colorado Center on Law and Policy
Colorado Progressive Coalition
Colorado Springs Branch NAACP
Girls Inc. of Metro Denver
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Colorado
Metro CareRing
Sisters of St. Francis
Stride

Connecticut:
All Our Kin
CAFCA
Collaborative Center for Justice, Inc.
Community Action Agency of New Haven
Holy Family Home and Shelter, Inc.
Poor People’s Alliance
Willington Youth, Family & Social Services

District of Columbia:
Capital Area Food Bank

Florida:
Alachua County
Coalition to End Homelessness
GAL
Miami Coalition for the Homeless
Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches
Whole Child Manatee

Georgia:
9to5 Atlanta Working Women
Family Development Task Force, Inc.
Macon Bibb County Economic Opportunity Council, Inc.

Hawaii:
Aloha United Way
Catholic Charities Hawaii
Hawaii People’s Fund
Hawaii Public Health Association
National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Chapter
Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center

Illinois:
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights
Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition
Lutheran Advocacy–Illinois
National Association of Social Workers
National Council of Jewish Women Illinois State Public Affairs Committee
Pax Christi Illinois
St Thomas Free Clinic

Indiana:
Anderson Community Schools
Children’s Bureau, Inc.
Church Women United, Network
Concerned Citizens of Johnson County
Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council
Influencing State Policy
Middle Way House, Inc.
North Madison County Public Library System
Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sister (OLVM)
Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana
Sisters of St. Francis
The Madison County Literacy Coalition

Kansas:
Kansas Association of Community Action Programs
Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth

Kentucky:
Jefferson Community & Technical College
Kentucky State University
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Congregational Leadership

Louisiana:
Agenda for Children
Avoyelles Coalition

Massachusetts:
AWARE
Boston Medical Center
Boston Partners In Mentoring, Inc.
Care Caucus
Catholic Charities
Community Care Services
HESSCO Elder Services
Masssachusetts WIC Program
Reflexology For Health
Survivors Inc.

Maryland:
Hunger Team, National Capital Presbytery
Interfaith Works, Inc.
Maryland Alliance for the Poor (MAP)
Public Justice Center
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Institute Justice Team

Maine:
Hospitality House, Inc.

Michigan:
Cabrini Clinic
Call To Action – Michigan
Center for the Education of Women, Universitiy of Michigan
Kellogg Community College
Lutheran Family & Children’s Services of Missouri
Michigan League for Human Services
Midwest Coalition for Responsible Investment
Poverty Reduction Initiative
Shield of Faith International Ministries
St. Christine Christian Services

Minnesota:
A Minnesota Without Poverty
Aldersgate United Methodist Women
Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota
Jewish Community Action
Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota
Minnesota Community Action Partnership
Minnesota Housing Partnership
St. Catherine University
United Methodist Church
United Methodist Women

Missouri:
Beyond Housing
Central Missouri Community Action
Lighthouse Shelter (Domestic Violence Shelter)
National Council of Jewish Women – Missouri State Public Affairs
Northeast Community Action Corp.
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province
University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine

Mississippi:
Public Policy Center of Mississippi
Sisters of Mercy

North Carolina:
Action for Children North Carolina
National Association of Social Workers – NC Chapter
Rosenwald Center for Cultural Enrichment, Inc.
Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Program
St. Brendan Social Concerns Committee /Calabash Associates Franciscan Sisters of Allegany
UHURU Community Development Corporation
Urban Ministries of Wake County

Nebraska:
Center for People in Need
Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Justice Team

New Jersey:
Advocate for a Better Life for Our Children
Hope Lutheran Church
Hopes Inc.
National Council of Jewish Women – New Jersey State Public Affairs Committee
New Jersey Peach Action
Princeton’s Center for Research on Child Wellbeing

New Mexico:
Hunger and Poverty Task Force of the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe, NM
La Plaza de Encuentro Gathering Place
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico
RESULTS-Santa Fe

Nevada:
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Nevada (LAMN)
Washoe Legal Services

New York:
Action for a Better Community, Inc.
ARISE
BronxWorks
Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service
Daughters of Wisdom
Dutchess Community Action Partnership
Early Care & Learning Council
Early Educators’ Network
Emergency Food & Shelter Program of NYC
Empire Justice Center
Gloria Dei and Bethlehem Lutheran Churches
Good Shepherd Services
Hopps Memorial CME Church
Human Services Council
Long Island Cares, Inc.–The Harry Chapin Food Bank
Mid Hudson Valley Homeless Management Information System
Morris Heights Health Center
Neighborhood Family Services Coalition
New York Citizens’ Committee on Aging, Inc.
New York City Employment and Training Coalition
New York Statewide Senior Action Council
Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York
NYS Community Action Association
One Stop Senior Services
Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West Community
SUNY Empire State College
Supportive Housing Network of New York
The Children’s Village
Westchester Children’s Association
Women of Color Policy Network, NYU Wagner
Wyandanch UFSD
YWCAs of the Northeast Region

Ohio:
Community Development Corporation Resource Consortium (CDCRC), Inc
Congregation of St. Joseph
Contact Center
National Education Association (NEA)
Ohio Department of Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS)
Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley

Oklahoma:
Gatesway Foundation, Inc

Oregon:
Children First for Oregon
Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens
Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon
Plant Oregon
Portland Tenants Union

Pennsylvania:
Community Action Program of Lancaster County
Dignity Housing
Essential Energy
Family Services of Montgomery County / Keys to Success
Feast of Justice
Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Health Federation of Philadelphia
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania
Maternity Care Coalition
PA Hunger Action Center
Pennsylvania Council of Churches
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children
Philadelphia Veterans Multi-service & Education Center, Inc
Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc.
Providence Connections
Sisters of St. Joseph NW PA
Spring Gardens Children’s Center
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
The Open Line
The Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia
Women’s Law Project
YWCA of Lancaster

Rhode Island:
Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island
HousingFirstRI
National Association of Social Workers -Rhode Island
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition
The Poverty Institute

South Carolina:
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
Spring of Life Lutheran Church

Tennessee:
Plants, Inc.
Volunteers of America

Texas:
Center for Public Policy Priorities
Incarnate Word
La Fe Policy Research and Education Center
McLennan County Hunger Coalition
Methodist Healthcare Ministries
Senior Community Outreach Services, Inc.
Sisters of St. Joseph
United Methodist Church

Utah:
Community Action Partnership of Utah
Salt Lake Community Action Program

Vermont:
Clarina Howard Nichols Ctr.
Peace & Justice Center
Voices Against Violence / Laurie’s House
WomenSafe

Virginia:
2-1-1 Virginia
Bethany Hall, Inc
Blue Ridge Independent Living Center
Cabell Brand Center
Depaul Community Resources
King of Kings Lutheran Church
Toward Educating America’s Children (TEACH)
Virginia Association of Personal Care Assistants (VAPCA)
Virginia Community Action Partnership
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy

Washington:
American Federation of Government Employees Local 3937, AFL-CIO
Catholic Charities Housing Services
Citizens for Responsible Justice
Food Lifeline
Housing Hope
Legal Voice
Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State
North Urban Human Services Alliance
Triumph Treatment Services

Wisconsin:
9to5 Milwaukee
Community Advocates Public Policy Institute
Doing Government
Racine Dominicans Justice and Rights Commission
Sinsinawa Dominicans
St. Matthew Justice & Human Concerns Committee
Surplus With A Purpose (SWAP)

West Virginia:
Direct Action Welfare Group Inc.
NAACP
Southern Appalachian Labor School
West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council (WVSILC), Fairshake Network

Wyoming:
Senior Housing

Minnesota: Standing Together Against Poverty

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:14:14 +0000

The Minnesota legislature finished its session on May 17. The state had a $3 billion budget deficit this year, but the Minnesota Half in Ten partners and our allies mounted a “Stand Together Minnesota” campaign that helped to defeat proposals from the governor and the House to make serious and deep cuts to the income-assistance provisions in the state’s General Assistance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families programs.

We focused on the message that those assistance programs, often dismissed as “welfare,” are the only alternatives for low-wage workers who do not qualify for unemployment insurance and do not have access to paid sick leave or short- and long-term disability insurance. That was defense.

Our offensive win for the session was a bill authorizing a legislative working group to develop policy recommendations that will help low-income Minnesotans develop and secure assets. We expect the bipartisan group to look at issues on the Half In Ten agenda, including addressing predatory market practices and income tax credits. The three Minnesota partners went into the session with almost identical legislative agendas, allowing us to mobilize our different constituencies for the same objectives.

Half in Ten ally Affirmative Options has also been engaging its members and allies on the federal level in contacting our congressional delegation on the importance of passing a bill to extend unemployment insurance, medical assistance contributions to the states, and emergency TANF funds. We developed sign-on letters that sought the names of individual constituents instead of organizations; provided information about the number and type of jobs created with TANF funds in Minnesota; shared data about the number of low-wage workers who turn to TANF in Minnesota; and worked closely with state workforce agencies, legislators, and allied advocates in prompting calls and emails to the delegation.

Half in Ten allies, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition and A Minnesota Without Poverty, also helped to organize a forum for gubernatorial candidates on Monday, May 24. The forum will ask candidates to speak to their vision and values in addressing the need for jobs, health care, affordable housing, and other economic justice issues. The hope is to fill the 500 seats at the forum and to demonstrate public support for tackling poverty.

Arkansas: Giving a Voice to Children and Families

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:06:35 +0000

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is an active member of the Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunities, a committee made up of 22 bipartisan state legislators, service agencies, and advocacy groups. This taskforce will be hosting six town hall meetings throughout Arkansas during the summer months to hear low-income families’ stories and struggles, and voice the views of community leaders, elected officials, and concerned citizens on how to end poverty in our state.

The task force is also working with community-based organizations to hold smaller focus groups with low-income citizens to hear personal struggles, identify major barriers to getting out of poverty, and discuss how we can work together to abolish poverty. The findings from these town hall meetings will help inform the analysis and recommendations included in the task force’s final report.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families also continues to hold “Policy Cafés” throughout the state to share information about the Half in Ten campaign with local advocates and concerned citizens. Many participants take extra copies of the endorsement forms to pass out to elected officials, co-workers, and family members.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families will also officially release its “Child Poverty in Arkansas 2010: A Deepening Problem” report on May 25, 2010. AACF is holding a luncheon for local advocates and elected officials to present the report. This report, along with Half in Ten resources, will be used to introduce newly elected lawmakers to AACF’s work in November. The materials will also be used during the summer months when AACF staff makes visits with lawmakers gearing up for the January session. This report and the Half in Ten resources will also be available to assist the Legislative Task Force on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunities’ town hall meetings.

Colorado: Training women to speak out on job-creation

mboteach — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:00:07 +0000

Colorado’s Half in Ten Campaign has trained women across the country on the importance of passing legislation for job creation! Specifically, 9to5, the National Association of Working Women, has trained over 50 women at the 9to5 Annual Leadership Conference and 10 women throughout the Denver metro area about how to take action to extend the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Fund, which is slated to expire on September 30th. Women have been calling their Representatives asking for their support on legislation to extend TANF. They plan next to tell their personal stories of perseverance to the community, legislators, and over the web to gain a broad support.

Colorado’s Half in Ten coalition tried ferociously to keep the Economic Opportunity and Poverty Reduction Task Force, a legislative group dedicated to reducing poverty over the next 10 years, ongoing this summer. The coalition supported an amendment that was introduced to exempt the task force from being suspended over the summer. The Campaign met with legislators to express their concerns about suspending the task force for one year. Despite the Half in Ten Campaign’s efforts the Economic Opportunity and Poverty Reduction Task Force will be suspended over the summer. However, the task force plans on finding a way to continue to meet this summer possibly as an ad hoc committee.

Minnesota Partners Bring Anti-Poverty Campaign to State Capitol

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:29:30 +0000

“Justice We Pursue” was the theme of the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition’s annual day on Capitol Hill. JRLC is one of the Minnesota groups working on the Half in Ten campaign. Its day on the hill has always been focused on state-level policies, but this year it used the Half in Ten logo on its outreach materials and on the jumbo screen at the convening and briefing sessions. Brian Rusche, executive direction of JRLC, spoke to the 750 participants about Half in Ten and our fairly new A Minnesota Without Poverty campaign.

The day’s issues focused on legislation JRLC wants to advance this year and cuts it wants to prevent during yet another big state budget shortfall, including:

The development of a poverty impact statement to measure whether major legislation would increase or decrease the number of Minnesotans in poverty. This was tabled for this session because even $50,000 is too much in a budget that will be cut by $1 billion.
Starting Ladders out of Poverty—a legislative workgroup that will take the ideas outlined by JRLC’s Legislative Commission to End Poverty around asset development and turn them into specific legislative proposals. So far so good.

The people of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian faiths who showed up for Day on the Hill met with 75 legislators in person and with another 30 legislative staff members. Those same participants are now being asked to hold in-district meetings, continue lobbying their legislators, and participate in candidate forums. JRLC has developed questions to be asked of gubernatorial candidates and is encouraging members to press candidates on their views both during public forums and one-on-one encounters.

Affirmative Options, another Half in Ten partner in Minnesota, has meanwhile been working on ensuring that Minnesota’s congressional delegation continues to hear about the importance and urgency of approving extensions of the emergency funding for the Temporary Assistance for Need Families program.

Arkansas: Reporting the sad truths of child poverty

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:27:08 +0000

Debilitating poverty continues to be painfully present in Arkansas. Staff members from Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families recently traveled to the Arkansas Delta region to lead discussion groups on various subjects. AACF’s Pat Bodenhamer led the discussion, “Cutting Poverty in Half by 2020.” She asked three questions: What are the negative effects of poverty? What are the causes of poverty? And what can we do?

The answers were similar and heartbreaking. One woman from Helena-West Helena summed it up best when she describes her life in the delta, “We seem to be a people without vision and a town without hope.” As heartbreaking as her answer was, it unfortunately rings true throughout many parts of the state. But the rallying cry from many of the participants at the end of the discussion in Helena-West Helena was quite different—there can be hope in the delta, and they do have the will to abolish poverty. They joyfully joined the Half in Ten Campaign.

AACF will release a report in May from Senior Policy Analyst Kim Reeve, “Child Poverty in Arkansas 2010: A Deepening Problem.” This report addresses the increasing number of children living in poverty in Arkansas. AACF includes information about the Half in Ten campaign in the report, and highlights policy solutions such as revenue for quality child care, the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and other poverty fighting strategies.

Pat Bodenhamer also gave a presentation to the Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunities, a committee made up of 22 bipartisan state legislators, service agencies, and advocacy groups. She handed out Half in Ten resources and encouraged all the members and organizations serving on the task force to sign on to the Half in Ten pledge. She is contacting each member by phone or email to further encourage members to read more in depth about the Half in Ten campaign and to endorse their efforts.

The summer months will be dedicated to meeting with elected officials and candidates to inform them of the importance of working together to cut in half by 2020. AACF is committed to working with and finding solutions to help our families step up out of poverty.

Colorado: Educating low-income women about Half in Ten

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:26:12 +0000

Colorado’s Half in Ten campaign has been working closely with the state legislature’s economic opportunity and poverty reduction taskforce to make gains for low-income families. Half in Ten’s state partner 9to5: The National Association of Working Women’s Colorado chapter has already trained dozens of members to contact their state representatives on the eight bills introduced to the state legislature to fight poverty.

Colorado organizer Bridget Kaminetsky will be meeting with 9to5 members across the country this weekend to educate them about the Half in Ten campaign. Kaminetsky spent March and April holding meetings with organizational leaders across the state to educate them about the Half in Ten goal, and together they are developing a plan to reach out to members via email, the web, tabling events, and trainings on specific legislature goals such as the reauthorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Minnesota: Lobbying on Refundable Tax Credits and More

jrosenthal — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:32:19 +0000

The Minnesota Half in Ten coalition has been very active the past month, holding several events and educating hundreds of Minnesotans on the Half in Ten campaign and our shared policy priorities.

The Joint Religious Legislative Coalition just last week held a Day on the Hill at the Minnesota state capitol, where more than 1,000 activists learned about the Half in Ten campaign and advocated on state and federal issues to reduce poverty.

Nancy Maeker, the executive director of A Minnesota Without Poverty, keynoted three Bread for the World workshop events in late February, helping to gather more than 200 letters in support of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.

And A Minnesota Without Poverty also hosted a statewide gathering in late February on five sites to report on the progress toward ending poverty and to issue a call to action. Affirmative Options Coalition and Joint Religious Legislative Coalition were two of the co-sponsors for the event which drew more than 400 people in St. Paul, Duluth, Moorhead, Willmar, and Rochester, with additional supporters joining the webcast program online. The call to action highlighted coordinating the Minnesota legislative agenda with the Half in Ten issues and encouraged advocates to support the Half in Ten campaign. After the formal program, all participants gathered around tables for discussion, letter writing, phone calling—and food.

You can view photos and an introductory video from the gathering on Facebook.

The Minnesota coalition will continue its work over the coming months and focus on priorities such as:

Building more partner relationships, especially with organizations involving low-income people
Developing a comprehensive communications plan to engage all sectors of society in fighting poverty and build the public will to act
Organizing a presence at candidate forums to hear from those seeking elected office what they hope to do on poverty
Collecting stories from diverse populations, including stories from people experiencing poverty and other sectors of society
Participating in the Minnesota State Fair to educate attendees about specific issues relating to Minnesota and Half in Ten and to focus on the election process

Colorado: Engaging Stakeholders in the Half in Ten Goal

jrosenthal — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:21:22 +0000

9to5, National Association of Working Women hosted a meeting of the Colorado Half in Ten statewide coalition this month to share the campaign’s top policy priorities and begin discussing ways Colorado can build out the movement to end poverty in the state.

Those attending the meeting included representatives from a wide and diverse group: service providers who run food and shelter programs, employment specialists, mental health counselors, economic justice activists, and faith leaders. They agreed to focus on three main concerns:

Incorporating current actions and advocacy efforts into a broader campaign to cut poverty in half in Colorado during the next decade
Developing a plan to reach even more community leaders with the coalition’s antipoverty message
Reframing poverty by talking about how many issues intersect, including hunger, home foreclosure, faith, child care, education, and jobs

The coalition will soon begin to conduct an online and social media marketing campaign around raising awareness of the Half in 10 work in Colorado.
To get involved, email bridget@9to5.org.

Arkansas: Bringing Together Community Advocates

jrosenthal — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:10:55 +0000

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Family is in full electoral advocacy mode this spring. The message of cutting poverty in half by 2020 is receiving resounding affirmation throughout the state, individuals are signing the Half in Ten pledge, and there is a plan on the horizon to tell the story to a widespread audience.

AACF’s federal policy and outreach teams had the opportunity while in Washington D.C. this past month to meet with congressional staffers from the offices of Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), and Rep. John Boozman (R-AR). Their staff spoke with the Arkansas congressional delegation about the Half in Ten goals and discussed concrete policy solutions that could cut poverty in half by 2020. Their federal team is planning ways to educate community leaders in Arkansas and enlist them in building out the campaign statewide.

AACF’s outreach team has also been traveling around the state hosting Policy Cafés. We are asking local experts and AACF staff members to facilitate small group discussions around different issue areas. Jokingly referred to as “speed dating for advocates,” participants discuss topics for 30 minutes, then once a bell rings they move to a new “date,” or issue area. Cutting poverty in half has been a popular date so far and individuals are asked to sign a pledge form and then share one with a friend. We have held two Policy Cafés and plan to host at least five more.

Next month, The Arkansas Advocates for Children and Family Steering Committee will meet to review goals and set forth an aggressive plan to educate lawmakers and candidates on the fundamental principles of the Half in Ten campaign. AACF will also release its Child Poverty Report early this spring and submit an op-ed in several local newspapers on the topic. And staff are excited to be invited by the Arkansas Legislative Poverty Task Force to come and discuss the Half in Ten campaign and how we can work together on antipoverty efforts.

Colorado: Engaging Women in the Fight Against Poverty

jrosenthal — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:44:51 +0000

9to5 Colorado has been sharing information about Half in Ten to our lists of members and supporters and is in the process of planning our first Coalition meeting. On February 17th, 9to5 shared information about Half in Ten at the Colorado Women’s Legislative Breakfast which brought 240 women and allies to hear about issues affecting women. Legislators spoke about policies they are pushing to better the economic self sufficiency of women including health care, child care assistance, early childhood education, family friendly workplace policies and the impacts of the current budget crisis Colorado is facing.

9to5 recently led a lobby day bringing 12 community leaders to the Capitol to speak to their legislators about policies that impact people living in poverty. We will be conducting more lobby days to provide an opportunity for constituents ask their legislators to sign on to the Half in Ten campaign.

Arkansas: Educating Policymakers About Life in Poverty

jrosenthal — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:41:57 +0000

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is excited to be part of the Half in Ten family. With the New Year well on its way, new opportunities to cut poverty in half by 2020 have taken flight in Arkansas. AACF will launch a plan to educate policy makers, service providers and the public on the importance of knowing the facts about poverty and how we can work together to reduce poverty. This three- prong plan will include:

Hosting regional meetings that will educate participants on the facts of poverty and the policies that help and hinder our most vulnerable populations.
Holding advocacy academies to equip local advocates with the knowledge on the methods of effective advocacy.
Empowering locally trained advocates to host round table discussions with candidates and elected officials to share what they have learned and how they can work together to abolish poverty in our state and country.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is also creating a candidate’s guide that will be used in this training. This guide will outline our different issue areas and encourage local advocates to become active in the electoral process by questioning potential candidates on the issues that affect so many working families in Arkansas.
Finally, we are working with local partners to bring the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) to Arkansas. This tool was created by the Missouri Association for Community Action to educate policymakers and community leaders about the day to day realities of life with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress. Several local partners and staff members of AACF have been trained to facilitate the poverty simulation. We hope to offer this unique opportunity by mid-March. For more information and description of the poverty simulation

The future is filled with opportunities, as are looking forward to working together with dedicated advocates, concerned lawmakers and the faith community to cut poverty in half by 2020 in Arkansas and the United States overall.

Email Pat Bodenhamer at pbodenhamer@aradvocates.org to get involved

Minnesota: Building a Movement for Decent Work

jrosenthal — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:39:30 +0000

The Minnesota Half in Ten Coalition – composed of Affirmative Options Coalition, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, and a Minnesota Without Poverty – is already planning several events to build out the movement to cut poverty in half in ten years.

Last weekend, A Minnesota Without Poverty Executive Director, Nancy Maeker, served as the keynote speaker at three Bread for the World workshops on “Bridging the Gap—Making Work Pay: Addressing the Struggle of Low-Income Workers to Make Ends Meet.” Nancy educated dozens of activists on the Earned Income Tax Credit, strategies to end poverty in Minnesota, and the Half in Ten Campaign’s goals and priorities.
On February 27th, A Minnesota Without Poverty will hold a statewide Gathering on Five Sites entitled, “If Not We, Then Who? If Not Now, Then When?” This web-linked program will focus on the first recommendation of the Legislative Commission to End Poverty recommendation: Restore work as a means out of poverty. All five sites will share the experience of a keynote speaker, music, conversation, report on the progress toward ending poverty, and a community-wide call to action throughout Minnesota.
On March 25th, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) will hold a day at the state capitol where over a thousand activists will gather to celebrate JRLC’s Day on the Hill (March 25). Half in Ten issues and goals will be incorporated into this day’s agenda.

Email Nancy Maeker at nancymaeker@mnwithoutpoverty.org to get involved.

Meet our State Coalitions: Arkansas

jrosenthal — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:36:42 +0000

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families has teamed up with the Half in Ten campaign to lead efforts in reducing poverty in our state. The Arkansas legislature has taken a step forward in addressing this issue by establishing the Poverty Task Force to look at public programs and policies that have the potential to reduce poverty. By building a statewide network and coalition through the Half in Ten campaign, we hope to work with elected officials to reduce the number of Arkansas children and families that live in poverty. We have partnered with other advocacy agencies to provide education opportunities to leaders in our state by helping them understand the plight of low-income families through the poverty simulation. During the simulation, participants experience the situations that families living in poverty go through every day.

We will work very closely with the Poverty Task Force and other low-income advocates to focus on legislation to improve the lives of Arkansans living in poverty. One such piece of legislation will be enacting a state Earned Income Tax Credit. We will also equip the faith community to be advocates for the poor on a state and national level. Our outreach director for the project is staff member Pat Bodenhamer, an ordained Methodist minister, who will continue to work with faith leaders across the state. We will also use our existing Moving Families Forward network made up of individuals and organizations around the state to work with their local elected officials.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a statewide child advocacy organization, serves as a voice for children in public policy decisions. Throughout our 30-year history, we have worked to ensure that all Arkansas children and their families have the resources and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives and to realize their full potential.

Meet our State Coalitions: Colorado

jrosenthal — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:46:26 +0000

The Colorado chapter of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, is partnering with the Half in Ten campaign to raise awareness of poverty in Colorado and the policy solutions that can help us ensure economic security and opportunity for all. We plan to educate thousands of directly affected Coloradans about the Half in Ten campaign, and reach out to activists, coalition partners and elected officials to build support for the Half in Ten goal. Through public events, workshops, leadership development, and grassroots organizing, we hope that women and their families all across the state will jump on the train headed towards a just and economically sound Colorado.

9to5, National Association of Working Women is a grassroots membership organization that strives to engage directly affected women in the movement for economic justice in the workplace.

Meet our State Coalitions: Minnesota

jrosenthal — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:17:00 +0000

The Half in Ten campaign recognizes that we won’t cut poverty in half by 2020 without grassroots activists across the country calling for change. With that in mind, we are working with coalitions in several states to make the half in ten goal a reality.
Three Minnesota organizations are embracing the Half In Ten campaign: the Affirmative Options Coalition, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, and A MinnesotaWithout Poverty. The three organizations have already collaborated on moving an agenda forward to end poverty in Minnesota. The opportunity to work with Half In Ten was an opportunity to carry the message that Minnesota cannot make substantive progress on ending poverty without a renewed and serious federal commitment to tackle poverty. The three Minnesota partners will collaborate on engaging constituencies in the low-income, faith, nonprofit, and business sectors in a shared agenda on tackling poverty.

2010 will be a year to make visible the growing public support for ending poverty. In particular, the effort in Minnesota will focus on winning legislation that creates a tool for the state legislature to measure the impact of potential legislation on poverty, to launch a legislative-citizen workgroup to develop proposed policies to improve Minnesotans’ ability to accumulate and secure assets, and to revive a wage subsidy program that could help put thousands of low-income Minnesotans into jobs during this recession.

The Affirmative Options Coalition is a coalition of nonprofits–those directly serving low-income Minnesotans and those who advocate for better public policies.

The Joint Religious Legislative Coalition is faith-based coalition guided by God’s vision of the common good as reflected in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. JRLC mobilizes religious communities to influence public policy in Minnesota.

A Minnesota Without Poverty is a statewide movement to end poverty in Minnesota that was launched by the faith community to seek out partnerships with allies in other sectors, including the business sector.