The Coalition on Human Needs and the Emergency Campaign for America’s Priorities have released a report in conjunction with their webcast on the economic crisis.

The report describes about $90 billion in economic recovery measures specifically targeted to assist low- and moderate-income families, including the extension and modernization of unemployment insurance benefits, the development of green jobs, increased funding for Head Start and other early education programs, and protections for renters and low-income homeowners.
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On Wednesday, October 29, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on Economic Recovery, Job Creation and Investment In America. Robert Greenstein, Executive Director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, was among the distinguished witnesses who testified at the hearing. Greenstein discussed new data on wealth and income inequality, the role of public policy solutions, and the implications of these solutions.
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The Government of Ontario is committed to a Poverty Reduction Strategy. The 25 in 5 Campaign will work towards reducing poverty levels in Ontario by 25 percent in 5 years and 50 percent by 2018.

On October 27th, the 25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction hosted a Toronto Network General Assembly that brought together friends and allies, including Half in Ten Executive Director Lisa Donner, as part of the countdown to the announcement of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction plan in December 2008.
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The Coalition on Human Needs will co-host a live webcast about the economic crisis on October 30, featuring Jared Bernstein, Director of the Living Standards Program at the Economic Policy Institute, and author of Crunch: Why Do I Feel So Squeezed? (And Other Unsolved Economic Mysteries); Barry Zigas, Housing Policy Director at the Consumer Federation of America; and Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs. These experts will provide background on the crisis, and what Congress, the next administration, and the advocacy community can do about it.
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On Thursday, October 23 Half in Ten hosted a panel discussion about the Harlem Children’s Zone, an innovative effort to combat child poverty.

The Harlem Children’s Zone is America’s most ambitious and closely watched effort to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. HCZ aims to create a “conveyor belt” for Harlem’s poor children, a series of rich and effective supports-from a “Baby College” for parents, to an all-day pre-kindergarten and extended-day charter schools, to health clinics and community centers, all the way to help in succeeding in college. Together, these efforts aim to give poor children the stimulation and the opportunities that most kids growing up in middle-class neighborhoods receive from birth. This year, HCZ will serve 8,000 children living in the 97 block Zone. The initiative has been featured on 60 Minutes, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and in the New York Times Magazine.
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On , October 15, over 12,000 blogs wrote about poverty for Blog Action Day. Among the top stories featured on the Blog Action Day website was the article posted by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
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By Peter B. Edelman, Mark H. Greenberg, and Harry J. Holzer in the Washington Post

As policymakers struggle to respond to the global financial meltdown, most analysts suggest that our economy is entering a fairly serious and lengthy recession, with perhaps the highest unemployment rates in a generation. If true, this would inflict economic pain on most Americans — but the most severe effects will be felt by disadvantaged adults, youths and their families.
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A national summit in Washington, DC on Wednesday, October 22 will bring together government officials, business leaders, social activists, and other public figures to initiate an five-year plan for realizing Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream for America.
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Half in Ten is proud to support Blog Action Day 2008. Today, on thousands of blogs around the world, writers and commenters will discuss all aspects of poverty-global and domestic, urban and rural, useful technologies and policy solutions. If you have a blog or podcast, we encourage you to participate. Below, we’ve compiled some facts on American poverty and our solutions, as well as links to other organizations that are fighting poverty, to help you as you develop a post.

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The Half in Ten Campaign is committed to cutting poverty in half in the United States over the next 10 years, focusing on practical policy solutions to promote decent work, provide opportunity for all, ensure economic security, and help people build wealth. But we need your support. By signing the pledge below, you can become part of this effort — we’ll send you updates about the campaign, and opportunities to get involved. We look forward to having you on board!
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