“Sometimes love is not enough to keep a community together. There needs to be something more tangible, like fair housing, opportunities and access to resources. Lifeboats and lifelines are not supposed to just be a way for us to get out. They should be ways to let us stay in and survive. And thrive.”

— Ibi Zoboi  



“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice.”

— Nelson Mandela 

As we’ve seen in resources throughout the Equity Challenge, there are two general approaches towards eradicating poverty: (1) increase the income of low-income individuals and (2) provide services and enact policies that decrease the negative impacts of having a low income. Both approaches have their share of challenges, and today’s resources highlight innovative solutions that are being designed and implemented to eradicate poverty. 

Today is the last day of content for the Abolishing Poverty Equity Challenge, but we will send one final reflection on Monday and provide an opportunity to share your feedback. Thanks for your participation, engagement and willingness to grapple with a difficult and urgently important topic.  

READ

Former 26-year-old Stockton, California Mayor Michael Stubbs describes his efforts launching the first Guaranteed Income Program in “Escaping Poverty Like I Did Shouldn’t Be the Exception.”

Race Forward addresses a number of suggestions to transform how we talk about “Racially Equitable Communications in Workforce Development,” “Reframing Food Hubs” and other topics in its Race & Economy report series.   

PBS News Hour reports on RxKids, a “New Program that ‘Prescribes’ Monthly Payments for Newborns” in Flint, Michigan.

See author Michelle Alexander speak about reimagining our legal, political and economic systems in her Facing Race, Elevating Democracy (FRED) talk. (12 minutes) 

Explore international examples addressing housing needs: “Solving Homelessness” in Australia and “Finland Solved Homelessness, Here’s How.” (7 and 20 minutes, respectively)

Consider reflections on the launch of the first reparations program in Evanston, IL (2 minutes), which inspired an annual reparations symposium of cities from across the country to learn and share strategies. (2 minutes)

LISTEN

NPR reports on states that are expanding their own Child Tax Credit (CTC) in “To Tackle Poverty, More States Will Offer Bigger Child Tax Credits in 2024.” (4 minutes)

This NPR interview explores a Seattle program that provides additional housing voucher resources for families to move into “high opportunity” neighborhoods, and it’s working: “A Move Out of Town Could Be a Path Out of Poverty.” (7 minutes) 

Choose from more than thirty different Poverty Unpacked podcasts that address a variety of innovations, including basic income, direct cash, dignity in development, faith community work, technology and many more. (~30 minutes each)

ACT

The Center for American Progress proposes twelve bold solutions to end poverty and includes a prompt to help you email your legislators to take action to end poverty.   

Continue building the muscle of becoming a poverty abolitionist with “7 Ways You Can Help Fight Poverty in Your Community” from CommunityBond Communities. 

Donate: Find a local organization providing critical services to our neighbors in need and make a meaningful investment to support their efforts. 

Volunteer: Offer your skills or simply the valuable gift of time, hands and brainpower for understaffed and overworked service agencies by tutoring, stocking food pantries, preparing taxes and more. 

Advocate: Follow both state and local legislative efforts, show up at your city council meetings, reach out to your local representatives and put yourself in the rooms where change happens!

Want to refer back to an earlier Equity Challenge email in this series? Please visit this link.

VISIT US:

United Way of Connecticut

55 Capital Boulevard, Rocky Hill, CT 06067