Reducing Poverty
What would it take to significantly reduce poverty?
A Very Comprehensive Solution
Because poverty is a comprehensive problem, it requires a comprehensive solution. The Poverty Reduction Initiative has worked to identify key components which impact the lives of children and families in poverty. The following is a list of actions which we believe can positively reduce the incidence of poverty in our community.
These actions will not simply manage poverty, but reduce it. This is a work in progress, and as additional items are identified they will be added to the list.
EDUCATION
Learning
- Comprehensive all day 12 month 0-5 Early Childhood Education (provided to low wage workers)
- Comprehensive PreK-16 Education programs
- Training for low-income home-owners to acquire maintenance skills and resources
- Job Skills training relevant to emerging job market needs
- Literacy programs for Children and Adults
- Increase access to universities and colleges, extending financial aid
- Provide ongoing support services such as in-work training and education programs
- Financial Literacy programs in schools and community
- Establish a seamless system of high quality training programs available to all people on income support programs
- Provide ongoing support services such as in-work training and education programs
WORK
Working
- Regular scheduled Minimum Wage increases based on COLA
- Job creation for local workforce at a Living Wage (full time full year employment should ensure a standard of living above the poverty line)
- Development of job opportunities in high density areas within the transportation network
- Coordinated, coherent labor matching programs to better connect people who are unemployed (or underemployed) to the needs of employers
- Green Community Initiatives
- Business incubator for local small business start-ups, including access to start-up capital and mentoring services
- Youth Summer Recreation, Arts and Jobs Programs using Youth Development models
- Part-Time workers Unemployment Insurance Benefits
- Improve access to unionization particularly for workers in small workplaces and precarious forms of work
- Support of locally owned businesses by local residents
- Hiring of local workforce for local tax supported projects
LIFE
Thriving
- Reformulate the Poverty threshold computation to include benefits now received and expenses not now included such as transportation costs, child care and health care
- Affordable Pre and Postnatal Health access (provided to low wage workers)
- Affordable Health, Dental and Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Services (provided to low wage workers)
- Comprehensive care programs for physically and developmentally disabled
- Safe Affordable Child Care (provided to low wage workers)
- Community supports for Special Needs Children and Adults (individuals with special needs should be assured a basic income system that ensures a decent standard of living with adequate supports)
- Adequate dependent care (provided to low wage workers)
- Adequate, Affordable and Fair Housing in all neighborhoods
- Comprehensive Emergency Services (Food, Shelter, Clothing etc.) Programs for those in need
- Health and Wellness programs and facilities promoting Healthy Active Lifestyles (provided to low wage workers/families)
- Access to Legal Aid and community ombudsman
- Adequate Public Safety
- Prisoner Re-Entry programs that lead to self-sufficiency
- In-Home affordable Senior Services
- Affordable Senior Care options
- Access to banking and/or traditional financial services in all neighborhoods
- Individual Development Accounts for low-income individuals
- Asset Building for low-income residents
- Multi-Lingual Services in all community support and educational programs
- Training for low-income home-owners to acquire maintenance skills and resources
Connecting
- Comprehensive fully funded 211 Services
- County Wide Linked Transportation systems providing access to work, recreation and shopping
- Family Planning Services
- Family mentoring/coaching in life skills, planning and community services access
- Strong Families initiatives; building relationships, role models and parenting skills
- Faith and Ethic Based initiatives to promote positive values
- Comprehensive youth development model After School programs
- Increase Land Bank capability to abate delinquent property taxes, acquire property, bank property and transfer property to non-profit and for-profit developers willing to develop it into affordable housing.
- Development of job opportunities in high density areas within the transportation network
- Locally grown healthy food markets in communities and neighborhoods
- Promote Cooperatives (food, housing, business, other)
Leading
- Engagement of local neighborhood and small community organizations in decision making
- Forums and Town hall meetings targeted at low income population for input into decisions directly affecting their lives.
- Recruitment of low-income individuals into leadership roles in community and government decision making groups
- Role modeling and re-counting of success stories by those who have lived in poverty
