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Online Community Poverty Reduction Program ResourcesWe identify, share and advocate "what's working" to reduce poverty for the long term. Our foundation partners with select communities in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon, providing technical assistance and financial resources through our Ventures, Horizons and Connections programs. We also cooperate with other organizations and communities to gather and share practical knowledge. Northwest Areas Foundation Resources Page The following reports are available for free, at the above link. On Getting Out and Staying Out of Poverty - The Northwest Area Foundation's new study, "On Getting Out - and Staying Out - of Poverty: The Complex Causes of and Responses to Poverty in the Northwest," examines the causes of poverty and the programs designed. Great Strides 2005, 2006 and 2007 - Covers award-winning community poverty reduction programs. Does Community Matter - The Role of Community and Addressing Poverty. A 1999 report written by Karl Stauber on the role of community in addressing poverty. Study Circles "Resources to learn more about poverty and to take action" page Missouri Association for Community Action (MACA) (Jefferson City, MO) "Piece by Piece, moving people out of poverty" Richmond Shares; Richmond Poverty Response Commmittee (PRC) The PRC is a non-profit organization made up of individuals and agencies in Richmond, working together to address and deal with issues that affect low-income residents living in Richmond . The committee consists of three major task groups: food securities, affordable housing, and gift giving/access to recreation. We welcome any like minded individuals or representatives of agencies to join us in our community work. Vision 2020 (Wisconsin)The Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WCCF), the Wisconsin Head Start Association and the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP) have joined forces for one common mission, one shared hope: the end of child poverty by 2020. Western Community Action. (Jackson, MN)Mission: To eliminate poverty by empowering families and building responsive communities in Southwest Minnesota Idaho HorizonsIdaho Horizons is a community leadership program aimed at reducing poverty in 14 small, rural towns in northern Idaho. The program is funded by the Northwest Area Foundation in partnership with University of Idaho Extension. Northway Community Trust (Minneapolis, MN)NorthWay is a community support organization (CSO) dedicated to improving the quality of life in North Minneapolis. Our purpose is to foster collaborative efforts across many programs, neighborhood boundaries and systems in order to fundamentally transform the entire North Minneapolis community. We build bridges between social service organizations, businesses, government, foundations and additional funders. We connect organizations so we’re working together instead of separately, leveraging our skills and resources in order to reduce poverty and increase prosperity. BURRST for Prosperity (Washington State)BuRSST for Prosperity is a bold, long-term initiative to strengthen communities and generate prosperity for all residents of Burien, Renton, SeaTac, Skyway and Tukwila. BuRSST has brought together hundreds of people from diverse communities affected by poverty with a network of institutional partners to develop strategies to produce needed change. Horizon Pilot CommunitiesThe Horizons program is a community leadership program aimed at reducing poverty in rural and reservation communities with populations of 5,000 or fewer and with histories of economic decline and significant population change. The program is intensive and challenging. Communities must invest time to achieve long-term results. During the 18-month program (PDF 129KB), Horizons participants explore the perceptions and the sources of poverty, recognizing that poverty isn’t always about the lack of money. The program builds stronger community leadership, acknowledging that everyone has something to contribute, and for communities to thrive, everyone has to have an opportunity to prosper. 32 short profiles (6-7 pages) are available here. Traverse Bay Poverty Reduction Initiative (PRI)PRI is a community-driven, collaborative effort to reduce poverty in the Traverse Bay region by 25% by 2010. The program was born out of the Poverty Summit, held in February 2004, in which 225 area residents joined together to address the issue of poverty in our area. Poverty Reduction Initiative consists of representatives from local businesses, public and government agencies, and concerned citizens. Working subcommittees address issues that contribute to poverty: Employment & Wages, Housing, Health Care, Education & Training, Early Childhood and Social Attitudes. Catholic Charities Campaign to Reduce Poverty in AmericaPoverty in America: A threat to the Common Good (Policy Paper by Catholic Charities Campaign Poverty simulationPoverty simulation – Wisconsin Extension web site NPR website on Savannah’s use of poverty simulation
Online Resources for Community Data & Statistics on PovertyUS Census BureauPoverty related data Colorado Division of Local Government - 2008 Self Sufficiencey Standards Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute - Self Sufficiency COMPASS of Larimer CountyWomen's Foundation of ColoradoSelf Sufficiency Standard Demographic Study- prepared by Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, funded by Denver Foundation, the Chambers Family Fund, Mile High United Way, and The Women's Foundation of Colorado. “The Cliff Effect”- In Colorado, as in other states, a full-time job at low wages is not enough to make ends meet. Federal and state “work supports” assist low-wage workers and their families with benefits such as earned income tax credits, child care subsidies, health care coverage, and food stamps. These benefits are means-tested, so as earnings increase—particularly as they rise above the official poverty level—families begin to lose eligibility even though they are not yet self-sufficient. The result is that parents can work and earn more without their families moving closer to financial security. The cause of this situation lies in the current structure of work support programs, including rapid “phase-out” rates, which lead to what is known as “cliff effects.”
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