Local Solutions to Poverty in Changing Times – Part 1

1. Local Solutions to Poverty in Changing Times – Part 1 Kenneth Ackerman, Virtual CAP Project Manager Virginia Community Action Partnership 434.295.8802 – kackerman@vacap.org Region 8/10 Conference May 13-15, 2014 Boise, ID

2. Presenter: Ken Ackerman Ken Ackerman is the creator and manager of VirtualCAP.org which was launched in 2002 through federal OCS funding. Virtual CAP supports sharing of information among Community Action Agencies and promotes replication of successful CAA initiatives. Over the past several years, Ken has been involved with NASCSP's work to identify material now featured through the Resource Bank of the CSBG T/TA Center - focusing on evidence-based, evidence-informed, exemplary and promising programs/practices. His involvement with Community Action began in 1971 as a VISTA volunteer in rural Virginia. He then directed a desegregation program in Prince Edward County (VA) where the public schools had been closed to fight school integration from 1959-1963. He subsequently served as Executive Director of the Monticello Area CAA from 1976-2000 after initially working as the agency’s Chief Planner. Ken is a certified peer reviewer for the Award for Excellence/Pathways to Excellence in Community Action and has provided interim management assistance and direct T&TA to CAAs across the U.S. Tupelo Rescues Me Tupelo’s New Brother Karma

3. Advancing Self-Sufficiency and Doing “What Works” in Challenging Times • Part One (1:45 – 3:15 PM) • What Does It Take In Your Community? • Building Public Awareness & Support • Solving the Puzzle – Together • Part Two (3:30 – 5:00 PM) • Our Political & Economic Realities • Accountability MATTERS! • Exploring “What Works”

4. Which of the following reasons do you think is most responsible for the continuing problem of poverty?

5. Which of the following reasons do you think is most responsible for the continuing problem of poverty? Source: NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, June 2013

7. 1/4 to 1/3 of Americans—and even higher percentages of Millennials and people of color—continue to experience direct economic hardship. A majority of Americans have a direct personal connection to poverty. Americans vastly overestimate the annual income necessary to be officially considered poor. Americans now believe that nearly 40 percent of their fellow citizens are living in poverty. Americans strongly believe that poverty is primarily the result of a failed economy rather than the result of personal decisions and lack of effort. Retrospective evaluations of the War on Poverty are mixed, but Americans across ideological and partisan lines believe the government has a responsibility to use its resources to fight poverty…there is strong support for a more realistic goal of reducing poverty by half over the next 10 years. The public is clear about its priorities for reducing poverty: jobs, wages, and education.

8. HOW MUCH INCOME IS NEEDED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY

9. Are You Self-Sufficient?

10. How Much Does It Take?

11. Self-Sufficiency Standards selfsufficiencystandard.org/pubs.html

12. Self-Sufficiency Standards selfsufficiencystandard.org/pubs.html

13. Self-Sufficiency Standards selfsufficiencystandard.org/pubs.html

14. Logic of Poverty Guidelines?

15. Living Wage Calculator livingwage.mit.edu

16. How Much Does It Take? 2014 Poverty Guideline for a Family of 4 =$23,850 How Does this Compare to Self-Sufficiency? Living Wage Calculator for Idaho (MIT, 2012) 2 adults, 2 children Blaine County = $41,179($966/mo. housing) Boise City = $37,405($721/mo. housing) Madison County = $35,357($588/mo. housing)

17. Madison County, ID Living Wage $16.59/hour 1 Adult, 1 Child

18. Blaine County, ID Living Wage $19.41/hour 1 Adult, 1 Child

19. National Low-Income Housing Coalition nlihc.org/oor/2014

20. Out of Reach 2014

21. Out of Reach 2014

22. National Center for Children in Poverty www.nccp.org/tools/frs/budget.php

23. National Center for Children in Poverty www.nccp.org/tools/frs/index.php

24. National Center for Children in Poverty www.nccp.org/tools/frs/index.php

25. National Center for Children in Poverty www.nccp.org/tools/frs/index.php

26. Economic Security Data Wider Opportunities for Women www.wowonline.org/economic-security-institute

27. Basic Economic Security Tables Alaska OregonSouth Dakota Washington www.basiceconomicsecurity.org/gateway.aspx

28. Basic Economic Security Table 1 worker, 1 preschooler, 1 schoolchildJefferson County, Missouri

29. Economic Security Scorecard

30. Economic Security Scorecardfor Idaho Overall Grade = C - Income = C - Job Quality = D Public Assistance = C Education = D + Assets = C Worst Score, CCDF Parent Copayments = F Best score, CCDF Spending Per Capita = A+ Source: www.wowonline.org/economic-security-institute

31. Build Awareness Expanding Understanding About Poverty Raising Awareness on Poverty and Homelessness

32. Community Needs Assessments with Self-Sufficiency Data • State of the Poor (2008) (2013 update) Fairfax County Community Action Advisory Board (VA) • Communitywide Strategic Needs Assessment (2012–2015) Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency (NY) • Needs Assessment and Community Action Plan (2012-2014) Community Action! (MA) • Community Needs Assessment (2014) Macomb County Community Services Agency (MI) • Perspectives of Under Resourced People in Northwest New Jersey (2011) NORWESCAP (NJ) • Community Assessment (2010) Greater Erie Community Action Committee (PA)

33. Community Needs Assessments

34. Community Needs Assessments

35. Community Needs Assessments

36. Community Needs Assessments

37. Community Needs Assessments

38. Community Needs Assessments

39. Collective Impact • Channeling Change: Making Collective Impact Work, Stanford Social Innovation Review, 1/26/2012

40. Strategic Framework

41. Strategic Framework Launched in 2008 through a partnership of: Greater Erie Community Action Committee Mercyhurst University Civic Institute United Way of Erie County Four action teams instituting strategies related to: Early childhood readiness and success. Preparing students for life after high school whether that means a job, or successful completion of post-secondary education or training. Bolstering individual and family stability to reduce dependenceon outside assistance to meet their needs. Aligning workforce and economic development so job seekers have the skills they need to secure and retain family-sustaining employment. erietogether.org

42. Upstream Investments “It’s easier to build strong children than to fix broken lives.” This policy,sponsored by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and widely supported throughout the community,seeks to eliminate poverty in Sonoma County and ensure equal opportunity for quality education and good health in nurturing home and community environments. The three primary strategies are: Invest Early: Whenever possible, dedicate funding and other resources to prevention-focused policies and interventions. Invest Wisely: Ensure that upstream policies and interventions have the highest possible likelihood of success by selecting those that are backed by sound evidence. Invest Together: Focus community-wide upstream policies and interventions on preventing six targeted factors and improving 22 indicators of success to achieve the Upstream vision, mission, goals, and measureable impacts. www.sonomaupstream.org

44. Indicators of Success

45. Every child enters kindergarten ready to succeed • Every child succeeds academically • Every child is supported in and out of school • Every young adult is prepared to achieve their life and career goals • Every young adult thrives and becomes a contributing member of the community www.c2csonomacounty.org

46. Cradle to Career To make a difference in the lives of children, youth and young adults in Sonoma County, we must think differently about the systems that impact them. This is about changing the way we prioritize our work – being better partners, setting bolder goals and making decisions that help more children, youth and young adults succeed. Oscar Chavez, Executive Director Community Action Partnership Sonoma County

48. Earn It! Keep It! Grow It! rufes.org

49. Economic Mobility Project The Pew Charitable Trusts

50. Pathways to Economic Mobility Social Capital • Family structure • Parenting skills and education • Parental similarity • School-based relationships • Community influences • Work-related networks Key Indicators Fact Sheet Financial Capital • Wealth transfers • Homeownership • Retirement savings • Entrepreneurship Human Capital • Parents’ educational attainment • Child’s educational attainment • Interactions between health & the economy • Individuals’ general health status • Obesity • Low birth weight • Race, ethnicity and health