Anti-Poverty Proposals
In the United States, the wealthiest country in the world, nearly 40 million people live in poverty, which for a family of four means an annual income of less than $21,200 a year. Millions more are barely holding on as they struggle every day to meet the rising costs of food, gas, utilities and healthcare. American poverty disproportionately affects children, more than 12 million of whom grow up in impoverished homes. Other industrialized nations do much better. In fact, among 21 developed nations, American children fare the worst on health, safety and relative poverty measures.
Mission
Spotlighton Poverty and Opportunity is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. We bring together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on finding genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans.Why Spotlight Poverty and Opportunity?
In the United States, the wealthiest country in the world, nearly 40 million people live in poverty, which for a family of four means an annual income of less than $21,200 a year. Millions more are barely holding on as they struggle every day to meet the rising costs of food, gas, utilities and healthcare. American poverty disproportionately affects children, more than 12 million of whom grow up in impoverished homes. Other industrialized nations do much better. In fact, among 21 developed nations, American children fare the worst on health, safety and relative poverty measures.
Reducing poverty is not only a moral imperative, it is vital to our nation’s well-being. Children who grow up poor too often become adults who cannot contribute effectively to our economic productivity, put a burden on the public health system or enter the criminal justice system. Economists now estimate that child poverty costs the nation about $500 billion a year
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