Women make up a disproportionate and increasing share of the low-wage labor force, according to a new report from the National Women’s Law Center. The report, “Underpaid and Overloaded: Women in Low-Wage Jobs,” shows that Women make up two-thirds of the low-wage work force – jobs paying under $10.10 per hour – despite making up […]
How The Poor Got Framed
People respond not the world as it is, but to the world as they perceive it to be. This simple but powerful truth about perspective is particularly important when it comes to setting poverty policy in the United States. Are the poor ‘cheating’ and ‘lazy,’ or is poverty the product of a system that throws […]
A Visual Essay on the Wage-Productivity Gap
In the late 1970s a gap opened up between the productivity of workers, and the amount they were being paid. The not-so-creative name for this trend is the wage-productivity gap. The causes are hotly debated, but the consequences are straightforward. The economy continues to grow through increases in productivity, but the benefits of increased productivity […]
Poverty News Round Up
Here are some of the most notable stories about poverty that were in the news this week. 1. The Boston Globe reports on the devastating impact the sequester is having on public housing. “Thousands of the state’s poorest residents are losing or being denied federal housing subsidies as a result of automatic, across-the-board spending cuts, […]
Models of Anti- Poverty Ministry – Presentation and Recommended Reading
In the first of the NCC Poverty Initiative’s Pastors Ending Poverty webinar series, Tronn Moller of the Faith and Community Development Institute shared some models of anti-poverty ministry for congregations to consider when planning how to confront poverty as a Christian community. Download his presentation here, and watch the video here. He also recommended the […]
How Wealth Inequality Hurts Churches
Have you seen the video on wealth inequality that went viral this week? The video is based on a study by Harvard Business professor Michael Norton. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out here. Millions have been passing it around and dropping their jaws when they see the dramatic difference between the average […]
Models of Anti-Poverty Webinar – March 13th 4:30pm EST/1:30pm PST
I’m excited to announce a great learning opportunity coming up next week: a webinar called “Models of Anti-Poverty Ministry.” Sometimes, churches have a hard time explaining how or why the ministries they do in the name of Matthew 25 took the shape they did. Having tools to clearly name and evaluate “the why and how” […]
Remarks by Rev. Michael Livingston at Circle of Protection press conference
Remarks by Rev. Michael Livingston at Circle of Protection press conference upon release of videos made by the presidential candidates explaining how they will form a circle of protection around the most vulnerable. September 12, 2012 – National Press Club By the end of July, over 1 billion dollars had been raised, and most of […]
A Labor Day Sermon by Rev. Michael Livingston: Best Seat in the House
Best Seat in the House James 2:1-10, 14-17 Rev. Michael Livingston; Director of Public Policy, Interfaith Worker Justice Delivered at the United Methodist Chapel at 100 Maryland Ave NE Washington, DC on September 5, 2012 I’ve got a new friend. Her name is Vernell Livingston. I met her last October at the fall mobilization for […]
One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All, By: Mark Robert Rank
One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All by Mark Robert Rank. Recommended by Shantha Ready Alonso, NCC Advocacy and Outreach Specialist. I was lucky enough to study social work at Washington University in St. Louis, where Professor Rank teaches. Consistent with his lectures and articles, this book is sure to enlighten and surprise. […]
