Defeat Poverty DC is a coalition of organizations and residents in the District of Columbia working to bring greater focus during the 2010 election season and beyond to the damaging effects of poverty on our entire city. The District’s long”term economic vitality depends on helping families obtain good jobs, affordable housing, and quality health care and child care. Reducing poverty will strengthen our city by broadening the tax base, bridging racial and geographic divides, and creating a more promising future for thousands of residents.
The problem is stark, and it affects us all. The gap between haves and have”nots in the District, already among the widest in the nation, is growing due to the recession. Thousands of DC residents work but earn too little to support their families adequately. Many others lack the skills to fill available jobs. Gentrification has reduced the stock of affordable housing. And record increases in unemployment over the past year mean that poverty has increased sharply.
The 2010 mayoral and city council elections give us a chance to have a serious discussion about how our city will develop the programs and policies needed to ensure greater economic opportunity for all residents. We need leaders who will make defeating poverty in our city a priority!
What is Needed to Defeat Poverty
We believe that any serious effort to defeat poverty in DC must:
- Make Work Possible through job placement, increased literacy, and access to quality child care and reliable transportation.
- Make Work Pay by improving job training, ensuring access to better wages and benefits, and lessening the tax burden on low”income families.
- Make Basic Needs Affordable by bridging the gap between the high costs of living in DC and the incomes of working poor residents, including increased availability of nutritious food, health care and affordable housing.
To read more about Defeat Poverty DC and learn how you can get involved, click here.