More than 70 people gathered at two POWER-PAC parent forums to share stories and solutions about ways to end poverty and increase family economic security. Leaders of POWER-PAC’s Stepping Out of Poverty (STOP) Campaign conducted participatory action research in small groups, asking their fellow parents about financial goals and what gets in the way of reaching them. They also asked about the impact that an absent family member, through incarceration or deportation, has on their family’s economic security. And they focused on solutions – like raising the minimum wage, improving access to retirement savings accounts, and expanding job training programs, to name a few.

POWER-PAC partners from the Illinois Asset Building Group (IABG) presented on the racial wealth gap and historic policies that contributed to it. And, resource tables were available with information on programs such as credit building/credit repair and affordable housing.

Then, a week later, a group of STOP leaders headed to Springfield to support increasing the minimum wage in Illinois!

Stay tuned to POWER-PAC’s STOP Poverty Campaign this summer as they release the results of their research and their recommendations for change.