The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 marked its 60th anniversary this week. The landmark legislation started the war on poverty in the United States and spearheaded education programs such as Head Start, free or low-cost Legal Aid, and health care for the elderly known as Medicare. Resources such as nationwide community action agencies were also born from the Economic Opportunity Act. Their purpose was to help people by addressing the causes and conditions of poverty.

Roger Pavey, president and CEO of the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies, said poverty has been tremendously reduced in most of the United States. But he acknowledges some areas are experiencing it more than others.

"The places where poverty is the most stubborn in the United States are places where people of color live and because poverty is tied to racism. We need to think about how we tell ourselves that everyone in America has an equal opportunity when they're born, but that's just not true and never has been, he said.

Food and housing insecurity and rising healthcare costs continue to force some Americans into poverty. Pavey noted more work needs to be done and to not look at poverty in isolation, but the role it plays within a larger system. According to the report, 'Poverty in the USA - What Have We Learned From the War on Poverty, and Where Do We Go From Here?' 20 million Americans live on less than 12 dollars every day. 5 million are children.

Pavey noted community action has historically had bipartisan support. And the organization is appreciative of its rapport with elected officials without regard to their political party. With November's presidential election less than three months away, Pavey is clear on what he wants the new administration to address.

"Certain things in life should be looked at as a human right. Being able to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Energy costs are increasing, and they're aggressive. Low-income household energy costs would consume more of their household budget than someone who's middle class," Pavey said.

Pavey added that quality life is a human right, and taking steps to address basic needs provides a foundation so that people can attain and build job skills to get out of poverty. The Illinois Department of Commerce site shows the state's Community Action Agencies offer the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which assists eligible low-income households pay their heating gas, propane, and electricity bills.

The Illinois Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security is tasked with addressing the root causes of economic insecurity, racial disparities, and other contributing social, economic, and cultural factors and plans to reduce deep poverty in the state by 50 percent by 2026.

Temperatures are dropping in the Commonwealth and community action agencies said help is available for those struggling to pay their heating bills.

The federal Home Energy Assistance Program helps households making less than 60% of the state median income, which for a family of four is just under $95,000.

Liz Berube, executive director of the community action agency Citizens for Citizens, serving the Fall River and Taunton area, called the eligibility requirements very generous.

"These are clearly for people who work, or you were working and you're laid off, you're on worker's comp, people who slip through the cracks," Berube outlined. "This could be the program for you."

Berube pointed out the website HeatingHelpMA.org has information on heating and other energy savings programs, as well as a link to an online application portal.

The Department of Public Utilities recently approved natural gas rate hikes for National Grid and Eversource customers. Monthly bills could increase from 11% to 30%.

Sen. Joan Lovely, D-Salem, said she is already hearing from her constituents in the Second Essex District, wondering how they will make it through the winter.

"Every single day, the biggest call to our office is housing insecurity and how am I going to heat my home," Lovely reported. "How am I going to be able to stay in my home?"

Lovely is grateful for the federal, state and local partnerships making the heating aid program possible.

Joe Diamond, executive director of the Massachusetts Association for Community Action, a coalition of more than twenty community action agencies helping families apply for needed services, said keeping people warm is about more than lowering energy bills.

"It is a health program. It's a safety program. It's a housing preservation program," Diamond explained. "It is also a program that allows people to access other programs."

Diamond noted if households qualify for heating help, they automatically qualify for weatherization programs, which can include new insulation, appliances or heating systems. Public safety officials stressed the programs save both money and lives. They emphasized well-maintained heating equipment is much less likely to cause fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.


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The Save the Children Action Network is asking Iowans to support candidates in the upcoming election who invest time and political muscle in solving children's issues.

Paige Chickering, Iowa state manager for the Save the Children Action Network, is reminding voters about the importance of early education, high-quality affordable child care and school meals for kids. She noted a growing percentage of them are hungry and their families rely on some form of government help.

"In Iowa specifically, USDA data show that about 40% of SNAP beneficiaries -- and that's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- are children," Chickering explained. "About one in six children, 15.4%, face hunger in Iowa, according to a Feeding America study."

Chickering pointed out the Save the Children Action Network has endorsed a slate of bipartisan candidates in statewide races who have adopted strong positions on children's issues, including taking on hunger in Iowa.

Chickering highlighted a Ready Nation study shows the critical shortage of child care options in Iowa is costing the state at least $1.2 billion in parents' lost wages and productivity every year. She added helping kids should not be up for debate.

"The issue of prioritizing children in Iowa is a really, truly bipartisan issue," Chickering asserted. "It's been really clear from all the people that we've worked with, our volunteers, everyone we've spoken with, that this is something that everyone is prioritizing."

The action network is also calling on Iowa politicians to approve the summer "Sun Bucks" program in 2025, which would make food available to lower-income families when kids are out of school for the summer. Iowa opted out of the program this year.

Advocates in the antipoverty community said lawmakers are not doing enough to help people escape poverty.

They said the inaction is increasing the number of ALICE families in Arkansas and nationwide. ALICE families are Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed, which means they are working but do not earn enough money to cover their expenses.

Wade Rathke, founder and chief organizer of the nonprofit ACORN International, said lawmakers need to adjust the federal poverty line to assist more people.

"If the poverty line doesn't reflect reality, then people suffer," Rathke stressed. "Some members of Congress have advanced a bill to more realistically set the poverty level but given the dysfunction and general election year inertia, there hasn't even been a vote."

He added many states, especially in the South, are setting benefits as low as possible.

The current federal poverty line is $31,200 a year for a family of four. According to the United Way, in 2021 about 36 million households met the criteria to be labeled ALICE. The organization has seen a significant increase in calls to its 211 call centers from people seeking help with housing, child care and utilities.

Rathke pointed out more families are suffering as pandemic subsidies are gone.

"Even working families with income over $100,000 are calling because they can't make groceries given all of household costs," Rathke reported. "Two-worker parented families have no savings or ability to handle emergencies."

Advocates said part of the problem is the cost of groceries is used to determine the poverty line but families are spending more on housing, rent and utilities.

This story is based on original reporting by Wade Rathke for The Chief Organizer Blog.


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