Imagine a community with vibrant, safe, and inclusive neighborhoods in which all people live in healthy homes with equitable access to resources and opportunities to pursue their dreams. Nearby businesses serve everyone. The area is safe and walkable, with green space for recreation and exercise. That’s the kind of place that The Community Builders (TCB) envision when they…
The federal minimum wage was established in 1938 as a part of the Fair Labor Standards Act. In that year, the minimum wage was $0.25/hour, which translates to $5.33/hour today. Over the years, the federal minimum wage has been raised regularly: Since 2009, there have been no raises to minimum wage. That means that someone…
The Homeless Coalition’s advocacy efforts do an incredible amount for people who are at risk for or experiencing homelessness. The list of services is exhaustive, but Dr. Mark Mussman, Director of Education at The Homeless Coalition, concentrates on work that raises people’s understanding about homelessness. Just a few of those initiatives include “walking tours in…
In the wage debate, you’ll hear different descriptors of wages: fair wage, minimum wage, living wage, poverty wage. Each of these has different meanings and connotations. Poverty wage is pretty easy to figure out. If you make a poverty wage, you are working full time and still fall below the poverty line. Minimum wage is…
“Social determinants of health are stressors that relate to physical health.” So says Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith, Executive Director of Cradle Cincinnati, Field Service Assistant Professor at UC Medical Center, and Founder of Queens Village. “And chronic, prolonged stress just magnifies [health] problems.” Consistent access to nutritious food, affordable and suitable housing, and transportation are just…
Poverty profoundly affects those in its grips. Experiencing poverty means lack of access to basic needs (food, shelter, transportation, health care, education). It increases toxic stress. It erodes mental and physical health. It intrudes on each and every aspect of life. It keeps people from reaching their potential. But poverty also affects those who are…
Many people are aware that a disproportionate number of Cincinnati citizens are living in poverty. Many people understand that the current poverty rate is a legacy of a system steeped in racism. Many people get involved in their communities to help those living in poverty by volunteering or donating. But many of those same people…
An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) can take many forms, ranging from “abuse or neglect” to “significant surgery,” according to Victoria Ackman, LISW-S, Service Area Vice President for Lighthouse Youth & Family Services. These ACEs add up and “play a huge part into how your brain processes experiences, impacting everything you do and how you see…
It’s common to see articles, reports, news segments all about children living in poverty. How do we help children experiencing homelessness? Food insecurity? Lack of adequate health care? It’s a very important issue to address. These children need help immediately—and they need help for their future so they can break the cycle of poverty. However,…
Cora* grew up in Forest Park as part of a nuclear family. Never did she imagine that her life would take the twists and turns it did. In her words “I grew up in Forest Park, the youngest with two older brothers. When I finished high school, I became pregnant with my [now adult] son….
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