SACRAMENTO - Assemblywoman Connie Conway (R-Visalia) and Assemblyman Jim Beall (D-San Jose) today announced the introduction of ACR 110, a resolution to cut poverty by encouraging and supporting various activities relating to the reduction of poverty and designating the month of February 2010 and February 2011 as Step Up California Month. Sponsored by the Step Up California Coalition, the resolution will go a long way in bringing awareness to the struggle felt deeply by many Californias.
California's poverty rate is projected to reach 17 percent by 2014, leaving many Californians fighting to get by. With an increase in the demand for social services combined with cuts in state funding and a deteriorating economy, families and hardworking Californians are finding it more difficult to support themselves.
"Our nation's economy has affected us all, leaving many with a daily struggle to survive," said Assemblywoman Connie Conway. "I am proud to work with Step Up California in their efforts to bring awareness and encourage participation in ending poverty."
At a time of increasing hardships for many Californians, a bipartisan coalition of organizations and individuals from across the state came together to form Step Up California. With the goal of eliminating poverty and increasing awareness, the coalition includes the New America Foundation, Catholic Charities of California, California Council of Churches, California Legislative Women's Caucus, California Commission on the Status of Women, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, AARP California, INSIGHT Center for Community Economic Development, Jericho, Loaves & Fishes, and Step Up Silicon Valley.
"I am pleased to be working with Step Up California, a bipartisan effort at the State Capitol calling upon all Californians to do what they can to help their neighbors in need, whether it be volunteering time, donating money, educating others, or doing a kind deed," said Assemblyman Jim Beall. "Our deteriorating economy and state budget cuts have resulted in a reduction of vital safety net services at a time when more and more people are struggling to make ends meet. Step Up California calls upon all Californians to Step Up and help reduce poverty in our great state."
"We commend Assemblymembers Connie Conway and Jim Beall, along with their colleagues in the legislature and the Step Up CA coalition, for joining forces in a bipartisan way to combat poverty in California," said Olivia Calderon, Legislative Director for the California Asset Building Program at the New America Foundation.
The official announcement of the Resolution to Cut Poverty was followed by an interactive poverty simulation and panel discussion co-hosted by the New America Foundation. The discussion highlighted the challenges poor Californians face in finding jobs and daycare, dealing with debt, and procuring government assistance.
The New America Foundation has long worked toward helping people permanently exit poverty by advancing policies to make it easier for families to build their own personal safety nets through asset limit reform, access alternatives to low-cost payday loans and financial education, make it cheaper for small businesses to offer retirement savings opportunities to their employees, and enable all eligible Californians to tap into the full potential of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
Please contact Elizabeth Wu with media requests at (510) 295-9859 or wu@newamerica.net.
About the New America Foundation
The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. www.newamerica.net
