- Transportation emerges as crucial to escaping poverty, By Mikayla Bouchard, May 7, 2015, New York Times: “James Baker was pedaling to work along a slick, snow-covered road in Frederick County, Md., when a traffic light changed abruptly. He braked and skidded to the ground, unhurt but making a mess of his clothes before a long day of work and school. He was on his bicycle that snowy morning last December, about an hour northwest of Washington, because the bus service in Frederick was so erratic. Routes were far apart and the buses often late, making a 30-minute bike ride, whatever the weather, a better option. His commuting problems highlight a central theme for many low-income people trying to build a better life: A lack of reliable and efficient transportation is often a huge barrier…”
- Car donation helps drive women from poverty to self-sufficiency, By Robert Duffer, May 1, 2015, Chicago Tribune: “The new car feeling is like few others, full of hope, pride, a bit of anxiety and a lot of responsibility. For Caress Pouncy, it means a whole lot more. ‘This is truly a blessing,’ Pouncy said before being handed the keys to a fully refurbished 2010 Nissan Altima during a reception on Friday, April 24, at Automechanika Chicago, the world’s largest automotive aftermarket trade show. ‘I feel like the kid in ‘Miracle on 34th Street.” It was less a miracle than a wide-reaching initiative to provide a woman in need with transportation. The Altima is the first ever car donated as part of a community-building program facilitated by the National Auto Body Council (NABC) and propelled by Women With Drive (WWD), a Chicago-based nonprofit, to drive women out of welfare and down the road to self-sufficiency…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty