Poverty

17 October 2007 -- The United Nations is marking World Poverty day today. And in Africa, as part of activities lined up to eradicate poverty across the continent, the UN is planning to break a Guinness Book of World Records mark set last year, in which more than 23.5 million people reportedly stood up against poverty in more than 80 countries during a 24 hour period. Sources say Guinness record keepers said they were taken aback by the overwhelming show of support in solidarity with the poor.    » read more »

11 October 2007 -- In the poorest parts of the world, especially in rural villages and outlying city slums, people are confined to their homes by darkness at night. The only light they have usually comes from a smoky fire or an air-polluting kerosene lantern. But an entrepreneur from Houston, Texas is trying to change that by distributing flashlights powered by energy from the sun in developing nations.    » read more »

World Bank Group President Unveils Strategic Direction to Advance Inclusive & Sustainable Globalization

Washington, October 10, 2007--World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick said, “It is the vision of the World Bank Group to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable globalization – to overcome poverty, enhance growth with care for the environment, and create individual opportunity and hope.”    » read more »

Innovative Program Will Provide Funding Directly to Businesses That Commit to Job Creation, Promotion and Training

October 4, 2007 -- New York City Mayor Bloomberg today announced that the Department of Small Business Services will award more than $4.2 million in NYC Business Solutions Training Funds to employers that have developed training programs to increase the skills and salaries of the working poor. Currently, $1 million is available that small businesses can apply for before October 15.    » read more »

Success of More Than 30 Anti-Poverty Programs to be Measured and Evaluated to Determine Additional Funding

September 21, 2007 -- New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced the selection of Westat, Inc., a nationally-recognized independent evaluator hired to assess the impact of new and innovative anti-poverty programs in New York City.    » read more »

17 September 2007 -- This week, the World Bank is launching an unusual initiative to get Africans living in Europe to invest back home - through a competition, complete with cash prizes, for the best development projects targeting sub-Saharan Africa.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, September 4, 2007--During fiscal year 2007, ending June 30, the World Bank Group committed US $34.3 billion in loans, grants, equity investments, and guarantees to its members and to private business in its member countries – up $2.7 billion (7.8 percent) from fiscal year 2006. The recipients are using these funds in more than 620 projects designed to overcome poverty and enhance growth – for example, by improving education and health services, promoting private sector development, building infrastructure, and strengthening governance and institutions.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, September 4, 2007. The World Bank Group (WBG) mobilized close to US $8 billion financing to public and private sector projects and programs in Latin America and the Caribbean, aimed to address the persistent inequality in the region and foster sustainable growth during fiscal year 2007, ending June 30, according to figures released by the WBG today.

World Bank    » read more »

August 28, 2007 -- Chicago, IL -- Senator Barack Obama made the following statement today in response to the Census 2006 poverty numbers.    » read more »

August 29, 2007 -- THE PRESIDENT: We have just -- Laura and I have just been given a tour by the Whites in their new home. And they're going to be moving into this home this weekend maybe.

MS. WHITE: This weekend.    » read more »

28 August 2007 -- A new U.S. Census Bureau report shows that the poverty rate in the United States has gone down slightly for the first time this decade. VOA's Cindy Saine reports from Washington that the 2006 report also has some bad news for American families, with more people living without health insurance and children making up the bulk of the nation's poor.    » read more »

August 28, 2007 -- This morning’s annual Census Bureau data release shows real income gains for the median household and a decline in poverty, but the reality is many working Americans are just working more at lower wages. An EPI analysis on the new data finds many challenges, including median annual earnings by full-time workers down for the third year in a row and an increase of 8.6 million Americans without health care coverage since 2000.    » read more »

Aug 28, 2007 -- Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Senator John Edwards released the following statement regarding the data released today from the U.S. Census Bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division.

"The reality that we have two Americas was confirmed again today by new data from the Census Bureau. These statistics show what most Americans know: tens of millions of our fellow citizens are completely left out of the economic progress enjoyed by the individuals and corporations on the very top.    » read more »

There was a sharp decline in U.S. consumer confidence in August, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The private economic research group said its consumer confidence index fell to 105.0 in August from a revised 111.9 in July, the biggest drop since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005. Meanwhile, 72 percent of Americans surveyed last week by The Gallup Poll said the economy was "getting worse." That was the most pessimistic showing since Gallup began asking the question in the early 1990s, and comparable only to the 71 percent recorded in January 1992.    » read more »

Mayor Proposes New Earned Income Tax Credit that Demands More of Recipients in Exchange for Greater Benefits

August 28, 2007 -- “Thank you, Strobe, and good afternoon, everyone. The Brookings Institution has achieved a special measure of respect in Washington because it has risen above partisanship – and that’s not an easy thing to do in this town.    » read more »