Who is Poor in NYC? Hint: Many More People Than You Think

About

With the cost of living rising at nearly three times the rate of wages, 2.5 million working-age New Yorkers are struggling to provide food, housing and other basic necessities for their families.

Since its introduction in 2000, The Self-Sufficiency Standard for NYC has shifted the conversation from poverty to self-sufficiency and informed advocacy efforts, such as expanding tax credits for working households, reducing fares for low-income riders, and reforming New York’s equal pay laws and policies. Yet the most recent update shows that 40% of households still do not make enough money to make ends meet.

The households living below self-sufficiency face complex and interdependent challenges, so the solutions must be coordinated and interconnected.

Join us for a brief presentation highlighting the findings of the updated research: United Way of New York City, The Women’s Center for Education and Career Advancement, City Harvest, and The New York Community Trust released “Overlooked & Undercounted: The Self-Sufficiency Standard for New York City,” a study that determines the amount of income a working family of a specific composition must earn to meet its basic needs without public or private assistance. The presentation will be followed by a panel of cross-sector stakeholders reflecting on how to move from ideas to action.

Explore

• Rates of self-sufficiency in New York City, including characteristics of households that are most affected by income inadequacy, and the roles of education and employment in advancing self-sufficiency
• Policy changes that would be most impactful on advancing self-sufficiency, particularly among traditionally marginalized populations
• Roles that philanthropists, policymakers, service providers, employers and others can play in advancing coordinated solutions for our communities

Speakers

• Rachel Kelly, Director of Partner Resources, Starbucks
• Merble Reagon, Executive Director, Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement
• Jilly Stephens, Chief Executive Officer, City Harvest
• Sheena Wright, President and CEO, United Way of New York City
• Patricia Swann (Moderator), Senior Program Officer, The New York Community Trust