NEWS & OPINIONS
We could all use a good laugh right now, right?
We’re excited to announce that comedian and inspirational speaker Michael Jr. will be joining us as a keynote speaker for Breakthrough Online 2020.
New GCO poll: 81% of parents support educational microgrants during COVID-19
The Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) today released the results of a parent opinion poll that found 81 percent of respondents in favor of using federal emergency relief funds to help parents cover some educational costs during the coronavirus pandemic.
How Second Chances Impact Communities
Our communities need to understand and appreciate Kevin and others like him. We must begin to see past our biases and speak life into those who have fallen. The poverty of community is just as important (if not more important) than economic poverty, and the butterfly effect I am describing is always at play either in a positive or in a negative way.
The Top 5 Recommendations to the Feds on Economic Mobility
If you had the opportunity to tell federal agencies what they need to do to help low-income people improve their economic circumstances, what would you tell them?
This is not an arbitrary question. It was formally asked by the current administration in Washington, D.C.
Equitable Options In Education
Since 2016, the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) has demonstrated the existence of welfare cliffs. Now a team of five economists has come to the same conclusion. Welfare cliffs are an unfortunate feature of the American welfare system.
If You Accept this Raise, You Fall Off the Welfare Cliff
Getting a raise from $15 to $18 could cost you over $20,000 in net income. Would you work hard for that promotion?
The Unintended Consequences of Generous Unemployment Benefits
Since 2016, the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) has demonstrated the existence of welfare cliffs. Now a team of five economists has come to the same conclusion. Welfare cliffs are an unfortunate feature of the American welfare system.
Welfare Without Dignity Doesn’t Work
The fact of the matter is that systems like Medicaid, food stamps, and other programs are not designed to move people into a better life. Instead, they are a stop-gap that simply meets an immediate or temporary need.
Welfare Cliffs Exist—Concludes Team of Economists
Since 2016, the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) has demonstrated the existence of welfare cliffs. Now a team of five economists has come to the same conclusion. Welfare cliffs are an unfortunate feature of the American welfare system.
Reentry is not enough
Reentry has long been the sole focus of the prison system. However reintegration is a more wholistic community-based process that involves a citizen transitioning from an antisocial member of society into an individual who controls and directs their own lives.
Field Trips in the Time of COVID
Field Trips In The Time Of COVID By Heidi Holmes Erickson We all remember a time as students when we boarded a bus, a brown paper bag with a smashed sandwich in hand, anxiously waiting as our teacher gave us information about the day’s field trip. Field trips are a...
The Power of Second Chances
The Power of Second Chances By David BassImagine stepping from a life of homelessness characterized by desperation and deprivation to a full, rich life in which you can contribute and build a future. That was Jonathan’s story of transformation. As a graduate of CKS...
MEDIA MENTIONS
Georgia groups push Kemp for virtual-learning microgrants | WALKER COUNTY MESSENGER
ATLANTA - Several groups are pressing Gov. Brian Kemp to start divvying out small federal grant funds aimed at helping families pay for school supplies, child care and other expenses while their children are taking online classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In...
Gov. Kemp signs bill into law expanding job opportunities for military spouses
Gov. Kemp signs bill into law expanding job opportunities for military spouses By David Bass With our state experiencing a 7.6% unemployment rate in June (the most recent numbers available), it’s clear that every Georgian needs all the help...
Gov. Kemp signs ‘second chance’ expungement bill into law for ex-offenders
Gov. Kemp signs ‘second chance’ expungement bill into law for ex-offenders By David Bass For many Georgians, past criminal conviction can be the most significant hurdle to overcome in getting a job. On this front, there is good news: Gov. Brian...
Less than half of Georgians approve of how Trump, Kemp have responded to COVID-19 | 11 Alive News
A new, exclusive 11Alive News/SurveyUSA Poll finds that if a coronavirus vaccine is developed, a full one-third of Georgians are not likely to take it. While there is a consensus across the state that the nation has done a poor job at controlling the spread of the...
Nonprofits face funding shortages, increase demands amid COVID-19 | The Center Square
Nonprofit organizations in Georgia are facing higher demands for services but decreases in revenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent survey found. According to a June survey by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN), 90 percent of nonprofit organizations that...
Leaders React to Passing of Georgia Congressman John Lewis | All On Georgia
Civil rights icon and Georgia Congressman John Lewis passed away Friday at the age of 80. He was the last of the Big Six civil rights activists led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and so congressional congressional colleagues, civil rights leaders, and individuals...
City of Savannah creates new task force to help formerly incarcerated community members | WJCL
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah Mayor Van Johnson’s newest task force is focusing on welcoming those who have previously been in prison back into the Savannah community and helping them become productive members of society. It’s called Advocates for Restorative Communities...
Criminal record expungement bill clears Georgia House | The Center Square
A bill that would increase the number of criminal records that can be sealed was approved unanimously Wednesday by the Georgia House. Senate Bill 288 would allow certain misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies to qualify for expungement. The legislation is "an important...