Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty | Peachtree Corners Magazine

Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty | Peachtree Corners Magazine

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Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty | Peachtree Corners Magazine

With gas prices soaring and supply chain issues driving up consumer prices, it’s not hard to imagine more individuals are struggling to make ends meet. Complicate those issues with a lack of education, medical issues, trouble within the home or other barriers to success and you find some families hanging by a thread. Some find themselves homeless.

The Peachtree Corners-based Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) is working to break down those barriers to ensure everyone has access to a quality education, fulfilling work and a healthy family life.

 
America’s Labor Force Problem Goes Beyond Economics

America’s Labor Force Problem Goes Beyond Economics

woman on steps frustrated about work

America’s Labor Force Problem Goes Beyond Economics

Key Points

  • Separation from the workforce is impacting mental, physical and social health of our communities.
  • Some employees are choosing to leave or refuse work to stay ahead on bills.
  • Government safety-net programs must be reconfigured to move people into work for both economic & social well-being.

Originally Posted on Real Clear Politics

 

One legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic could be the devastation it brought to the American worker by disconnecting millions from the workforce.

New research estimates that 3 million workers plan to remain permanently sidelined over concerns of physical illness or physical impairment due to COVID-19.

The research team named this phenomenon “Long Social Distancing” and found that more than 13% of Americans who worked in 2019 plan to continue social distancing after the pandemic ends. An additional 46% will engage in limited forms of social distancing.

The study estimates the depressed labor force participation from Long Social Distancing will dampen Gross Domestic Product by 1.4%. But the impact on individuals and their families will be far worse.

Separation from the labor force obviously means less income and financial security for the individual’s future. But there are other costs from nonwork that extend beyond the financial disadvantages, including long-term mental, physical, and social health impacts for workers, their children, their families, and their communities.

Simply put, our labor force situation today is a social, mental, and community crisis in the making. That’s particularly true for the poor and working class.

Kevin discovered that work is more than a paycheck.

Kevin discovered that work is more than a paycheck.

During the pandemic, the so-called “laptop class” of professional workers fared fairly well. They were able to maintain social distance from others while still working to earn income. Many of these workers found that remote jobs allowed them to create a healthier work-life balance, so they abandoned their former desk jobs in favor of a more flexible lifestyle.

In stark contrast, working-class adults who couldn’t perform their jobs from home have been hit hard. Those who continued to work were often placed at a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure. Others suffered more because their employers shut down, resulting in a devastating loss of income. Many small business owners suffered income loss and in some cases were forced to close their businesses permanently.

According to the Long Social Distancing study, the majority of Americans who don’t plan to return to work have a high school education or less (17.6%). Unemployment tended to decrease based on both education level and income, with the highest number of labor non-participation among those who previously earned $10,000 to $20,000 per year. Nonwork was highest among females aged 50-64 (17.5%), followed by male respondents of the same age group (12.9%).

It follows, then, that the most significant impact labor non-participation will have on America lies among lower-income communities — many of whom were likely already struggling to make ends meet.

Federal stimulus programs have been important to these individuals, helping them weather the combined storm of the virus and government-imposed lockdowns and shutdowns. Although these government programs sustained many people throughout the crisis, they also created major problems as we emerge from the worst of the pandemic.

Some unemployed people found that they were better off leaving their jobs and receiving government assistance instead. In many cases, unemployment benefits paid better than the jobs they’d previously occupied. This aggravated pre-existing issues with labor force non-participation, helping to fuel inflation as work stoppages led to disruptions in the supply-chain flow of goods and services.

Worsening the problem even more, many Americans experienced so-called “benefit cliffs” where their government support, such as food stamps, fell off in response to an increase in income. In some cases, families lost government benefits after a comparatively small pay raise. This creates additional disincentives for work.

So, what’s the path forward? In order to get unemployed adults back to work, we’ll need a change in perspective. Work must be regarded as something worthwhile in itself beyond a weekly or biweekly paycheck, because it is. A steady job gives each worker a sense of purpose, provides a stable life to their families, and helps maintain mental health.

Nonwork has a direct impact on children not only in the present, but as research shows it can impact their future, too. It creates perpetuating cycles of dependency that lead to instability for the children in these homes. This creates a systemic crisis in marginalized communities. If our goal is truly to overcome generational poverty, creating a culture that uplifts and prizes work is essential.

It’s essential to address safety-net programs as part of the solution. Programs that help in the immediate aftermath of job loss are not enough. In addition to meeting immediate needs — such as unemployment assistance and food — unemployed individuals need support and encouragement to know that work is beneficial to our mental and social health. 

And importantly, safety net programs cannot create disincentives from earning more money and getting ahead in society. Government programs need to be reconfigured so they no longer interfere with the upward economic mobility of individuals and their families. They need to consider the overall well-being of the recipients and their families over the long-term, not just the short-term.

Our ultimate goal should be to help those sidelined by the pandemic reconnect to work — not only for their economic health, but for their mental and emotional wellbeing.

 

Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty | Peachtree Corners Magazine

Georgia House subcommittee to examine recruiting and retention challenges for state’s workforce | Jackson Progress-Argus

In The News

Georgia House subcommittee to examine recruiting and retention challenges for state’s workforce | Jackson Progress-Argus

A new state House subcommittee plans to examine the Georgia workforce’s challenges in recruiting and retaining talent…

Meanwhile, the Georgia Center for Opportunity has joined the Texas Public Policy Foundation and Louisiana’s Pelican Institute for Public Policy to create the Alliance for Opportunity. The group will explore the issue and develop recommendations to reduce the number of people in poverty.

“A subcommittee is a good first step but there aren’t any set deadlines yet for the committee so we will see where it goes,” Corey Burres, vice president of communications for the GCO, told The Center Square.

“The key is to understand that work is the solution to poverty. It helps communities and individuals thrive and find dignity,” Burres added. “As long as the system and policies work to drive that goal home, only good can come out of it.”

 

Read the full article here

 

Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty | Peachtree Corners Magazine

Experts say Georgia policymakers should remove governmental barriers to job creation | The Center Square

In The News

Experts say Georgia policymakers should remove governmental barriers to job creation | The Center Square

As the Consumer Price Index continues to rise, a Georgia nonprofit says the state should remove barriers to jobs to facilitate business growth.

The non-seasonally adjusted CPI rose 0.3% in April and has increased 8.3% in the last 12 months…

“Economics 101 teaches that increasing supply means both lower prices (lower inflation) and more employment and economic growth,” Randolph added. “Increases in demand have a trade-off between prices and employment/growth. Therefore, anything state governments can do to facilitate job growth and business growth will help mitigate inflationary pressures. In other words, enhancing the productive capacity increases supply, putting downward pressure on prices.”

 

Read the full article here

 

Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty | Peachtree Corners Magazine

Inflation slowed in April, but prices continued their steady increase | KTBS

In The News

Inflation slowed in April, but prices continued their steady increase | KTBS

Inflation continued its steady rise in April, when the Consumer Price Index increased 8.3% over last year, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For the month, the CPI rose 0.3%. That’s down from the 1.2% spike in March, but higher than analysts expected. The 8.3% increase over last year remains near 40-year highs, the bureau reported…

The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s welcomed the slowed inflationary number, but said supply issues continue to drive up costs for everyone.

“The fact that inflation ticked down in April is welcome relief, but the rate is still higher than what economists predicted and is still running super hot,” Erik Randolph, GCO’s director of research, said in a statement. “A contributing cause to inflation is disruptions on supply. … Economics 101 teaches that increasing supply means both lower prices (lower inflation) and more employment and economic growth. Increases in demand have a trade-off between prices and employment/growth. Therefore, anything state governments can do to facilitate job growth and business growth will help mitigate inflationary pressures. In other words, enhancing the productive capacity increases supply, putting downward pressure on prices.”

 

Read the full article here

 

Op-Ed: Georgia Politicians Reject Educational Freedom At Their Own Peril | Real Clear Policy

Op-Ed: Georgia Politicians Reject Educational Freedom At Their Own Peril | Real Clear Policy

In The News

Op-Ed: Georgia Politicians Reject Educational Freedom At Their Own Peril | Real Clear Policy

Tuesday, March 15, was a sad day for kids in Georgia.

That’s the day when the Georgia Senate voted down a bill to create Promise Scholarships. Eight Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting the scholarships, which would have offered families up to $6,000 a year for approved education expenses. Another six Republicans chose to abstain from voting, knowing that doing so would kill the bill.

Promise Scholarships would step far beyond a typical voucher by fully putting parents in the driver’s seat when it comes to their child’s education. The funds could have been used for private-school tuition, but there would have been added flexibility depending on each family’s unique needs, extending to paying for things like tutoring, specialized therapies, or homeschool co-ops.

It’s unjust that the best interests of Georgia’s schoolchildren have once again fallen prey to politics and special-interest groups. While some lawmakers were twisting arms to get votes to pass gambling programs to benefit a handful of people, others were voting “no” on Promise Scholarships that would allow tens of thousands of kids to flourish.

Simply put, a vote against S.B. 601 was a vote against the many Georgia families who desperately need help. Particularly as our state emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic where so many students are left behind, it’s unconscionable that we would deny this lifeline to families.

What’s also unconscionable is why politicians would reject educational freedom given that the vast majority of Georgians want it.

A recent poll from GeorgiaCAN found that 72% of respondents favor “expanding educational options by allowing a child’s state education dollars to follow that student to the school that best fits their needs, whether that is public, private, magnet, charter, virtual, or homeschool.” Support cut across party lines, with 79% of Republicans in favor, 78% of Independents, and 64% of Democrats.

Do Georgians favor the idea of Promise Scholarships? That same GeorgiaCAN poll put support for Promise Scholarships at 59%. Public school parents voiced even stronger support, with 67% in favor.

Those results are in line with other recent polling showing that between two-thirds and three-fourths of Georgians support the core ideas of educational opportunity for all students, not just those blessed with a high income or who live in the right zip code. The bottom line is that in our era of sordid political discourse and deep divides between the parties, there are few issues that garner as much bi-partisan support as educational opportunity and equity.

One of the attributes that makes Georgia a great place to live — and a great place to relocate to from other areas of the country — is our diverse and growing set of educational options. It’s the 21st century, and our policymakers recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach no longer works, least of all when it comes to the education of our children.

But while we’ve had important progress over the last few years, we need to keep moving forward. Traditional public schools will remain the right option for most families, but a swiftly growing number of families are choosing alternatives — public charter schools, private schools, or homeschools. As a state, our objective must be to support students and families in the educational environment that works best for them. Our priority must be funding student education, not systems of education that aren’t meeting the needs of every child in our state.

That’s precisely why we need the flexibility provided by Promise Scholarships. Passing Promise Scholarships would have put Georgia at the forefront nationally of giving all children the opportunity for a great education. And politicians running for office this year would be wise to pay attention. For evidence, look no further than Virginia’s recent gubernatorial election, when now Gov. Glenn Youngkin swept into office on a platform of empowering parents.

Remember, the midterm elections are just around the corner: All 56 state Senate and 180 state House seats up for grabs. Meanwhile, parents are clamoring for educational options like never before.

The question is, will Georgia politicians listen? The answer appears to be a resounding no.

Originally Posted In Real Clear Policy