Ideas We Should Steal: Treat Homelessness as a Health Issue

While the City and advocates continue negotiations over the homeless encampment on the Parkway, Denver and New Jersey demonstrate some much-needed new thinking

By Diana Lind

Ideas We Should Steal: RIP Medical Debt

A third of Americans have medical bills they cannot pay. A New York nonprofit has helped eliminate $2 billion of that debt for the poorest of them

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

Green-Lighting Change

Poverty-fighting programs have spent millions in Philly—but the numbers of poor people remain high. GreenLight Fund supports data-based programs that have proven to make a real difference

By Jessica Blatt Press

A Green Stimulus for Philly

Penn’s resident climate wonk co-wrote a letter urging Congress to green its pandemic response. Could the public investments he supports help solve Philly’s poverty epidemic, too?

By Brianna Baker

Poverty Navigator

Benefits Data Trust wades through the confusing rules governing welfare programs and links those in poverty with benefits. They’re needed now more than ever.

By Andy Metzger

Data For Kids

Philly is stealing an evidenced-based idea from other cities and forming a cabinet for children. Will that move the needle on our 35-percent child poverty rate?

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

Making Work Pay

City Council unanimously passed Allan Domb’s wage tax rebate for low-income workers. This, Philly 3.0’s engagement director notes, is exactly the right moment for Mayor Kenney to sign it into law

By Jon Geeting

Taking On The Opportunity Gap

Legendary educator and activist Geoffrey Canada on how to move the needle on poverty and equity, and why he’s with Bloomberg

By Larry Platt