“Our young people are the future, and we all want them to have the support they need for successful and fulfilling lives. As a central banker, I recognize the benefits to the broader economy when more people are better prepared for work and for managing their finances. In short, ensuring that…
Archives: Voices
We must invest in housing
It really was great news that Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, Matthew Desmond’s urgent wake-up call about the gross injustice of evictions, won the Pulitzer Prize. The painful reality of housing insecurity was brought home to me on April 1, when the National Coalition for the Homeless…
“Evicted” Author wins Pulitzer Prize for work on homelessness, housing affordability
You may have heard the great news: Author Matthew Desmond this week was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in the nonfiction category for his groundbreaking book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. The award brought to mind an event that was held almost a year ago: CHN joined our…
Congress is home for recess – Time to talk!
It’s time to talk to your members of Congress! Representatives and Senators have left Washington for a two-week recess, April 7 – 23. During the last recess, the outpouring of outrage about repealing the health care law forced House Speaker Ryan to pull the bill – they didn’t have the…
Fact of the Week: Only 35 affordable and available rental units exist for every 100 Extremely Low Income renter households
Despite the fact that the number of individuals living below the poverty line decreased during 2015, millions are still struggling to get by. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s recent report, The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, “household income for the poorest 10% of households remains 6%…
She told Paul Ryan what it’s like to be poor
Last spring, we reported on a new documentary making the rounds at Sundance and other venues throughout the country. A Hug from Paul Ryan followed the story of Tianna Gaines-Turner, who, despite working two jobs just like her husband, struggles with poverty in their hometown of Philadelphia. The highlight of…
Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence
Last week the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice sent out a newsletter informing people that today, April 4, marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech. The Kairos Center is calling for a new Poor People’s Campaign in order to revitalize the movement started…
Human Needs Report: Advocates defeat ACA repeal bill, FY17 & FY18 spending work, Supreme Court confirmation and more
CHN just released our latest edition of the Human Needs Report. Read on for articles on what’s next for ACA repeal efforts, FY17 & FY18 budget and appropriations work, a Supreme Court confirmation vote and more. Click here for the full PDF of the Human Needs Report. Advocates’ Efforts Defeat…
Marching for tax fairness
On Saturday, April 15, people across the country – and even some around the world – will be marching in recognition of Tax Day. Tax Day – the day when federal income taxes are due – actually falls on Tuesday, April 18 this year, but Saturday is a better day…
Would Justice Scalia or Abraham Lincoln have voted to put Judge Neil Gorsuch on the United States Supreme Court?
Editor’s note: The following blog post is authored by Kenan Heise, a Chicago journalist who has for decades illuminated the lives of poor people in his morally powerful writings. He has written for the Chicago Tribune and other major daily papers. Heise is the author of several books, including The Book of the Poor (2012) and…
Head Smacker: Trump wrongly claims corporate taxes are too high
President Trump’s address to Congress last month gave us in the human needs community much to smack our heads about. As CHN’s Debbie Weinstein noted in this piece about Trump’s false promises, he promised better health care while working to repeal the ACA; thanks in part to your advocacy, that…
CHN’s Deborah Weinstein featured on Ralph Nader Radio Hour
Editor’s note: Last week, CHN Executive Director Deborah Weinstein appeared on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour to discuss President Trump’s proposed budget, and America’s spending priorities. You can listen to a recording of the show here. Please note that the 15-minute segment featuring Deborah takes place 41:26 into the recording.