Poverty’s New Challenges, New Alliances, and New Ideas

New ideas and new alliances–especially and most recently, The
Poverty Forum–offer hope and a fresh blueprint for bi-partisan action to combat
poverty amidst a deepening recession which threatens to push millions of
Americans into, or further into, poverty. Other new ideas, new reports, and new
alliances have emerged as well. The recently
enacted recovery package includes significant help for struggling families, but
does it go far enough? What other
policies must we consider? And what are
the politics of reducing poverty and expanding opportunity in America?

This event features the Co-Chairs of the Poverty Forum–the
Reverend Jim Wallis of Sojourners and Michael Gerson
of the Council on Foreign Relations (and former advisor and speechwriter to
President George W. Bush)–along with expert commentary from Mark Greenberg of Georgetown University and David
Gray of the New America Foundation.

Participants
Featured Speakers
Michael Gerson
Roger Hertog Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Co-Chair, The Poverty Forum

The Rev. Jim Wallis
President & CEO, Sojourners
Co-Chair, The Poverty Forum

Commentators
Mark Greenberg
Director, Georgetown Center on Poverty, Inequality, and Public Policy
Former Executive Director, Task Force on Poverty, Center for American Progress

The Rev. David Gray
Director, Workforce and Family Program, New America Foundation
Pastor, Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church

Moderator
Ray Boshara
Vice President and Director, Asset Building Program
New America Foundation