TKW Consulting

Poverty affects all of us and it is both possible and imperative that we take action. Help publicize these important facts!

On Tuesday, August 28, the U.S. Census released new 2006 statistics for Minnesota on poverty and income. The Minnesota Budget Project examined the numbers, and found that, both in Minnesota and nationally, poverty levels and median household income are not as good as would be expected five years into an economic recovery, and the number of Americans without health insurance has actually risen. To read our analysis, go to www.mncn.org/bp/census0828.pdf.

Thank you for volunteering to help get the word out about this important information.

Below some tools to get the word out:

1) Sample letters-to-the-editor
2) Op-ed talking points (please contact us if you want help beyond this)
3) A 250 word article which you can place in a newsletter/website, etc.
4) A 500 word article which you can place in a newsletter/website, etc.

Once your letter/op-ed/article is printed, please send us a copy!

If you have any questions or ideas about how to publicize this important information, please don’t hesitate to contact Katherine Blauvelt at the Minnesota Budget Project at 651-642-1904 ext 243, or Katherine@mncn.org.

1) Sample Letters-to-the-Editor
Step #1: Check your local papers for articles on the new statistics.

Here are links to some articles – this is not a comprehensive list – please send us any articles we’ve missed:

Star Tribune: www.startribune.com/462/story/1388729.html
Pioneer Press: www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_6744877
Duluth News Tribune: www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=49105
Minnesota Public Radio: http://minnesota.publicradio.org//display/web/2007/08/28/census/?rsssource=1
St. Cloud Times: www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070829/NEWS01/108290034

Step #2: Write a short letter to the editor.

TIP: If you are responding to an article - Refer directly to the article in your letter: “The article on Wednesday, August 29 on Minnesota’s poverty statistics…”. But you can still send a letter to the editor even if your paper hasn’t run a story on the census data.

Sample letter to the editor:

“I recently read/heard that the Census tells us that Minnesota’s poverty rate is holding steady, but still no better than five years ago. Does anyone else get the feeling that our state has been treading water for way too long? We have the resources, we just need the political will in our state to make things right.”

Another sample letter to the editor:

“It was sobering to read about the stagnant income and poverty numbers for Minnesota. This is a problem that effects the entire state. Consider the foreclosure crisis: Families in Minnesota lose their homes and their savings and markets in Europe and Asia are rocked. We truly are all in this together.”

2) Op-Ed Talking Points (note: needs to be under 500 words)
Pick and choose from the below talking points, as you craft your op-ed. If you’d like help beyond this, please contact Katherine at 651-642-1904 ext 243.

Make it personal. Use analogies. Papers tend to pick up op-eds that have a framing analogy, like “a perfect storm,” or a theme which runs through the piece.

Economic recoveries are an opportunity to make real strides toward improving families’ incomes and reducing poverty. But thus far in this recovery, most Minnesotans have only been treading water.

We can’t wait any longer. 5 years into an “economic recovery,” our child poverty rate and median income for Minnesota remains worse than 2001 levels, when we were in the depths of the ‘dot-com’ recession. That’s a shocking development.

In 2001, Minnesota’s child poverty rate was 10.1%, or 119,300 children. In 2006, 145,000 children were in poverty – 11.8%. That’s an increase of over 25,000 children in poverty from 2001 to 2006.

National trends show that the share of Americans — including children — who are uninsured has increased 2.2 million in 2006. For the second year in a row the number of uninsured children in the United States has increased – rising by more than 600,000 in 2006.

The benefits of economic growth have not been widely shared during this economic recovery. The Minnesota State Demographic Center has found that from 2000 to 2005, only the richest 10% of Minnesota households saw their incomes increase more than inflation. This is in stark contrast to the 1990s, when Minnesota households at all income levels reaped earnings gains that exceeded inflation.

The Census Bureau releases this data just as the state’s Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020 is about to embark upon visits across the state to engage communities in conversations about ways to end poverty. When Minnesotans think something is important, they get things done – Let’s take action as communities and hold our state elected officials accountable for taking action to end poverty.

3) 250-word article – to publish in your own newsletter, church bulletin, e-mail alert, etc. *Please send a copy to the Minnesota Budget Project!*

New Census Figures Paint Disappointing Picture for Minnesota

An analysis by the Minnesota Budget Project, an initiative of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, of new U.S. Census figures released on Tuesday, August 28th shows that, both in Minnesota and nationally, poverty levels and median household income are not as good as would be expected five years into an economic recovery, and the number of Americans without health insurance has actually risen.

The rate of poverty among Minnesota children was a surprisingly high 11.8% in 2006. Child poverty has gotten worse since the recession of 2001, when it was 10.1%. Overall, 1 in 12 Minnesotans, or 8.1%, lived in poverty in 2005-06.

The number of Minnesotans without health insurance would fill the Metrodome for a baseball game nine times over. Nearly 1 in 12 Minnesotans, or 8.5%, did not have health insurance coverage in 2004-2006. Nationally, 15.8% of Americans, or 47 million people, lacked health insurance in 2006 – up from 2005.

What You Can Do
The Census Bureau releases this data just as the state’s Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020 is about to embark upon visits across the state to engage communities in conversations about ways to end poverty. To learn more and get involved, go to www.affirmativeoptions.org.

Read more about the new figures at www.mncn.org/bp/census0828.pdf.

4) 500-word article - to publish in your own newsletter, church bulletin, e-mail alert, etc. *Please send a copy to the Minnesota Budget Project!*

Five Years into Economic Recovery, 439,000 Minnesotans Lack Health Insurance, New U.S. Census Data Finds

New Census figures released on Tuesday, August 28, paint a disappointing picture. An analysis of the numbers by the Minnesota Budget Project, an initiative of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, shows that, both in Minnesota and nationally, poverty levels and median household income are not as good as would be expected five years into an economic recovery, and the number of Americans without health insurance has actually risen.

Nearly 1 in 12 Minnesotans, or 8.5%, did not have health insurance coverage in 2004-2006. Nationally, 15.8% of Americans, or 47 million people, lacked health insurance in 2006. This is up from 15.3% without health insurance in 2005.

Child Poverty in Minnesota Higher Than During 2001 Recession
The rate of poverty among Minnesota children was a surprisingly high 11.8% in 2006. Child poverty has gotten worse since the recession of 2001, when it was 10.1%. Overall, 1 in 12 Minnesotans, or 8.1%, lived in poverty in 2005-06. This means there has been no statistically measurable improvement in the overall rate of poverty since 2001.

Nationally, the poverty rate declined to 12.3% in 2006, which is still significantly above the 11.7% rate measured in 2001 during the recession.

The Census Bureau releases this data just as the state’s Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020 is about to embark upon visits across the state to engage communities in conversations about effective solutions to end poverty.

A Rising Tide Does Not Lift All Boats
Five years into an economic recovery, incomes in Minnesota are less than what they were during the recession. Minnesota households had a median income of $54,023 in 2006. However, this is still significantly less than in 2001, when the median income was $56,753 (measured in 2006 dollars).

The benefits of economic growth have not been widely shared during this economic recovery. The Minnesota State Demographic Center has found that from 2000 to 2005, only the richest 10% of Minnesota households saw their incomes increase more than inflation. This is in stark contrast to the 1990s, when Minnesota households at all income levels reaped earnings gains that exceeded inflation.

Nationally, the median household income was $48,201 in 2006. This growth is less than would be expected at this point in the business cycle, and shows no real progress from 2001, when median household income was $48,091 (measured in 2006 dollars).

Economic recoveries are an opportunity to make real strides toward improving families’ incomes and reducing poverty. But thus far in this recovery, most Minnesotans have only been treading water.

What You Can Do
The Census Bureau releases this data just as the state’s Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020 is about to embark upon visits across the state to engage communities in conversations about ways to end poverty. To learn more and get involved, go to www.affirmativeoptions.org.

Read more about the new figures at www.mncn.org/bp/census0828.pdf.