Ambitious Drives to Curb Poverty

How charities and states are faring in meeting goals.

January 13, 2014 | Read Time: 2 minutes

National Campaigns

Catholic Charities

Goal it set in 2007: to cut poverty in the U.S. in half by 2020

Share of people in the U.S. who were poor:

In 2007: 12.5%
In 2012: 15%

Half in Ten Campaign

A joint project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Coalition on Human Needs, and Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Goal it set in 2010: to cut poverty in the U.S. in half in 10 years (adjusted from original goal of ending poverty in 10 years starting from 2007)

Share of people in the U.S. who were poor:

In 2010: 15.1%
In 2012: 15%

State and Local Campaigns

State of Connecticut

Set up a Child Poverty and Prevention Council to develop a plan to cut child poverty, with advice from nonprofits including Connecticut Voices for Children.

Goal the state legislature set in 2004: to cut child poverty in the state by half in 10 years

Share of children in Connecticut who were poor:

In 2004: 10.5%
In 2012: 14.8%

Illinois Commission on the Elimination of Poverty

Set up by the state legislature; co-chaired by the governor’s office and the Heartland Alliance, a nonprofit antipoverty group

Goal it set in 2008: to cut in half by 2015 the number of people whose incomes are less than 50 percent of the federal poverty line

Share of people in Illinois who fell into that category:

In 2008: 5.4%
In 2012: 6%

Legislative Commission to End Poverty in Minnesota by 2020

Set up by the legislature following advocacy by A Minnesota Without Poverty, a coalition of religious groups

Goal it set in 2007: to end poverty in the state by 2020

Share of people in Minnesota who were poor:

In 2007: 9.5%
In 2012: 11.4%

United Way of the Bay Area

Goal it set in 2009: to cut in half by 2020 the number of people whose income is too low to allow them to be self-sufficient.

Share of people in the Bay Area who met that standard:

In 2007: 22%
In 2010: 28.7%

Sources: Unless otherwise specified, poverty rates are those calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau, which uses a formula based on cash income, age, and household size. In 2012, the poverty line was $23,492 for a family of four. United Way of the Bay Area used a measure that takes into account regional cost of living.

See all of our coverage timed to the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty in this special section.