NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Taskforce Recommendations Aim to Move the Needle on Poverty in Arkansas 
Report Sets Target of Cutting Poverty in the State in Half in 10 Years

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (November 29, 2010) – The Arkansas Legislative Taskforce on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunity released a report today setting targets for poverty reduction in the state. The culmination of a year of research, the report sets out specific, tangible recommendations for building economic stability for Arkansas families and a stronger, more productive economy.

“More than one in four Arkansas children live in poverty today and more than one in five Arkansans live on incomes below the federal poverty line,” said Dr. Sherece Y. West, President and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and Taskforce member. “We must move the needle on poverty in the state not only because of what it means to individual Arkansans impacted by poverty, but because it is imperative to our shared prosperity.”

The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation has been integrally involved in the work of Taskforce. The Foundation awarded $75,000 to Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families that supported much of the research undertaken by the group as well as town hall meetings and focus groups held throughout the state to gather information on poverty solutions.

“For too long, Arkansas has been among the nation’s bottom five in economic and education indicators,” said Dr. West. “The time is now for our state to commit to becoming one of the nation’s highest ranking states in measures of family and child well-being.”

The Taskforce recommends that Arkansas adopt a goal of reducing poverty to pre-recession levels in five years and by half in 10 years. In addition, the Taskforce has developed a series of recommendations for policy change and benchmark goals in six categories: economic and community development, education and workforce development, health, individual income supports, tax policy, and system needs. The benchmarks will measure the state’s progress in approaching the barriers to financial stability in five years, 10 years, and 20 years. For example, the report sets the goal of doubling the percentage of adults with bachelor’s degrees in the state over the next twenty years.

The Taskforce report has been delivered to the offices of the Governor and leaders of the House and Senate. It is available for review on WRF’s website at http://www.wrfoundation.org/impact.html.

About the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
For over 35 years, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation has worked to make a difference by helping to build and sustain the organizations that serve and strengthen Arkansas. Through grantmaking and strategic partnerships, we are working even harder to help close the economic and educational gaps that leave too many Arkansas families in persistent poverty. Working together, the needle can and must move from poverty to prosperity for all Arkansans. For more information on the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, go to http://www.wrfoundation.org.

About the Arkansas Legislative Taskforce on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunity
The Arkansas Legislative Taskforce on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunity was created by Act 722 of 2009. The Taskforce, which includes legislative, community, and nonprofit members, was charged with duties and responsibilities including: (1) gathering information about the number of people in poverty and the risk factors and causes of poverty, (2) identifying the negative impact of long-term poverty and the costs of poverty, (3) assessing existing programs and policies addressing poverty, (4) developing public policy recommendations to reduce poverty on a statewide or regional basis, and (5) establishing measurable benchmarks for the elimination of poverty. For more information on the Arkansas Legislative Taskforce on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunity, go to http://bit.ly/d6QxNr.