Understanding and Overcoming Poverty in Wisconsin2009 ConferenceAugust 6-7 • Wausau, Wisconsin

Understanding and Overcoming Poverty in WisconsinPoverty is on the rise in Wisconsin, even before the recent economic downturn. Not only has the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” increased in America in these difficult times, Wisconsinites in particular are suffering the consequences. The Institute for Research on Poverty recently released the first-ever Wisconsin Poverty Report, which shows that one in seven Wisconsin children and 10.8% of the state’s population lived in poverty in 2007 (before the economic recession took hold). According to the report, this follows a trend first documented in the 2005 U.S. Census report, when the rate of growth of the number of individuals living in poverty was the highest in Wisconsin out of all 50 states. Updated poverty trends indicate that poverty in Wisconsin has grown dramatically between 2007- 2009 with the current recession, as reflected in increasing food assistance program enrollment.

This two day Understanding and Overcoming Poverty in Wisconsin conference, August 6-7, 2009, held in Wausau and sponsored by the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service and other collaborators, features presentations by acade-micians, professionals, activists, and other stakeholders, and presents venues for deliberative dialogue concerning hunger, consumer debt, financial management, the role of education, and access to health and social services, among other topics. The purpose of the conference is to uncover potential solutions to issues of poverty, disparity, and general socio-economic divisions in our state and communities. Special features of this conference include workshops conceived and led by “voices of poverty,” a food drive to benefit local food pantries, and a meal-fee only registration rate for all conference participants.

The conference will also carry forward the dialogue of the working groups created at the Building Bridges to Family Economic Success summit sponsored by the Governor’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, where over 300 community leaders convened in Milwaukee on May 4-5, 2009 to find collaborative ways to approach domestic poverty and launch a statewide planning process to redress the growing problem. Positioned between the May summit and the annual Poverty Matters! conference to be held September 16- 17, 2009 in Appleton, this conference seeks to: continue re-dressing the manifestations of poverty that prevent Wisconsinites from full realization of their potential as citizen-stewards and guardians of our state and national ideals; understand poverty by addressing what poverty looks like; and uncover solutions for ending poverty in Wisconsin. Participants will convene to explore best practices, to examine how to bridge the divide in our state and communities, and to dialogue about strategies that build upon current efforts and initiatives towards meaningful next steps.

G r e e t i n G s :

Welcome to the conference. I am particularly delighted to convene, and participate in, this important dialogue about the challenges we face as we continue to develop strategies for understanding and overcoming poverty in Wisconsin.

In these difficult economic times, we are fortunate, under the auspices of this conference, to call upon the collective wisdom, knowledge, and experience of leaders such as yourselves – people who represent the best that our state’s institutions have to offer, and whose commitment and passion will make this dialogue fruitful and move ideas and solutions forward.

As convener of this conference, the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service is dedicated to bringing the resources of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW-Extension to bear on the crucial issue of poverty, and, in the process, collaborating with colleagues of all descriptors and from all sectors across our state, including those who are

“voices of poverty” themselves. I am grateful for the support and presence at this conference of the working groups that emerged from the Building Bridges to Family Economic Support summit, and were charged by the Governor with generating initiatives for increasing economic security in Wisconsin.

I thank you for your investment in this dialogue, and in our common mission of redressing poverty in Wisconsin, and I wish you productive connections and conversations.

David Wilson Chancellor of UW Colleges and UW-Extension

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Schedule

7:45-8:30 am Continental Breakfast – Westwood Conference Center

Morning Sessions Health and Nutrition Education Housing Community Approaches Unbanked/Underbanked

8:30-9:40 am Second Harvest/ Deer Donation Program (Target Hunger)

The FAST Program/Lighted Schoolhouse

Operation Welcome Home Clear Vision Eau Claire County “Traditional” Financial Services? Why the Underbanked/Unbanked Aren’t Using Them

9:50-11:00 am P.L.A.N. Emergency Preparedness Through Social Capital

CAP Services/ Madison Apprenticeship Program/ Housing Ministries

Vicious Cycle IRS Tax Preparation Assistance Innovation in the Marketplace

11:10-12:10 pm Personal Essentials Pantry Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Educational Opportunity Program/ Madison Children’s Museum

Foreclosures in Wisconsin Grassroots Leadership College Financial Literacy Interventions

Lunch 12:15-1:00 pm Westwood Conference Center

1:00-3:00 pm Building Bridges to Family Economic Success summit workgroups (Family Support, Birth - 12, Adult Education, Housing, and Building Family Income)

3:10-3:40 pm Plenary Session - Westwood Conference Center

8:30-9:30 am Continental Breakfast & Conference Registration – Westwood Conference Center

9:30-10:30 am Welcome by UW Colleges and UW-Extension Chancellor David Wilson & Opening Keynote – Congressman David Obey and Tim Smeeding, Director, Institute for Research on Poverty

10:40-11:50 am Report Out from Building Bridges to Family Economic Success summit – Rapporteur: Jane Kerksick, Administrator, Wisconsin Department of Children & Families, Division of Family & Economic Securities; Moderator: Jane Penner-Hoppe, Wisconsin Department of Children & Families

LUNCH 12-12:50 pm Behavioral Economics: Strategies for Alleviating Poverty – John Hoffmire, Center for Business and Poverty

Afternoon Sessions Health and Nutrition Education Housing Community Approaches Unbanked/Underbanked

1:00-2:10 pm Hoffmire Report (Center for Business and Poverty) – Follow Up

Smeeding Report (Institute for Research on Poverty) – Follow Up

Mapping Poverty Through Mortgage Foreclosure Rates

Hunger Close to Home Setting the Stage: Forces Driving the Marketplace

2:20-3:30 pm Domestic Violence in the Workplace Early Learning Matters Permanent Housing (Session “A”)

Life Preservers for Consumers (Session “B”)

Appreciative Inquiry and Participatory Photo Mapping

The Un/Underbanked Situation in Wisconsin and the Nation

3:40-4:50 pm Marathon County Health Department Poverty’s Effects on Education Trapped in Domestic Violence Menominee Circles What Happens When Choices are Limited?

Evening

5:00-6:30 pm Hospitality – Westwood Conference Center (Dinner on your own)

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Conference Sessions

Domestic violence in the Workplace: Whose Business is it?Employers are becoming increasingly concerned about issues resulting from domestic violence in the workplace, but may not have the instructional tools needed to address the matter adequately. This work-shop will provide participants with information about recognizing and assisting victims of domestic abuse and the prevailing issues surrounding domestic violence in the workplace, and will provide useful strategies for managing workplace violence and implementation of policies to protect the employee as well as the company bottom line.

second Harvest Foodbank of WisconsinThe State of Wisconsin and Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin are partnering to test new outreach strategies such as information dissemination, eligibility pre-screening, and a toll-free hotline in order to increase enrollment in FoodShare. This workshop’s opening presentation will include strategies and lessons learned by this collaborative project team, and the following interactive session will encourage participants to share their own experiences and learn more about ways they can partner with their local food banks to assist eligible clients.

Deer Donation Program (target Hunger)In 2000, the Wisconsin DNR helped fund a statewide venison donation program that was later scaled back by the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease until Target Hunger, a group of local butchers, food pan-tries, and Community Action Programs, came together to raise funds for a limited deer donation program in southern Wisconsin for 2009 and the future. This workshop will share ways that the project has helped to eliminate poverty and hunger in Wisconsin.

P.L.a.n. – Preparedness through Linking all neighborsThe project is based on the idea that a neighborhood’s “social capital” plays a key role in determining how well a community is able to respond to any event that disrupts everyday life, and that building a common vision will help a community function during an emergency. Participants in this presentation will: gain an understanding of social determinants of health, learn social capital theory, and learn how this concept has been applied in two Madison neighborhoods. This project was selected as a demonstration site for NACCHO’s 2008 initiative: Incorporating Social Justice Principles and addressing Health Equity through Public Health Preparedness.

Personal essentials Pantry This workshop will provide extensive demographic data on the scope of the need for personal hygiene and care products among individuals in poverty and will present and discuss the models used by three pantries in meeting the need. This workshop will be presented by members from the original Personal Essentials Pantry at Zion Church ELCA in Madison, Wisconsin, which opened in June of 2006, and from two pantries that have adopted its mission and model: the Personal Essentials Pantry at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wisconsin Rapids and the Personal Essentials Pantry at the United Methodist Church in Rhinelander.

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Operation Welcome HomeOperation Welcome Home’s panel/presentation will detail the experiences of a com-munity of homeless and formerly homeless people in Madison, Wisconsin and will tell stories of its organizing work to challenge the criminalization of poor people, dismantle the prison industrial complex, and bring about racial and economic justice.

grassroots Leadership collegeThe Grassroots Leadership College has been teaching community organizing skills to a diverse group of developing leaders including homeless individuals, those released from prison, college students, and professionals since 2003. This hands-on work-shop will explore ways and promote strategies and tools to balance power and incor-porate the voices of traditionally under-represented groups in meetings and decision making.

caP services ProgramThis workshop will provide an overview of CAP’s Skills Enhancement Program, which assists participants with all costs associated with educational pursuits and encourages self-sufficiency as they pursue their educational plans. The history of the program will be outlined, followed by a discussion about collaborations with commu-nity partners.

Housing ministries of americaThis presentation will focus on how groups and individuals can develop a holistic in-tegrative delivery system through collaborative partnerships that address educational, leadership, programming, and marketing needs within low-income housing communi-ties in the state. The presentation will also involve voices of poverty sharing their work experiences within four communities, two in Milwaukee and two in Madison, over the last 15 years.

internal revenue serviceThis panel format will present tools, programs and experiences that have shown success in connecting low to moderate income individuals to family strengthening re-sources through the use of free tax preparation services and federal/state tax credits. Through engaged volunteers and public, private and governmental partnerships these disparities are addressed by strengthening local efforts and networks. Best practices that avoid redundancy will be shared, and barriers to stability and capacity building will be discussed.

marathon county Health DepartmentWealth influences health in manifold ways. This presentation will examine the multiple determinants of health and discuss why improving the community’s health will involve more than increasing people’s access to health care.

Permanent supportive Housing – a “Housing First” model to Prevent HomelessnessSupportive housing is proven to help people who face complex challenges – individu-als and families who are not only homeless, but who also have very low incomes and serious, persistent issues that may include substance abuse and addiction, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS – to live more stable productive lives. Without a stable place to live and a support system to help them address their underlying problems, most homeless people bounce from one emergency system to the next - from streets to shelters to public hospitals, psychiatric institutions, detox centers, jails and prisons, and back to the streets – endlessly. This session will examine this harm reduction model of providing permanent housing to those most difficult to house.

the Lighted school HouseThe “Lighted Schoolhouse” program offers opportunities for families, particularly in areas of low income and high unemployment, to forge relationships with the school and staff within the walls of their children’s education. This monthly program is a safe place for the family to congregate for a meal and activities, where teachers and other volunteers facilitate learning experiences for the family, children “show off” their parents to others, and parents can observe their children in a setting that is not about detentions, problem behaviors or poor grades.

the Fast ProgramThe FAST program is designed to help families of children who are highly at risk by offering an early intervention that engages the entire family in meals and activities that build relationships between parent and child, and parents and the school.

clear vision - eau claire county – Public achievement: a model for grassroots Poverty reductionHow can a community incorporate civic engagement processes that will help citizens unite to develop grassroots solutions to poverty? Eau Claire County citizens are learn-ing to unite key stakeholders, utilize diversity, access community needs, and develop winnable solutions. Participants in this panel discussion will describe the successes and challenges of their efforts, explain tools they have employed and share civic engagement experiences.

vicious cycleAddiction and poverty often go “hand-in-hand” and can lead to a vicious cycle that escalates out of control. This presentation describes innovative therapeutic approach-es to addiction and related problems, with a focus on mindfulness meditation inter-ventions that are relevant to poverty-affected populations and can be implemented at low-cost in a variety of settings including medical, social, and criminal justice services targeting disadvantaged groups. A group of University of Wisconsin clinicians and researchers will lead a discussion and address questions with the audience.

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early Learning matters: the economic Benefits of investing in early educationThis presentation will explore the remarkable evidence about the benefits of investing in early learning and development as an anti-poverty strategy. The presentation will explore: the importance of early brain development, with an emphasis on language development and social-emotional development; the crucial role of relationships for healthy development; the mounting evidence of a high return on investment in high-quality early childhood development programs; the key elements of a high-quality early care and education program; and a vision for a high-quality early care and education system and home visiting program in Wisconsin.

madison children’s museumThis interactive session will give a brief overview of the programs, policies and lessons learned in ten years of designing and implementing museum outreach programs that specifically reach and include underserved, low income and minority children and families who face persistent barriers to participation. Discussion will focus on how these programs are part of a community wide effort to reduce the achievement gap for children entering kindergarten, and will highlight successes, challenges and funding opportunities for collaborations between multiple organizations such as schools, Head Starts, YWCA homeless shelters, civic/volunteer, social service and arts and cultural agencies.

mapping Poverty through mortgage Foreclosure rates in Wisconsin: 2000 to 2009The recent economic crisis in home lending due to the collapse of the subprime loan market has resulted in a drastic increase in the rate of mortgage foreclosures in the United States, and it is anticipated that one in sixty homeowners in Wisconsin will have their mortgages foreclosed over the next two years. Using mapped information generated via a geographic information system, county level statistics, materials gen-erated by the University of Wisconsin Extension, and case studies, this presentation will share spatial linkages established between rates of mortgage foreclosures and related variables, including: unemployment, occurrence of poverty and near poverty, property values, vacancy rates of owner-owned and rental properties, and age of the housing stock.

appreciative inquiry & Participatory Photo mapping: Downtown madison Public engagement Project The Dialogues on Homelessness are a series of monthly meetings held at the Madi-son Public Library, where professional facilitators engage community members in exploring quality of life issues using Appreciative Inquiry (AI), an approach to eliciting positive personal feedback and themes that can be used in planning, visioning, and fostering positive relationships, and Participatory Photo Mapping (an integration of photography, global positioning systems, and geographic information systems) which explores the experience of homelessness from multiple perspectives.

Wisconsin Department of Public instruction educational Opportunities ProgramThe Wisconsin Educational Opportunities Program Seeks out high school students with college potential and encourages them to go on to higher education, provides them with educational counseling to raise their career aspirations and confidence to succeed, offers follow-up services after placement to enhance students’ chances for college adjustment, and helps educationally and economically disadvantaged stu-dents continue their education. In this workshop, specific programs and services that help students build lifetime strategies for economic empowerment will be discussed.

menominee circlesThis presentation shares a tribal-based grassroots effort to help people permanently transition out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency through attendance at a “Getting Ahead Class” and participation in a follow-up support system, or “circle,” which consists of the Getting Ahead graduate and stable “allies,” thereby bridging race and class lines and forging strong community relationships.

trapped in Poverty: Domestic violence survivors transitioning from Hopelessness to economic empowerment Economic dependence is a primary factor in why women remain in abusive homes, and research establishes a clear link between domestic violence and poverty. This workshop will discuss an empowerment curriculum designed in partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Allstate Foundation, illustrating strategies undertaken by domestic violence advocates to incorporate empowerment models into its service and educational endeavors, and showcase survivors who will discuss how these efforts played a significant role in helping them to transition from hopelessness to economic empowerment.

Conference Sessions

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Poverty’s effect on education – Head start and merrill early childhoodChildren in poverty demonstrate lower academic achievement than their higher in-come peers. This interactive workshop will focus on overcoming the roadblocks and challenges that poverty presents in helping children become productive adults, and specifically examine a community based early intervention created by Edward Zigler, the father of Head Start.

madison apprenticeship ProgramMAP is a holistic approach to helping people in poverty; the program teaches life skills and business skills and creates mentorships that provide assistance with grant and business plan writing.

Life Preservers For consumers in the Perfect stormThis workshop by the University of Wisconsin Consumer Litigation Clinic will use an interactive format to engage participants in discussions about current issues in consumer law and strategies for protecting themselves in turbulent economic times. Topics will include: the debt marketplace on Main Street; protections against unfair and illegal debt collection; consumer rights and the “repo” man; high cost credit; mandatory arbitration of consumer disputes; and legislative responses and con-sumer engagement.

Unbanked and Underbanked Track Conference SessionsWith over 28 million Americans without a bank account and more than 50 million without a credit score, consumers throughout the nation (including Wisconsin) are searching for choices to make ends meet during these tough economic times. The Unbanked and Underbanked workshops and panel discussions will provide a robust discussion on consumer choices in Wisconsin for all consumers.

setting the stage: Forces Driving the marketplaceThis presentation will add depth to understanding the 40 million households who are financially underserved. The session will identify demographic characteristics of this population and discuss the social, economic, and cultural forces that may be driving growth in the unbanked and underbanked population. Steve Kuehl of the Federal Reserve Bank will open the session and introduce Karen Biddle Andres of the Center for Financial Services Innovation.

the Un/Underbanked situation in Wisconsin and the nationWisconsin trends, markets, needs and usage will be compared to regional and national data. Examples of successful collaborations to better serve underserved consumers will be shared, barriers will be identified, and ideas that connect low-in-come families to financial wellness opportunities will be discussed. The session will include results of a new survey of convenience loan store customers in Wisconsin.

What Happens When choices are Limited?This panel session will identify factors that limit the range of consumer choices in the financial marketplace and address the potential economic and social impacts that result.

“traditional” Financial services? Why the Underbanked/ Unbanked aren’t Using themThis session will further drill down to the underlying factors driving consumers to the choices they make. A short video presentation will “acquaint” participants with some typical consumers. Ideas for understanding and serving this population will be presented.

innovation in the marketplaceThis panel session will look at what is bringing results and how success is defined by examining innovative programs and effective distribution strategies in reaching the unbanked and underbanked. Panelists will discuss various business models, products, and non-profit initiatives that direct consumers to better financial prac-tices and choices.

Financial Literacy interventionsThis workshop will examine the types of financial literacy programs that are avail-able and whether or not these interventions work. The session will examine unique features that contribute to success in financial literacy programming, strategies that work and why some strategies are less effective.

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Presenter Bios

Presenters Photo

Karen Biddle Andres is the Relationship Manager at the Center for Financial Services Innovation.

Donna Asif, BS, MLA, is the Executive Director of the Madison Homelessness Initiative and a coach at the Grassroots Leadership College.

Ammar Askari, PhD is a vice president of Retail Administration at Marshall & Ilsley Bank and the Community Education Administrator of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation.

Jonathon Bader is Programs Manager for WISCAP

Janet Bewley is the Community Relations Officer and Tribal Liason at the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.

Jennifer Weitzel Blahnik, BS & BSN is a public health nurse for the Public Health Department of Madison & Dane County and a clinical instructor for the School of Nursing at Edgewood College in Madison.

Julie Keown-Bomar is the Family Living Educator at the UW-Extension, Eau Claire and Clear Vision Chair of the Changemakers Summits on Reducing Poverty.

Jeremiah Boyle is the Community Affairs Program Director at the Federal Reserve Bank.

Laurie Brantner is the Skills Enhancement Program Coordinator at CAP Services in Appleton.

Chris Brockel is with the Target Hunger Project of the Deer Donation Program for South Centeral Wisconsin, Inc.

terry Brooks is the Guiding Coalition Chair for the Menominee Circles.

Dr. randall Brown is an Assistant Professor in the UW Department of Family Medicine and a PhD Candidate in Population Health Sciences.

Jackie Carattini is a UW Extension agent in Wausau.

susan Cooper is the FoodShare Worker for Special Populations at Second Harvest Foodbank in Madison.

Kathryn Crumpton is the Manager of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service in Milwaukee.

Jenny taylor Dandridge is the Community Affairs Specialist in the Chicago office of the FDIC.

suzanne Dennik is the Consumer and Housing Education Coordinator at the UW Extension, Coopera-tive Extension and Project Manager of the Milwaukee Foreclosure Partnership Initiative.

Faye Dodge is the Director of Community Health for the Menominee Tribal Clinic and a Getting Ahead Facilitator.

Dave edie is an Early Education Policy Analyst for the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families.

Paul egide is the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Affairs, Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Catherine emmanuelle is a non-traditional UW-Eau Claire student and the Clear Vision Chair of Treatment Instead of Incarceration Work Group.

richard entenmann is the co-founder and Executive Director of Asset Builders of America in Madison.

Michelle Friedrich is with the Target Hunger Project Deer Donation Program of the Southwest Community Action Program.

suzanne Gaulocher, MPH, MA, just completed a 2-year fellowship with University of Wisconsin’s Popula-tion Health Institute, where she was placed with Public Health Madison Dane County in the Health Promotion Program.

Mimi Gonzales is a Senior Tax Consultant at the IRS.

Kim Grafenauer, Brian Larson and Lindsay McClernan are FoodShare Outreach Specialists at Second Harvest Foodbank in Madison.

nick Heckman is the Poverty and Food Insecurity Program Specialist in the UW Cooperative Extension’s Poverty Awareness for Community Education Family Living Program.

sandra Bonnici Hoecherl is the Outreach Coordinator for the Madison Children’s Museum.

Mike Huggins is the City Manager of Eau Claire and co-chair of the Clear Vision Civic Engagement Implementation Team.

Bob Jones is the Public Policy Director for the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association

John Keckhaver is a Research Analyst at the Wisconsin Council on Children & Families and also consults through his firm, Government Relations and Analysis, llc.

tanya Kirtz is the FoodShare Outreach Coordinator at Second Harvest Foodbank in Madison.

George Klaetsch is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Coalition for Consumer Choice (WCCC) and the president of Klaetsch Public Affairs Strategies.

Andrew Konkel is the Skills Development Manager at CAP Services, Inc.

steve Kuehl is the Consumer Regulations Director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Vivian Larkin, PhD, MSW, CRC, is the Director of Economic and Social Justice with the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

susan Logsdon has done extensive work for the IRS with coalitions that link free tax preparation to financial education & asset building for low-income individuals.

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rosa Madosh is a Getting Ahead graduate.

Joyce Mallory, is the Executive Director of the Malaika Early Learning Center

Brandy McClernan is a graduate of the Madison Apprenticeship Program.

Linda McCart is the Director of Policy & Research in the Office of Policy Initiatives and Budget, Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Dr. Jim McCluskey is an Assistant Professor of Geography and Geology with the University of Wisconsin Colleges.

Maria Mendoza is a Menominee Circle Leader and Getting Ahead graduate.

Kate Mikle is the Menominee Circles & Getting Ahead Coordinator for the Menominee Indian School District.

Amy Mondloch is the Executive Director of the Grassroots Leadership College.

Barb Oestreicher is with Personal Essentials Pantry at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wisconsin Rapids.

sarah Orr is the Director of the University of Wisconsin Consumer Litigation Clinic

Mona Pagel, APSW, currently works for the North Central Health Care Facility in Wausau.

nayoakee Parker is the Asset Development Manager for the IRS Social Development Commission.

Kristen Petroshius is with Operation Welcome Home in Madison.

Carmen Porco, PhD, is the Executive Director of Housing Ministries of American Baptists in Wisconsin, President of Porco Consulting Services, and founder of four comprehensive Community Learning Centers

Dr. Ann Herda-rapp is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the UW-Marathon County and is the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service Fellow for 2008-2009.

Gina ramsey, BFA, is the Transitional Living Program Coordinator at The Women’s Community, Inc. in Wausau, WI.

Dixie Lee reisback is with Personal Essentials Pantry in at the United Methodist Church in Rhinelander.

Paul savides is a retired teacher and a community organizer, a representative of Joining Our Neighbors Advancing Hope (JONAH), and the Chair of Clear Vision Jobs Work Group.

Donna Hora-schwobe is a Family Living Educator with the UW Extension Menominee County/Tribe.

Diana shinall is the Executive Director of the Madison Apprenticeship Program.

Christine thompson is with Personal Essentials Pantry at Zion Church ELCA in Madison.

rich thwaits is the Director of Head Start and Federal Programs for Merrill Area Public Schools

Dimitri topitzes, PhD, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Wisconsin and an Assistant Professor of social work in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Julie A. Urban, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Business and Economics at the UW-Marinette.

Gina Wilson, is the Director of Agency Services and Programs at Second Harvest Foodbank in Madison

John Wilson is a community organizer and a volunteer for the Madison InfoShop, Madison Salvation Army Corps, and the Grassroots Leadership College.

Aleksandra Zgierska, PhD, MD, is a board certified physician in family medicine and addiction medicine, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

Understanding and Overcoming Poverty in Wisconsin steering committee

conference coordinating committee

Ann Herda-RappBrittany DeandaCharles NasonCorliss OlsonCynthia TravisDavid RiemerDeborah BlanksDonna AsifEric GiordanoGary GreenGayle KuglerGregg NettesheimJanet Bewley

Jean GreenwoodJeremiah BoyleJohn WilsonLarry GomesMark MarlaireMelanie Smith RichmondNick HeckmanPam AndersonRichard SchlimmSarah CarrollVivian Larkin Laurie Boyce Pam Anderson

Pam AndersonGinger AldenJanet BewleySharon Hunter

Ann Herda-RappEric GiordanoJean GreenwoodRichard Entenmann

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Public Keynotes

David Obey is Wisconsin’s 7th District Congressman. He received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed graduate work in Soviet politics. He served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Marathon County.

Dave came to Congress in 1969, succeeding the newly appointed Defense Secretary, Mel Laird and now serves as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, which makes spending decisions for every Federal discretionary program. As the Chairman of

the Committee, Dave spearheads efforts to invest in education, expand access to quality, affordable health care, protect the environment and and strengthen homeland security. Dave Obey has been recognized by numerous Wisconsin and national organizations for his work, including the National Association of Community Health Centers, the National Farmers Union, the National Mental Health Association, the 7th Congressional District AFL-CIO, the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the National Council of Senior Citizens, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Wilderness Society, and Common Cause.

In his spare time, Dave enjoys playing the harmonica and performs with his two sons and some friends in a bluegrass band, “The Capitol Offenses,” which has recorded three albums.

Julie Kerksick, Administrator, Wisconsin Department of Children & Families, Division of Family and Economic Security most recently served as the Executive Director of the New Hope Project. Kerksick has spent her entire professional career working with and on behalf of unemployed and low-income workers. She helped design public policy, but has also shared in the responsibility of translating those policies into operating programs and procedures.

Kerksick also serves on the Steering Committee of the National Transitional Jobs Network and the Board of Directors for First Service Credit Union. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from the University of St. Louis.

tim smeeding is Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor of Public Affairs at the La Follette School of Public Affairs and Director of the Institute for Research on Poverty. His research interests include the economics of public policy, especially social policy and at-risk populations; national and cross-national comparisons of income and wealth inequality; poverty; social policy; and social mobility. He is the founder and director emeritus of the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), which he began in 1983. Smeeding’s publications include the book Poor Kids in a Rich Country: America’s Children in Comparative Perspective, co-authored with

Lee Rainwater (Russell Sage Foundation, 2003), The Future of the Family, co-edited by Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Lee Rainwater (Russell Sage Foundation, 2004; paperback ed., 2006) and Immigration and the Transformation of Europe, co-edited with Craig Parsons (Cambridge University Press, 2006). Smeeding is also co-editor of the Oxford University Press’ forthcoming Handbook of Economic Inequality to be published in January 2009.

Dr. John s. Hoffmire is the Director of the Center on Business and Poverty. Dr. Hoffmire has had a twenty-year career in equity investing, venture capital, consulting and investment banking. Dr. Hoffmire’s research and work have had a particular focus on employee stock ownership plans (ESOP). As founder and CEO of his own investment banking firm, Dr. Hoffmire helped employees buy and manage approximately $2 billion worth of ESOP stock. He sold his firm to American Capital, which then went public. Dr. Hoffmire left American Capital as Senior Investment Officer when the company reached $1 billion in assets.

Dr. Hoffmire was Vice President at Ampersand Ventures, formerly Paine Webber’s private equity group. After he finished his Ph.D. at Stanford University, Dr. Hoffmire was a consultant at Bain and Company.

Jane Penner-Hoppe is the KidsFirst Policy Initiatives Advisor for the Department of Children and Families, focused on child and family programs and issues central to Governor Doyle’s KidsFirst agenda for Wisconsin. Before joining the state she served as Executive Director of the Wisconsin Child Care Resource and Referral Network. Previous work includes planning, evaluation, and research roles as an independent consultant, including working with Waukesha County for three years as a grant consultant; Planning and Allocations Monitor at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee; Government Relations and Outcomes Coordinator for the United Way of Wisconsin; and serving as the Senior Planner for the Milwaukee Social Development Commission. Ms. Penner-Hoppe holds a Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin in Political Science.

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The Understanding and Overcoming Poverty in Wisconsin conference continues the dialogue begun at the Building Bridges to Family Economic Success summit, sponsored by the Governor’s Office and the Department of Children and Families, held May 4- 5, 2009 in Milwaukee. This dialogue will continue with the upcoming Poverty Matters! conference to be held in Appleton on September 16-17, 2009. Building Bridges to Family Economic Success summit participants began the work of outlining priorities for the following key areas and addressed the following questions:

What action areas do we need to focus on to improve outcomes for families?

What programs, policies or efforts are working well in Wisconsin?

What is missing for families?

What ideas are there for how we might fill those gaps?

What entity or entities share responsibility for engaging in the activities that have been identified as necessary to advance families ?

The initial summit workgroup recommendations were considered and approved by the Summit Core Leadership team that was developed to provide oversight and guidance to the effort. Workgroups will continue their work at the Understanding and Overcoming Poverty in Wisconsin conference and at the upcoming Poverty Matters! conference, and will receive guidance from the Core Leadership Team as they continue to deliberate on their findings through the fall and winter. The goal is to issue a plan detailing a set of shared strategies and mechanisms for achieving outcomes that advance Wisconsin families.

Following is a list of the workgroups and their initial recommendations and goals:

adult education WorkgroupGoal: Providing improved access to adult education that leads to employment.

• Earning high school or equivalency degrees

• Ensuring that education is career focused

• Tailoring education to high growth occupations

• Teaching “soft skills” – skills that will assist individuals to maintain work, and once employed, efforts that help to maintain employment and advance individuals on a career ladder, including Workforce Investment Act services, Job Centers, Technical Colleges, and supports tied directly to keeping employment and advancing in the workplace

Birth to 12 education WorkgroupBirth to five education, includes:• Quality early care and education settings, Head Start,

early Head Start, pre-kindergarten programs, Birth to three, and supports for quality teachers

• Early childhood special education• Resources that support improved parent access to

child care and parent training around early care and education

K-12 education, includes:• Addressing the educational achievement gap• Improving high school graduation rates• School to work education and youth apprenticeship• Applied learning opportunities, such as

service learning

creating Jobs Workgroup improving high school graduation rates, includes:

• School to work education and youth apprenticeship• Applied learning opportunities, such as service learning• Creating jobs through entrepreneurial opportunities,

micro-lending, small businesses, and DWD middle-skills initiatives

• Transitional jobs through W-2 program

• Supported employment• Jobs being created as part of the stimulus package

– weatherization, transportation, green jobs

Housing WorkgroupMaking affordable housing more available and supports that move low-income families toward affordable housing, such as:

• Rental assistance• Weatherization• Eviction prevention programs• Support for emergency shelter, counseling

and resources• Programs that support affordable home

ownership opportunities

Building Family income• Helping families secure income beyond

employment earnings• Financial literacy• Promotion of savings, such as Individual

Development Accounts• Programs that help families work and programs

for those who are unable to work, such as Earned Income Tax Credit, BadgerCare Plus, Foodshare, Energy

• Assistance; Unemployment Insurance and Social Security Insurance

Family supportProviding families with strong parental support for their children leading to healthy growth and development, with the goal of interrupting the cycle of poverty, including:

• Parental education• Engaging fathers in family life• Comprehensive home visiting models• Family resource centers• Informal, networks and supports for families

Next Steps

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Save The DatePoverty Matters! september 16-17, 2009 Radisson Paper Valley Hotel • Appleton, WI Registration Materials available soon at www.wiscap.org

This conference will continue to share ideas on poverty problems and solutions, including best practices, development of new strategies, better integration of services, and understanding how low income people and community based organizations can work together to build economic opportunity.

This year’s event will include a special opportunity to hear the recommendations of work groups created at the Building Bridges to Family Economic Success poverty summit held in early May...delineating strategies that will lead to short and long-term reductions in poverty and stronger Wisconsin families.

Sponsors

518 South 7th Avenue Wausau, Wisconsin 54401

Phone: 715.261.6369 Fax: 715.261.6333

Email: info@wipps.org www.wipps.org