THE PLEDGE TO TALK ABOUT POVERTY

Nearly 1 in 5 North Carolinians live in poverty. More troubling, the number jumps to 1 in 4 for the state’s children. The impact of poverty is long-term and wide-ranging, impacting not just those living in poverty but all of us. North Carolina’s ability to deliver on its promise of equal opportunity and upward mobility requires building an economy that works for everyone. 

Poverty is rarely discussed among policymakers, however, suggesting that North Carolinians have a high tolerance for economic hardship. As poverty rates remain resistant to the economic recovery, now is the time to change the discussion! Raise your voice to declare that persistently high poverty rates are unacceptable in North Carolina. We must do more and we can do more! Are you doing your part? Let’s talk poverty.

I take this pledge because I know that building a better, more just North Carolina requires all of us to use our voice to lift up one another. Let’s use our voices to push a deeper conversation about poverty in North Carolina.

Do you want to learn more about who is living in poverty in North Carolina? See the North Carolina Budget and Tax Center’s newest report on poverty.