Dialogue On Poverty 2000

Leading America to Community Action

During January-May 2000, the national network of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) will engage their communities in discussions about public policy issues and their impact upon low-income and working poor Americans. The goals of this national Dialogue are to raise the awareness of the American people about issues of poverty and the need to address them effectively, to give a voice to low-income people in the policy-making process, and to identify and mobilize the local, state, and national resources and opportunities that low-income individuals, families, and communities need to become more self-sufficient.

The Dialogue in 2000 will be a follow-up to the 1996 National Dialogue on Poverty (NDP) through which CAAs brought together more than 150,000 Americans in civil discussions about poverty and other important issues facing their communities. The 1996 NDP resulted in a clear mandate for action at the local, state, and national levels: To eliminate poverty and improve the quality of life in our communities, Americans need more well paying jobs with benefits and other supports necessary to raise a family.

Since the 1996 Dialogue, the National Association of Community Action Agencies (NACAA) and CAAs have been working at the local, state, and national levels to encourage citizen involvement and civic actions to achieve a national policy that says:

• Everyone who can work, should work.

• Those who do work should earn sufficient income to provide for their families’ basic needs.

• Those who are unable to work or who work but do not earn enough to provide for their families should be assisted by policies and programs to meet their basic needs and secure safe and decent housing.

The CAA network is now launching Dialogue on Poverty 2000: Leading America To Community Action. This Dialogue, our network’s ongoing democracy project, will re-engage Americans, especially poor people, with each other and the process of public policy development. The end result will be stronger communities and renewed commitment at all levels to address the still unsolved dilemma of poverty in the midst of plenty.

NACAA will seek active participation from Community Action Agencies, national organizations, and individual leaders who share a commitment to Dialogue 2000 and the elimination of poverty. NACAA will work with those groups and individuals to implement an inclusive Dialogue process that spurs ongoing discussions about important issues and public policies, collaboration to achieve mutual goals, and increased public attention on issues of poverty in America.

To view the Dialogue 2000 brochure in PDF format, click here.

To view the Dialogue 2000 flyer in PDF format, click here.

Last Updated: November 12, 2004