You hear from us often about the complexities of poverty and the need for a variety of policy solutions to address the housing crisis, food insecurity, access to justice, and the inaccessibility of adequate healthcare. Poverty and its effects are far-reaching and impact nearly every aspect of a person’s life, at every phase of life....Lee mas

This November, our Anti-Poverty Advocates Summit will feature Andrea Elliott, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Invisible Child, as one of our keynote speakers. Our staff has been reading (or re-reading) Invisible Child in preparation, and we are excited to delve deeper into the book and the implications of Dasani’s story. Today our Communications Manager,...Lee mas

Date: January 31st, 2024To: Representative Bill Hardwick, Chairman, and Members of the House Committee on Emerging IssuesFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRE: Support for HB 2499 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty non-profit in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy....Lee mas

Investing in Teachers = Investing in Education = Better Outcomes for us All.  Decades of research tell us that increasing our investment in education leads to safer and more prosperous communities. This includes higher salaries for individuals, higher employment rates, more economic opportunity, greater workforce effectiveness, and draws employers to the state who are seeking...Lee mas