Poverty and Economic Security Roundtable

There have been distinct and sometimes competing schools of thought about how to help children in poverty. Traditionally, there has been a schism between advocates for safety net services to ensure no child faces total hardship and advocates for asset-building, which focuses on building families' financial resources. Texans Care for Children and RAISE Texas began convening the Poverty and Economic Security Roundtable in August 2009 to bring advocates on both sides together to learn from one another and advance a common agenda that aims to keep the youngest Texans and their families out of poverty and on the road to success. This statewide coalition working on poverty and asset-building issues includes a diverse group of organizations and individuals--banks, researchers, social service organizations, the I.R.S., advocates, micro-lenders, and individual citizens--who aim to build a common knowledge base, exchange timely information and resources, and assess and track administrative and legislative activities.