Center for Poverty Solutions

 Poverty loses when human dignity prevails 

America has lost the War on Poverty. After nearly 60 years and $12 trillion, the poverty rate remains stuck between 11% and 15%. We’ve focused on making poverty more bearable rather than helping people escape a trap that lasts for generations. We’ve created dependence and taken people’s dignity and purpose. There are better ways to treat people, and we will bring free-market solutions to one of the most important policy issues of our time through the Center for Poverty Solutions, starting in Chicago. Together, we can defeat poverty and build self-worth.

How We Serve

The Center for Poverty Solutions works to identify and advance free-market policies that remove barriers to work and empower Chicagoans to move out of poverty and into full-time employment. By conducting original research, fostering partnerships between community leaders and employers and working to turn locally proven solutions into city and state law, the center helps ensure that Chicagoans closest to poverty are leading the drive to reduce it.

Our Work

Our mission at the Center for Poverty Solutions is to reduce poverty in the city of Chicago by 5% by 2033. To accomplish that, the center has built a coalition of community-based organizations, forward-thinking employers and public advocacy groups to connect impoverished Chicagoans with training, opportunities and resources to achieve full-time employment.

What we fight for

The Center for Poverty Solutions fights so every Chicagoan can achieve the American dream. We believe that through the dignity of work, the power of entrepreneurship and the support of community stakeholders, the most vulnerable Chicagoans can achieve independence and flourish.

We are committed to stay and fight for Chicagoans

If you are ready to join us, click below and help support the research, advocacy and community leaders fighting to eliminate poverty in our city.

The Latest

New bill could help Illinois’ housing gap with granny flats statewide

February 25, 2026 / By Patrick Andriesen

Chicago Peace Initiative: Reducing violence with jobs

February 10, 2026 / By Patrick Andriesen

Hope Center: Healing poverty with advice, jobs, houses

February 2, 2026 / By Patrick Andriesen

Performers emerge from Chicago’s projects by way of forklifts

December 15, 2025 / By Patrick Andriesen

Federal aid feeds over 1M Illinois families this Thanksgiving

November 27, 2025 / By Patrick Andriesen

Here’s why buying an Illinois home can be hard

November 25, 2025 / By LyLena Estabine, Jon Josko

Diana Graham

October 30, 2025

Government benefit system traps 710,000 Illinoisans

August 14, 2025 / By Dylan Sharkey

National award recognizes Center for Poverty Solutions’ job co-op

August 4, 2025 / By Eddie Kornegay

Vallas: Work-study changes futures of Chicago’s at-risk youth

July 25, 2025 / By Paul Vallas

Nearly 2M Illinoisans still need federal food benefits, most in Chicago

July 18, 2025 / By Sachi Gaonkar

710k Illinoisans avoid work advancement to keep welfare benefits

July 17, 2025 / By Sachi Gaonkar