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.

Chicago Voices

Hope Center: Healing poverty with advice, jobs, houses

February 2, 2026 / By Patrick Andriesen

Chicago Peace Initiative: Reducing violence with jobs

February 10, 2026 / By Patrick Andriesen

From tragedy to transformation: Kevon Williams and the fight for opportunity on Chicago’s West Side

May 29, 2026 / By Patrick Andriesen

‘We are our own medicine’: Austin community groups take development into their own hands

May 29, 2026 / By Jess Plowman

Pastor Dollie Sherman: Building Community One Block at a Time

July 10, 2026 / By Patrick Andriesen

Kirk Moses: Building stronger communities with work and beautification

July 16, 2026 / By LyLena Estabine

Reports

Beyond degrees: Empowering Illinoisans through career-first education

June 3, 2025 / By Josh Bandoch, Lauren Zuar

Building not permitted: Building permits in Illinois are a barrier to housing affordability

September 26, 2024 / By Joe Tabor

Center for Poverty Solutions: How to better assess poverty in Chicago and America

September 26, 2023 / By Bryce Hill

Collaborators

The Latest

Poverty 4X higher for Chicago high school dropouts than college grads

December 6, 2023 / By Hannah Schmid

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

December 4, 2023 / By Joe Tabor

Illinois’ excessive job licensing keeps Chicagoans in poverty

December 1, 2023 / By Joe Tabor

The Policy Shop: New jobs solve poverty faster than new taxes

November 29, 2023

Dr. Eddie Kornegay joins the Center for Poverty Solutions as executive director

November 29, 2023

Illinois licensing makes escaping poverty harder than in other Midwestern states

November 27, 2023 / By Joe Tabor

Valentina Marieyah Pacheco-Cornejo

November 27, 2023

The Policy Shop: Tackling Chicago’s deep poverty crisis

November 22, 2023

Over 1M Illinois families rely on food stamps for Thanksgiving dinner

November 21, 2023 / By Dylan Sharkey

Nearly 101,000 Chicago single moms, their children live on less than $13 per day

November 21, 2023 / By Bryce Hill

Nearly 240,000 Chicagoans living on less than $19 a day

November 20, 2023 / By Bryce Hill