Fighting poverty in Chicago as U.S. poverty soars

Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons

Fighting poverty in Chicago as U.S. poverty soars

Poverty rose 12.4% in 2022 according to census data released Tuesday. So, why the rise? And how are Chicagoans stepping up?

In this Sept. 22, 2016 photo, volunteers help distribute fresh produce at Oak Forest Health Center in Oak Forest, Ill. Six health clinics are working with the Chicago food bank to host a mobile pantry filled with fresh produce. The clinics have hosted 26 ‘Fresh Truck’ visits with the Greater Chicago Food Depository since last year, providing more than 100,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 3,200 households. (AP Photo/Tae-Gyun Kim)

AP Photo/Tae-Gyun Kim

By Dan Tucker

Federal aid programs established during the pandemic ended at the same time inflation ran rampant. As a result, many more Americans ended up below the poverty line in 2022.

Reset talks with an economist who studies household finances and the labor market and with two Chicago leaders working to end poverty.

GUESTS: Audra Wilson, president and CEO, Shriver Center on Poverty Law

Rami Nashashibi, executive director, Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)

Damon Jones, associate professor, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy