Advocates from all walks of life came together Tuesday to discuss how their agencies can work side by side to figure out how to end poverty across the state.
Heidi Lucas, outreach manager with the Missouri Community Action Network, invited advocates from all over the state to join the conversation. Missouri CAN is a non-partisan organization that works with various agencies to ensure advocacy efforts are recognized and known to agencies that may be working toward similar goals.
The entire afternoon was dedicated to uplifting, supporting and explaining each stakeholder's role in the fight against poverty.
Jeanette Oxford, executive director of Empower Missouri, kicked off the discussion, pointing out some of the values may be changing under the country's new administration, but it won't change the problems that need to be addressed.
During her presentation, Oxford cited areas such as hunger, health, education, housing, energy, and family and economic security as needing improvement.
"Missouri is second in the nation in hunger and seventh in the nation in food insecurity," Oxford said. "To me, a great nation does not let kids be hungry, so how will the president-elect interpret that?"
Judy Dungan, director of policy and advocacy at Missouri Children's Leadership Council, said the council's legislative priorities would include child advocacy. Currently, there are 45 agencies that are a part of the council.
"I'm sure it's no surprise that Missouri ranks near the bottom of the 50 states in what we pay our providers for child care subsidies," Dungan said. "But we have seen a little progress."
She explained for the first time in 10 years, child care providers have seen a 10 percent increase in rates.
"If you follow this program, you know that a 2 percent or 3 percent raise is the norm," Dungan said. "We went for almost 10 years with no rate increase at all."
Dungan said, for the first time since 2003, there was money available in the budget for the Disproportionate Share Program, which provides a 30 percent increase for licensed providers when 50 percent of their children are from subsidized families.
All of the presentations Tuesday had a common theme: There needs to be a change in policy in order to help people come out of poverty.
Vickie Riddle, executive director of the Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City, pointed out that due to the outdated guidelines and legislation in place at the federal level, nothing is going to change.
"Until all of us take a honest look at how the federal policies are affecting people who are at a disadvantage, nothing will be changed," Riddle said. "We can do this by advocating through our national, state and local organizations."