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Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity: Raising Awareness in ’08 Election

As our nation prepares for the Democratic and Republican National Conventions taking place late this summer, we will all be deluged with coverage of both horserace politics and substantive issues. Amidst the frenzy, The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity—an Eos Foundation grantee—seeks to make sure the issue of poverty does not get lost in the shuffle.

Over 36 million Americans live in poverty – earning less than $20,650 for a family of four. Even worse, 12 million American children grow up in impoverished homes, the largest number compared with 20 other wealthy nations. Spotlight believes that America can do better, and is helping to make sure the 2008 Candidates are committed publicly to doing so.

Spotlight’s “5 Questions” program queried all of the major candidates in the 2008 election about their views on addressing poverty. The goal is not only to get candidates to say they are committed to the issue of poverty, but to also help hold them accountable once in office. “Rising poverty is one of the most serious issues facing America today,” said Senator Barack Obama, while Sen. John McCain maintained, “I will make the eradication of poverty a top priority for the McCain Administration.”

Spotlight has made considerable progress toward the realization of its goal since its formation by a group of national leaders in the fall of 2007. Beginning initially with two funding partners, the Eos Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity now boasts ten contributing organizations, a website that attracts thousands of hits every week, and a major bi-partisan event held at the Brookings Institution in March of 2008. With intense media coverage expected surrounding the Conventions in the coming months, Spotlight will help focus the election on solutions for impoverished Americans.

Read the candidates’ answers to the 5 Questions and learn more about the Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity.