How Can Philanthropists Help the Poor Build Wealth?
An Economic Opportunity Event
Hosted by The Philanthropy Roundtable
Co-hosted with Philanthropy New York and Legacy Venture
September 12, 2012, New York City
Economic opportunity is more than a job. It’s the chance to be part of the American dream. How can philanthropists help people at the bottom of the “economic pyramid” thrive and become a vital part of our nation’s free enterprise economy? Previous economic opportunity programs have examined ways to help people become employable and find a job. This conference looked at “next steps” on the economic security continuum. How can we help low-income workers transition from dependence and “living on the edge” to greater freedom, financial security, and independence? How do savings and asset building help people pursue aspirations for the future—both for themselves and for their families? This meeting explored how philanthropy can facilitate these vital transformations to help people help themselves.
Speakers include:
- Ray Boshara, senior fellow, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- Stuart Butler, director, Center for Policy Innovation, Heritage Foundation
- Diana Elliott, research manager, Economic Mobility Project, Pew Center for the States
- Alex Forrester, chief operating officer, Rising Tide Capital
- Diana Furchtgott-Roth, senior fellow, Manhattan Institute
- Annika Little, Asset Funders Network
- Ben Mangan, president and CEO, EARN
- Brandee McHale, director of programs, Citi Foundation
- Janet Riordan, director of community programs, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
- Sherry Riva, executive director, Compass Working Capital
- Rachel Schneider, vice president of innovation, research, and policy, Center for Financial Services Innovation
- Justine Zinkin, executive director, Neighborhood Trust
Session topics include:
- Poverty and Economic Mobility in America
- Financial Development Tools and Strategies
-
Next Steps for Accelerating Access
Schedule of events:
Tuesday, September 11
Tour and Reception
4:00 p.m. Tour at Tenement Museum
The Tenement Museum preserves and interprets the history of immigration through the personal experiences of newcomers who settled and built lives in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the neighborhood that is associated more than any other with America’s immigration boom. Join us for a “Shop Life Tour” of small businesses and apartments that recreate immigrant life in the 19th and 20th centuries. We’ll explore the changing neighborhood through the eyes of German saloon keepers, a kosher butcher, and a Depression-era auctioneer to see how generations of immigrant entrepreneurs brought their dreams for economic success to 97 Orchard Street’s basement storefronts. Along with a glimpse of the past, the tour offers insight into current debates about immigration and opportunity in America.
5:30 p.m. Reception at Tenement Museum
Wednesday, September 12
8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Conference
Click here to see full event agenda.
Conference location:
The Roosevelt Hotel
45 East 45th Street at Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(888) 833-3969
For more information about this program contact Jo Kwong at The Philanthropy Roundtable or call (202) 822-8333.
