Public Policy Blog
Meet ALICE
By Janie Ginocchio You might be thinking, “I only know one person named ALICE and she’s my 86-year-old great aunt.” That’s surely true, but what’s true, too, is that ALICE is your waitress at your favorite diner, the lovely people who help you get your groceries to...
Economic Impact Payments: How a Digital Economic System Can Leave the Unbanked Behind
By James Owen Cutting checks to 171 million Americans is no easy logistical undertaking. It gets harder when you don’t have direct deposit information for as many as 110 million.[1] That challenge is why you’ve probably tried to check the status of your refund on the...
Talking about Poverty: Chained CPI
Editor’s note: This is one in a series of blog posts to critically examine how poverty is defined, measured, and talked about, and how those conversations influence public policy. The economic ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought how the U.S. addresses...
Building Wealth and the CARES Act: Some Points to Remember
By James Owen Building wealth doesn’t happen overnight. But over the next few days, you’ll likely have to make some decisions that could help you build long-term wealth. In late March, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act....
Banking the Underserved at the Speed of Trust
It’s easy to miss important parts of the Delta. At first glance, a juke joint could be mistaken for a roadside shack. A flooded field is actually the start of a productive rice crop. And a neon-lit payday lender might be a debt trap. Also perhaps overlooked, immigrant...
America Can Save: How Southern’s Public Policy Makes Saving Easy
Southern knows a thing or two about saving. Every employee strives to be a wealth builder for everyone; each employee is a walking, talking opportunity center. At the center of our approach to wealth building is saving. It is our goal to empower 1 million people to...