New Poverty Measure Paints Different Picture of Poverty Rates in Arkansas and Mississippi
In October, the Census Bureau released the poverty rate based on the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). This snapshot of poverty in America, which varies somewhat from the standard official measure released in September, accounts for regional differences in...New Unbanked and Underbanked Rates Underscore Need for Affordable and Accessible Financial Services in Arkansas and Mississippi
As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) seeking to provide affordable and accessible financial services to Arkansans and Mississippians, a recently released FDIC survey on unbanked and underbanked households in America caught our attention. The study...Bringing CSAs to the Legislative Forefront in Arkansas
Promoting savings as a way of building assets has long been a focus of Southern Bancorp’s work, which is why we were so excited to read CFED President Andrea Levere’s op-ed in last month’s New York Times that highlighted the effectiveness of Children’s Savings...
Recognizing National Save for Retirement Week
This is National Save for Retirement Week, a national effort to increase personal financial literacy and raise public awareness about the importance of saving for retirement.[1] This week provides an opportunity for employees to reflect on their personal retirement...Building a Housing Trust Fund for Mississippi & Sustaining One in Arkansas
As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Southern seeks to support efforts focused on housing availability and accessibility for low- and moderate-income families in both Arkansas and Mississippi. We do so because of our belief that affordable housing...Money Well-Spent: Requiring a Personal Finance Course for High School Graduation
In a national survey, only 33 percent of adults over the age of 50 could correctly answer three questions testing basic knowledge of interest rates, inflation and financial markets. And despite the widespread advertisement and usage of credit cards by young adults,...Tackling our Imagination Challenge: Takeaways from the CFED Assets Learning Conference
Every two years, our partners at CFED (the Corporation for Enterprise Development) host a conference in Washington, D.C. for those who are passionate about expanding economic opportunity in the United States. This conference, the Assets Learning Conference (ALC), took...