NEWS & OPINIONS
Two new laws bring good news for charitable giving in Georgia
Thanks to two bills passed in 2024, Georgians can continue donating generously without fear their wishes will be violated or their identity disclosed.
Atlanta has $29.8 million in public safety funding for 2025. Here’s why it matters.
Atlanta’s City Council has adopted its budget for 2025, and it has devoted public safety funding to a few best practices that are good news for crime-weary residents.
9 Benefits of Work for Teens and Young Adults
Our review of the research uncovered nine benefits of work that help young people develop the foundations for success in every area of life.
Everything to Know About Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) in Georgia
Education plays a powerful role in breaking the cycle of poverty and helping children lead healthy, flourishing lives. Education savings accounts in Georgia are a solution to help more of Georgia’s kids get the benefits of a quality education.
BETTER WORK and Jobs for Life: Giving Georgians a Path to Find Purpose and Possibility in Work
Our BETTER WORK initiative is unique because we help people move from crisis situations and into a mindset and support system that empowers them to pursue long-term employment. How do we do it? A partnership with Jobs for Life.
Georgia Passes Promise Scholarships and Expands Education Opportunity
On April 23, 2024, Governor Brian Kemp signed SB 233, the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, into law. This education savings account program—the first of its kind in Georgia—will allow eligible students to receive $6,500 state-funded scholarships that they can use to access the education option that best fits their needs.
Safer Kentucky Act: Six Crime Reforms Included and How They Help
The Safer Kentucky Act (House Bill 5) is a package of crime-related bills, including six GCO-recommended solutions for restoring community safety and better opportunities close to home, especially in impoverished neighborhoods that tend to bear the brunt of increasing violence.
Promise Scholarships Cross Major Hurdle
On March 14, 2024, the Georgia House passed SB233, The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act. This bill is an important first step in extending an education lifeline to the over half-a-million kids stuck in failing public schools.
Why Georgia Policies Matter
Georgia is a battleground state and the policies it enacts can have a huge impact on those living in poverty. We discuss why policy matters in Georgia and what we can expect in 2024.
A Better Safety Net in Georgia: Mapping the One Door Policy (House Bill 738) Would Be a Big Step Forward
Legislation pending in the Georgia Legislature, House Bill 738, would create a task force to explore how Georgia could use Utah’s One Door policy to build a safety net system that helps more people find meaningful work and pathways out of poverty.
SB 233: Georgia Promise Scholarships Would Help Thousands of Students. Why Did Some Districts Vote Against It?
If we truly want all of Georgia’s students to obtain a quality education that prepares them for a meaningful career and a stable life, parents need more options. Promise Scholarships are an incredible opportunity, but making them available to Georgia families depends on support from a few districts.
The Marriage Penalty: A Barrier to Relational Support and Better Opportunities for the Poor
Strong relationships are a cornerstone of vibrant communities, and research has shown that marriage is one key type of relationship for empowering individuals, regardless of race or circumstance, to escape poverty and find stability and opportunity. But a current tax policy is making it difficult for communities in Georgia and beyond to reap the benefits of marriage.
MEDIA MENTIONS
Georgia unveils its newest private school choice program
The Georgia Promise Scholarship was passed by the state General Assembly earlier this year. According to pro-school choice organization EdChoice, it joins two other private school choice programs in the state. Eligible families can use the funds for private school...
Defending Ideas: How to empower those on the social safety net to pursue work and opportunity
In a recent interview with the Sutherland Institute's Defending Ideas series, Randy Hicks, President and CEO of the Georgia Center for Opportunity, shared his vision for empowering individuals on the social safety net to achieve greater independence and opportunity....
Graduate puts on ‘another shield of armor’ to build career, and a better life.
As the time for his graduation ceremony approached, Michael Averett joined his classmates in a small classroom. He donned his cap and gown. Just down a short hallway, family and friends waited for the ceremony to commence. When asked for his thoughts, Averett said it...
Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor
As Congress continues to debate the Farm Bill and the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a critical flaw in the U.S. safety net system remains largely unaddressed: benefits cliffs. Our research, alongside studies from the Atlanta Fed and...
Op-Ed: Hidden costs of getting a raise for America’s working poor
As Congress continues to debate the Farm Bill and the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a critical flaw in the U.S. safety net system remains largely unaddressed: benefits cliffs. Our research, alongside studies from the Atlanta Fed and...
Strengthening Partnerships: Valley Hospital & Community Organizations
Featured in the Valley Hospitality Newsletter We’re excited to share that on Thursday, September 19, 2024, Bella Marshall from our Human Resources team met with key leaders to solidify partnerships that will enhance our workforce initiatives at Valley Hospitality....
Point: When Violent Crime Was at Its Worst, Congressional Action Helped – DC Journal – InsideSources
For an alternate viewpoint, see “Counterpoint: The 1994 Crime Bill’s Legacy — Thirty Years of Failure.” By the early 1990s, the United States had experienced dramatic and unprecedented surges in crime, with the violent crime rate up 470 percent from 1961 and the...
Report: Welfare a barrier to economic mobility for low-income workers
At a campaign stop in North Carolina last month, Vice President Kamala Harris suggested that efforts to combat price gouging are needed to help poor and middle-class households. But a new research report shows that government transfer benefits are contributing to the...
