What the June inflation numbers mean for the poor

by David Bass | Jul 25, 2022

What the June inflation numbers mean for the poor

Key Points

BLS reports, some of the biggest increases in prices were soon for essentials like gas for your car and groceries for your kitchen table.
A new price floor has been established.
A way forward involves, curtail federal deficit spending and adopting supply-side economic policies.

The inflationary environment in the U.S. and around the world continues to go from bad to worse. On July 13, the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics announced that in June the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 1.3%, not seasonally adjusted. That means, year over year, the CPI is now up 9.1%, which is the fastest pace of inflation in over four decades.

As the BLS reports, some of the biggest increases in prices were soon for essentials like gas for your car and groceries for your kitchen table:

“The increase was broad-based, with the indexes for gasoline, shelter, and food being the largest contributors. The energy index rose 7.5 percent over the month and contributed nearly half of the all items increase, with the gasoline index rising 11.2 percent and the other major component indexes also rising. The food index rose 1.0 percent in June, as did the food at home index.”

The poor are hit hardest

The sad reality is that inflation shows few, if any, signs of lessening anytime soon. As we’ve said so many times before, the hardest hit are the poorest among us.

For example, a recent survey revealed the alarming truth that some families are skipping meals to deal with raging inflation. While inflation is inconvenient for the upper middle class and wealthy and concerning for the middle class, it’s downright devastating for the working class and poor.

Meanwhile, wage increases are lagging behind price increases. People are falling further and further behind.

A new floor for prices

What’s even more devastating than spiking inflation month-in, month-out is the new price level. As the Georgia Center for Opportunity’s director of research Erik Randolph points out, inflation is only part of the equation. We should also be focusing on the price level, which is defined as the new “floor” for the prices we all pay in the economy.

A gallon of milk might’ve cost $2.99 a year ago, for example, but now it’s $3.99. That new price is not going down, even as inflation eventually abates. A new price floor has been established and it becomes ingrained in our minds that a gallon of milk simply costs $4.

Simply put, leaving the price level elevated means we are leaving the economically disadvantaged further behind, exacerbating the economic divide in our nation.

A way forward

There are a number of public policy prescriptions that Randolph suggests for curbing inflation:

Curtail federal deficit spending.
Adopt supply-side economic policies, ones that cut red tape to reduce unnecessary government regulations, making it easier for entrepreneurs to start and expand businesses and for investors to take risks investing in business.

In our communities, initiatives such as BETTER WORK in the Atlanta and Columbus metro areas are also foundational to helping people find meaningful work, work that pays a living wage to better cope with highly inflationary times.

Meet Eric Watson of Express Employment Professionals

by David Bass | Jul 20, 2022

Meet Eric Watson of Express Employment Professionals

Key Points

Express Employment professionals works with 70 companies in Gwinnett and in DeKalb Counties to help them find top talent.
Eric has utilized the BETTER WORK portal to help job seekers streamline the application process.
Workers are getting multiple jobs to cover all these expenses to sustain their quality of life amidst inflation.

A BETTER WORK Partner who helps job seekers find positions where they can thrive

Eric Watson and his wife started Express Employment Professionals almost two decades ago. They focus primarily on long-term contract staffing in manufacturing, warehousing logistics, office administration, and professional placement. Express Employment professionals works with 70 companies in Gwinnett and in DeKalb Counties to help them find top talent.

“Once we’ve helped these companies find good people, the company will either hire them immediately as a direct hire, or they’ll attempt to hire,” Eric says.

For employees who aren’t brought in as immediate direct hires, Express Employment professionals takes them on temporarily for a 90-day period, after which they’re released and hired full-time by their respective companies.

Helping a diverse job seeker base find employment

Eric and his team work with a wide range of individuals, communities, and organizations to place strong job candidates with the companies that need them. They partner with nonprofits in both Gwinnett and DeKalb Counties. Some of these organizations include Goodwill, resettlement agencies in Clarkston, and Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS) in Chamblee.

Additionally, Eric works with Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries in Norcross, who ultimately referred him to BETTER WORK. Since our partnership with Eric began, he has utilized the BETTER WORK portal to help job seekers streamline the application process.

“It’s very easy for us because BETTER WORK applicants apply on the portal,” Eric says. “We get emails periodically from folks who are interested in applying for our open positions.

“We have someone designated in my office who determines if we’ve got a position, and whether applicants match the skill set and experience there we’re looking for. Then, we schedule them for an interview, bring them in, and hopefully get them placed very quickly.”

Eric and his team provide a monthly flier highlighting the top job openings available through BETTER WORK. It’s a one-page sheet listing positions they’re trying to fill, including jobs in office administration, accounting, human resources, manufacturing, warehousing, specialty staffing, and more.

“It’s very easy for us because BETTER WORK applicants apply on the portal.”

Eric Watson

Insert the same content here to work on mobile and tablet.

Common employment obstacles in Gwinnett County

In the current environment, both employers and job seekers alike are facing a plethora of obstacles. According to Eric, Gwinnett County’s greatest employer obstacle is finding workers.

“Our biggest challenge is finding workers who are work-ready,” he says. “There seems to be a huge shortage of folks who are available and willing to work. I think we’re very close to, if not at full, employment. It’s just very, very difficult.”

Eric says that it’s common for workers to leave the jobs they’re placed in within days to weeks of beginning work. Company loyalty has become a thing of the past, and workers are more prone to moving from one job to another rather than staying in one place.

“I think workers are trying to seek out the best compensation package,” Eric says. “A lot of times, that includes more benefits. On the flip side, I think employers are starting to offer more flexible work schedules to attract folks.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eric says it was more difficult for workers to find flexible jobs. However, he’s observed that employers are more willing to consider flexibility these days.

For workers, the greatest roadblock is making enough money to sustain their quality of life amidst inflation and skyrocketing prices of gas, food, and necessities. Since disposable income is dropping, Eric says workers are getting multiple jobs to cover all these expenses.

“Workers may have a primary job,” Eric says, “but then they have a secondary job after hours or on the weekends just to make ends meet.”

Because of companies’ need for workers and workers’ need for flexibility and a stronger income, Eric says this is a workers’ market. One of his most memorable job placements was a woman from Lilburn who was looking for a company that would accommodate the schedule she needed.

“A packaging company in Stone Mountain, about 15 minutes from her home, accommodated her on the schedule she asked for,” Eric says. “It’s not a traditional 8-to-5, Monday through Friday. She was able to work in the middle of the afternoon till the early evening hours.

“The company was able to accommodate her in order to be able to get her. She’s very happy and is working toward permanent employment.”

BETTER WORK is proud to partner with businesses and community organizations like Express Employment Professionals. This collaboration in the Georgia communities of Gwinnett County in metro Atlanta and Columbus prepares lower income populations for a better future through meaningful work and upward mobility. Businesses, nonprofits, community providers, religious institutions, and job placement agencies all come together to provide a local safety net.

Learn more about Express Employment Professionals here.

Don’t miss our upcoming family Breakthrough event

by David Bass | Jul 19, 2022

Don’t miss our upcoming family Breakthrough event

Transforming broken relationships into flourishing families

Key Points

Many people are experiencing broken relationships at home, work, and school.
Helping people have healthy relationships will result in nothing less than full community transformation.
The event is on Thursday, August 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia.

Family makes us stronger

The world is filled with negative headlines right now. These headlines reflect the real pain we’re all experiencing in our communities. Today, more than ever, we are experiencing broken relationships at home, work, and school.

In dating relationships, Pew Research tells us that nearly half of U.S. adults say dating has gotten harder for most people in the last 10 years. As for relationships at work, Gallup finds that 60% of people are emotionally detached at work and 19% are miserable. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to increased rates of divorce.

We know that a key way to restore community health is by fostering healthy relationships. These relationships are the bedrock of our culture. When they suffer, we all suffer. Helping people have healthy relationships will result in nothing less than full community transformation.

That’s the theme of an upcoming Breakthrough event focused on family and relational health sponsored by the Georgia Center for Opportunity. The event is on Thursday, August 25, from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia.

At the event, we will do a deep dive into the Attitudes, Behaviors, and Choices (ABCs) of individuals and families and how those relate to relational and, more broadly, community health. You don’t want to miss it!

Register Now

Speakers at the event include:

Kristen Hypolite, COO of Every Woman Works

Dr. Natalie Looney, Principal of Summerour Middle School

Michael Doyne, Parent Instructional Coordinator at Lilburn Middle School

Ian Rowe, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute

Family makes us stronger

Each of us has within us the option of having the right attitude will drive our behavior which allows us to make better choices. When you leave the session, you’ll have a deeper understanding of what family formation means and the reason it is important.

We are inviting everyone to attend, whether you represent a school, a church, a government agency, institution of local government, or nonprofit, we want you at this event.

Roadblocks to work make the world a sticky place

by Kristin Baker | Jul 14, 2022

Man on steps holding sign that reads jobless, will work for mortgage

Roadblocks to work make the world a sticky place

Key Points

The hindrances to people finding work goes far beyond an unwillingness or inability to work.

Those looking for work face many barriers that range from circumstantial to systemic and even policy roadblocks.

It is important that we understand the roadblocks faced by those looking for work so that we can properly address them as we move people into work opportunities.

A story about work barriers

I met a gentleman earlier this year (we’ll call him Lenny) who stated that “he just wants to work”. His basic needs are being met, at least for now, but he can’t stand the idea that he isn’t able to contribute. While talking to Lenny and hearing his story, I realized just how many physical roadblocks he has to overcome in order to start a job, show up at a job site every single day to do the work, and get a paycheck. There are basic requirements, the things that most people take for granted as necessary and easy, that create huge barriers for Lenny.

I will share a few of these physical roadblocks below that Better Work is addressing as we work with Lenny.

Joyelle wasn’t looking for a handout, she was looking for an opportunity to provide and support her family.

Transportation

This is one of the first barriers Lenny has to consider that impacts his ability to work. His main mode of transportation is walking. He walks to shop. He walks to appointments. He walks to work when he can. Lenny will also take the bus if it is available when and where he needs to go. He has no other options for transportation.

This means that Lenny can’t work in positions that start before the bus can get him there or end after the bus stops running (currently at 8:30pm) unless that business is close enough for him to walk. He also can’t accept jobs that require him to work on Sundays because no public transportation is currently available then.

Inconsistent Work

The transportation challenges described above have caused Lenny to leave a position he worked in faithfully for 2.5 months to look for another. A change in scheduling meant he was no longer able to stay in this job. This can lead to job hopping and means Lenny is unable to get the traction he needs to set goals, get raises, and improve his current situation.

Technology

Lenny has never really used computers as most of his past work has been in jobs requiring physical labor. He has a phone and recently set up an email address but doesn’t really understand how to check it or communicate that way. This creates additional limitations in a world that more often than not requires communication via technology at every level and for any occupation.

Applications and Hiring Paperwork

Most job applications are online as well as the forms that must be completed during hiring. All of this is necessary. How else will hiring managers collect the information they need to pay you and to protect your data. These online requirements can become a roadblock for someone like Lenny.

Lenny is not so very different from others I talk to on a weekly basis. He is actually in a better position than some. Fortunately, Lenny has an ID. Many don’t. Lenny doesn’t have children at home. Many do.

Society is quick to judge people who are not working. We are quick to label them as lazy. I ask you to consider what you would do if you were in Lenny’s place. The barriers mentioned above are just a drop in the bucket for people who find themselves caught in a vicious cycle of need.

Meanwhile, Lenny continues to fight for what is important to him – the dignity of work!

Better Work Columbus will continue to fight alongside Lenny and support others like him. I urge you to be slow to judge, wary of pointing fingers, and quick to show encouragement.

It’s Graduation Day!

by Kimberly Sawatka | Jul 7, 2022

It’s Graduation Day!

Key Points

First graduating class of Jobs for Life and BETTER WORK Columbus partnership
Jobs for Life and BETTER WORK are joining forces to get help lift people out of poverty

On July 7th the first group 11 men and women graduated from the Better Work Jobs for Life class at the Asbury UMC training site. This course was the first of its kind in partnership between Jobs for Life and BETTER WORK Columbus.The goal was to give men and women a stronger foundation in life skills so they can go on to be reliable employees for local businesses.

“The Jobs for Life job-readiness training course helps men and women understand their dignity and God-given identity and gifts, develop character, and foster a supportive community that will equip them for work, life, and their overall goals. This method, combined with soft skills training, has proven to enable unemployed and underemployed men and women to find and keep meaningful employment.”

The Columbus community came together to support this group of students overcome their circumstances, and we are excited to see this partnership become a staple of the BETTER WORK program.

What freedom and liberty mean through the eyes of the poor

by David Bass | Jul 6, 2022

What freedom and liberty mean through the eyes of the poor

Key Points

Economic challenges are a key factor that hinder family, education and mental health.
The highest inflation rate in four decades is pinching low-income and impoverished households.
It will take community-sized efforts to help expand freedom and liberty’s opportunities to the poorest among us.

We just celebrated Independence Day in the United States., a time to reflect on the blessings of freedom and liberty that we enjoy as citizens of this great nation. In the words of Lee Greenwald, “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.”

But even as we give thanks for all that America has to offer, we can’t forget that so many of our neighbors are struggling. Those struggles extend to every area of life — whether it’s a breakdown in relationships, mental health challenges, lack of access to education, or distrust of major institutions — but let’s focus on the area that oftentimes leads to these struggles, economic challenges.

The poor are hurting

The highest inflation rate in four decades is pinching low-income and impoverished households, as the price for essentials like groceries, gas, and rent go through the roof. Meanwhile, wages, while improving, are struggling to keep up with these spiking costs.

Given this reality, what do freedom and liberty in the U.S. mean through the eyes of the poor? At its core, those things mean the opportunity for a better life, both for themselves and for their children. But the steps to achieve that better life don’t come in isolation. And the only solution is not more government intervention. The social safety-net is important, but habitual reliance on it leads to cycles of dependence, not long-term flourishing.

So what do our neighbors who are struggling most need in this environment? A hand up, not a hand out — one that comes when communities come together for good.

The Success Sequence is about opening the path to opportunity for everyone.

Opportunity is knocking

We live in a unique time economically: While many households are struggling to survive, the demand for workers in the labor market is at an unprecedented level. “Help wanted” signs are everywhere. In this environment, we have a rare window of opportunity because the Georgia business community is desperately looking for qualified workers.

Matching these non-workers with the skills and opportunities they need to thrive is our goal here at the Georgia Center for Opportunity, specifically through our BETTER WORK programs in Gwinnett County and Columbus.

To flourish, people need a great job with a clear path of upward mobility. They need a job that pays a living wage and one that gives dignity and meaning. BETTER WORK offers a pathway to achieve this goal through the cooperation of local businesses, nonprofit service providers, staffing agencies, churches, and other community organizations.

Through BETTER WORK, those who are struggling get the life-stabilizing help they need — food for their pantry, or help with housing assistance so they have a pantry to begin with — while receiving job training plus assistance. They also are linked with a mentor as the job search continues.

It takes a community

One of the more depressing statistics in 2022 America is how low our view of institutions remains — whether it’s government, business, or similar examples. But that is where “homegrown” institutions can step in, on the ground in our communities where we actually live out our lives. Where trust and authenticity already exists.

That requires you and I to step up to help the less fortunate around us. These are the values born out of freedom and liberty and these are the traits that make the United States the great nation that it is.