Prosperity in Rural Communities
Economist Andrew Isserman (isserman@uiuc.edu) has an interesting study identifying what makes for a prosperous rural community. He uses low high school dropout rates, availability of jobs, low poverty rates and decent and affordable housing as measures of prosperity. Very interesting summary of what matters most in this report:
http://www.ace.uiuc.edu/Reap/Isserman_PP_071021.pdf
Current Issues Related to Poverty
http://www.caporegon.org/issues.htm
Energy Assistance
Energy Assistance Snapshot 2008: PDF
Oregon Energy Coordinators Association www.warmandsafenow.com
Warm Oregon www.warmoregon.org
National Fuel Funds Network www.nationalfuelfunds.org
Weatherization www.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/
Health Care
Oregonians for Health Security www.oregoniansforhealthsecurity.org
Oregon Health Action Campaign www.ohac.org
Families USA www.familiesusa.org
Kaiser Family Foundation www.kff.org
Housing/Homelessness
The State of Homelessness and Affordable Housing in Oregon
Oregon Coalition on Housing and Homelessness www.ochh.org
Hunger
Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force www.oregonhunger.org
Oregon Food Bank www.oregonfoodbank.org
Second Harvest www.secondharvest.org
Food Research and Action Center www.frac.org
Income Inequality
Oregon Center for Public Policy www.ocpp.home.org
Economic Policy Institute/Center www.cbpp.org
Earned Income Tax Credit www.cashoregon.org
TANF Reauthorization
DHS Tanf information