New action plan lays out three priorities for lifting people out of poverty in Winnebago County

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new action plan unveiled Thursday is designed to provide stronger pathways for residents to advance out of poverty and strengthen their economic well-being.

The first ever Winnebago County Upward Mobility Action Plan, created by Bridges to Prosperity Northern Illinois over the past 18 months, was laid out Thursday at Midway Village Museum in front of about 70 people from partner organizations involved in the effort. The group included Mayor Tom McNamara and Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli.

The focal points of the plan revolve around affordable housing, education and financial security. The next steps involve forming an advocacy group for creating more affordable housing, supporting efforts such as the United Way’s campaign to improve youth literacy and building a network that helps families access the tools they need for financial stability.

“The projects selected for implementation reflect the community’s most pressing needs and represent areas where targeted action can produce meaningful, measurable impact,” said Mary Cacioppi, founder and CEO of Bridges to Prosperity Northern Illinois. “These initiatives were chosen not only for their alignment with community-identified priorities, but also for their potential to create long-lasting change when implemented in partnership with local organizations, policymakers and residents.”

The plan was developed in response to Winnebago County falling behind in several key indicators that demonstrate how likely someone is to advance out of poverty. The poverty rate in Rockford is 21.9% for adults ages 18-65, which is almost double the state rate of 11.9%, according to the group’s annual report. The poverty rate is about 29% for children, and research shows that one in three children raised in poverty will remain in poverty as adults.

McNamara said successfully implementing the plan can create generational wealth and break cycles of poverty.

“When we come together as a community to address challenges of upward mobility we unlock the potential to transform individual lives and strengthen our entire city as a whole,” McNamara said during the event. “Advancing upward mobility means creating pathways for residents to access greater opportunities through higher incomes, increased educational attainment, improved physical and mental health services and an enhanced overall quality of life.”

The organization also noted that 26% of Winnebago County households fall under a term called ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Constrained and Employed. That means they earn more than the poverty level, but survive on a bare-bones household budget.

The report also showed that nearly 26% of Winnebago County households are currently in debt collections, with about 7% of that coming from medical debt. That collections number jumps to 43% for neighborhoods predominantly lived in by Black and Latino people.

Chiarelli said change is possible, but it won’t happen overnight.

“By rethinking how we deliver services and invest in people, we can shift the systems that perpetuate poverty and begin to close longstanding economic disparities,” Chiarelli said. “This work requires a coordinated effort across every sector because government cannot do this alone. Creating real, lasting change demands the involvement of everyone including community organizations, businesses, faith groups and residents.”

The report also laid out the need for more affordable housing. It said there are 95 available affordable units for every 100 low-income households, but the available housing shrinks with lower incomes. There are 72 available units for every 100 very low-income households and 54 available housing units for every 100 extremely low-income households.

Ron Clewer, national market president for community revitalization and public housing partnerships at Gorman & Co., said more of all types of housing is needed to solve the problem.

“If we’re building more market-rate rental, then folks who were absorbing lower-income naturally affordable current housing can free up housing for those in need,” he said “But we also must build housing available for low-income folks.”

Cacioppi said there are multiple financial resources available in the community, but they’re not always marketed to the people who need them most at the time that they need them. Finding ways to fill that gap is part of the strategy for improving financial security.

With the report in hand, the organization will start its action steps around the three priorities of affordable housing, public education and financial security.

“Now the work is really just starting,” Cacioppi said.

Read the report

Go to BridgesNorthernIL.com to read the full report.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas