posted on: Friday, May 23, 2008

by Suzanne Donovan



Editor's Note: Numerous grassroots organizations are at the forefront of anti-poverty initiatives across the country. Many of these organizations are dependent on private and public support, including foundation grants. An example of a successful and innovative anti-poverty organization is Step Up Savannah. We asked Step Up’s Suzanne Donovan to share their unique approach to fighting poverty in the city of Savannah. Step Up is a member of NCRP.



Savannah is known for its for beauty and quintessential Southern charm. It’s also a city proud of its history that has enjoyed significant economic development and improvements in the last few decades. But peel back a layer and you find there’s not been a corresponding reduction in the city’s poverty level. In fact, a persistent, high rate of poverty has plagued Savannah for generations.

Four years ago, the City of Savannah convened an Anti-poverty Task Force inviting participants from various sectors of the city—business, government, social service agencies, neighborhood organizations and others. The group reviewed research that not only described the depth of poverty, concentrated in five census tracts, but also studies that indicated a link between poverty and economic growth. This group called for the creation of a new initiative. They called it Step Up Savannah’s Poverty Reduction Initiative.

Step Up Savannah is now a collaboration among the City of Savannah, Chatham County, the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Power, the United Way of the Coastal Empire and some 70+ businesses, agencies and organizations throughout the area.

What distinguishes Step Up is its acknowledgement that reducing poverty will take a combination of personal motivation, the private sector’s commitment to poverty reduction as integral to economic development, and advocating for institutional change.

The Step Up staff team is small; it includes a director, communications director and part-time administrator. Staff serve coordinating and leadership functions, but much of the work is conducted through specialized teams with volunteers from agencies, businesses and neighborhood groups. Step Up’s Action Teams focus on seven strategic goals: Workforce Development, Education, Asset Building, Dependent Care, Transportation, Healthcare, and Affordable Housing.

Contributing to Step Up’s success has been its use of poverty simulations to engage business leaders in experiencing and understanding the issues that keep families living poverty, and to establish a common frame of reference.

This is the first time in Savannah that this breadth of participants has come together to address poverty. The results are not yet easily quantifiable but a powerful private-public partnership has emerged which is focused on setting measurable outcomes and holding themselves accountable.



Suzanne Donovan is communications director of Step Up Savannah.