The Servant Church Arises: Lutherans Unite to End Poverty

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The Servant Church ArisesLutherans Unite to End
Poverty

• February 17, 2009

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Rev. Deborah Hutterer

• Executive Director
• Faith in the City

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Ray Makeever

• Musician, Composer, Author
• Associate for Music Worship
• Augsburg College
• Music Director
• Trinity Lutheran Congregation

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Paul C. Pribbenow

• President
• Augsburg College

We believe we are called to serve our
neighbor
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Bruce J. Nicholson

• Chairman, President CEO
• Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

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Mary Brainerd

• President CEO
• HealthPartners
• One Community.
• One Future.

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THE TWIN CITIES IS A VIBRANT, GROWING REGION.
SINCE 1980, THE REGION HAS GROWN CONSIDERABLY
FASTER THAN THE AVERAGE LARGE METRO . . .

Average of large metros
Twin Cities
Percent change in population
1980s
1990s
Source Brookings Institution
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. . . WHILE CONTINUING TO GROW INCOME AND JOBS
Job growth percent change, 1970-2000
Average annual pay in 2001 dollars
U.S.
U.S.
Twin Cities
Twin Cities
1991
2001
Twin Cities average annual pay grew 19 between
1991-2001 vs. a 13 national average
Source Brookings Institution
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AND IMPROVE ITS ALREADY STRONG COMPETITIVE
POSITION ON KEY INDICATORS SUCH AS EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT
Average of large metros
Share of population age 25 with BA
Twin Cities
1990
2000
The Twin Cities ranks number 1in the share of
adults with a high school diploma
Source Brookings Institution
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IN SPITE OF THESE POSITIVE GROWTH TRENDS, THE
TWIN CITIES REGION FACES 3 KINDS OF TROUBLING
DISPARITIES
What is it?
For example
Differences between race and ethnic groups
Race
. . . while the Twin Cities overall household
income is among the highest in the nation, black
household income is among the lowest
Class
Differences between income groups
. . . between 1989 and 1999, the wealthiest
quintile of Twin Cities households saw their
incomes rise 11 percentage points more than the
poorest two quintiles
Place
Differences between urban and nonurban geographies
. . . the Twin Cities has the second worst
differential between city poverty rates and
suburban poverty rates in the country
Source Brookings Institution
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RACE DISPARITIES CUT ACROSS ALL SOCIOECONOMIC
INDICATORS. THEY AFFECT ALMOST ALL NONWHITE
RACE AND ETHNIC POPULATIONS
Compared to the average white Twin Cities resident

• The average black Twin Cities resident is
• Earning 48 less
• 73 less likely to own a home
• The average Latino Twin Cities resident is
• 4 times more likely to be uninsured
• 5 times more likely to be a teen mother
• The average Native American Twin Cities resident
  is
• 2.5 times less likely to have access to a car
• 5.5 times more likely to receive inadequate
  prenatal care

Source Brookings Institution Wilder
Foundation MN Department of Health Center for
Health Statistics
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. . . AND ARE PARTICULARLY PROFOUND FOR RECENT
IMMIGRANT GROUPS
Share of 25 population without a high school
degree, 2000
Poverty rate, 1999
Sub-saharan Africa
Sub-saharan Africa
Hmong
White
Hmong
White
Source Brookings Institution
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THE PERCENT OF NONWHITE TWIN CITIES RESIDENTS HAS
GROWN DRAMATICALLY IN RECENT YEARS . . .
Population by race Percent
Nonwhite
Between 1990 and 2000 the metro added 200,000
minority residents a 110 increase
White
2000
1990
Source Brookings Institution
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. . . AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE IN THE FOLLOWING
DECADES.
Racial/ethnic composition of age cohorts Percent
Nonwhite
White
65 years and older
18-64 years
Under 18 years
Source Brookings Institution
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IF RACE DISPARITIES ARE NOT ADDRESSED, CURRENT
PATTERNS INDICATE EVERY KEY SOCIOECONOMIC MEASURE
FOR THE REGION WILL TREND DOWNWARD. INDICATORS
SUCH AS CHILD POVERTY RATES GIVE A HINT OF WHAT
IS TO COME
Poor children are more likely to grow up to be
poor adults
Child poverty rates by race/ethnic group
Average 9
Asian (all)
Black (all)
American Indian
Sub-Saharan African
Hmong
Mexican
Latino (all)
White
Source Brookings Institution
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INCOME DISPARITY IN THE TWIN CITIES IS STARK AND
GROWING
Average income by quintile
154,400
Between 1989 and 1999, top quartile incomes rose
11 percentage points more than the low and
low-middle quartile incomes
76,600
53,500
34,400
14,800
High
Middle
High-middle
Low-middle
Low
Source Brookings Institution
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BEFORE REACHING SCHOOL AGE, LOW-INCOME CHILDREN
FALL BEHIND HIGHER-INCOME PEERS
Income Dollars
Percentage of MN children rated not yet
performing adequately at kindergarten entrance,
by household income
0-35,000
35,001-55,000
55,001-75,000
75,001 or more
Across all 5 domains tested, students in the
lowest income category were more than twice as
likely to be unprepared for kindergarten than
students in the highest income category
Language and literacy
Mathematical thinking
Source MN School Readiness Year 2 study
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THIS DISADVANTAGE CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, REGARDLESS OF RACE
Low income (up to 185 of poverty level)
Third-graders proficient in reading, 2001-02
Minneapolis and St. Paul
All other students
White
American Indian
Low parental income is tied to lower high school
graduation and college attendance rates
regardless of race, family structure, parents
schooling, parents work hours, parental welfare
use, and neighborhood characteristics
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Source Metro Trend Watch, Brookings Institution
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INCOME, LIKE RACE, IS TIED TO A MULTITUDE OF
OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS FOR EXAMPLE,
HEALTH
U.S. health indicators by income, adult 18
Unmet need for health care during past year
Income
Fair or poor health
Poor
Near poor
Middle income
High income
Income-based disparities exist on nearly every
health indicator from low birth weight to
asthma to heart disease to life expectancy
Source U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Socioeconomic Status and Health
Chartbook, 1998
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TRENDS SUGGEST THE REGION WILL HAVE AN INCREASING
CHALLENGE IN ADDRESSING CLASS DISPARITIES
Share of population living in poverty
The regions children have a much higher poverty
rate than the generation they will be replacing
in the workforce. Given the ties between
childhood poverty and low educational attainment
rates and all other key economic success factors,
this bodes ill for the regions future workforce
quality.
Children 14 and younger
Adults between the ages of 40-54
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THE REGIONS CENTRAL CITIES HAVE HIGHER
CONCENTRATIONS OF THE POPULATIONS STRUGGLING WITH
RACE AND CLASS DISPARITIES
Percent share of population
Minneapolis St. Paul
Suburbs
Total population
Nonwhite population
Poverty population
Source Brookings Institution Wilder
Foundation HUD State of the Cities database
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THE CORE CITIES OF MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL HAVE
DIVERSIFIED AT A DRAMATIC RATE
Percent share of population
Other
Latino
Asian
Black
In 2000-01, 40 of St. Paul kindergartners were
English language learners (ELL) ELL students in
Minneapolis speak more than 80 languages
White
1990
2000
Source Brookings Institution Metro Trend Watch
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THOUGH POVERTY EXISTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, IT
IS CONCENTRATED IN THE 2 CENTRAL CITIES
Share of persons living in poverty, 2000
The Twin Cities ranks 2nd in city-suburb poverty
disparity among the 40 largest metros
outranking Newark, Baltimore, and Detroit
Source Brookings Institution
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THERE ARE OTHER WAYS IN WHICH THE CITIES ARE
LOSING GROUND TO THE SUBURBS
Source Brookings Institution
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THE UNDERLYING ISSUES ARE COMPLICATED AND
INTERELATED
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Child care
Wealth
Employment
For example A homeless child is 2 times more
as likely to have learning disabilities and 6
times as likely to have stunted physical growth
than the average child
Racism
Cultural barriers
Criminal justice
Early childhood development
Job training
Substance Abuse
Housing
Health
Income
Transportation
Education
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HOW DO DISPARITIES AFFECT ECONOMIC
COMPETITIVENESS?
Metropolitan areas with high levels of income
inequality tend to have lower levels of overall
income growth
Addressing disparities will
Improve fiscal situation Reduced
disparities lead to increased tax base and
decreased public expenditures on the direct and
indirect costs of poverty
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• Addressing disparities is not only the right
  thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.

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Progress

• Mind the Gap
• Close the Gap toolkit
• Twin Cities Compass
• tpt series and discussion guide
• Transportation advocacy

• Minneapolis Public Schools strategic plan and
  support
• Education policy and support with Minnesota
  Business Partnership
• Financially Fit Minnesota

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At HealthPartners

• We made reducing health disparities a strategic,
  Board approved priority
• Collected race and language preference data on
  electronic health record for 400,000
  patients/members
• Support 6 million in annual interpreter
  services
• Measure and report disparities in our hospitals,
  clinics, and for every primary care team

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At HealthPartners

• Achieved results
• Heart attack care
• Congestive heart failure
• Mammography
• Preventive services/chronic care
• Connecting with communities
• Through our Board
• Its Time to Talk Race

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• If your actions inspire others to dream more,
  learn more, do more and become more, you are a
  leader.
• John Quincy Adams

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Rev. Craig Johnson

• Bishop
• Minneapolis Area Synod, ELCA

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Rev. Nancy Maeker

• Acting Director
• A Minnesota Without Poverty
• PovertyWhy and What to Do?

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Reasons for poverty

• Why are people poor?

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Causes of Poverty

• Individual
• Community
• Exploitation
• Structural

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Ways to Address Poverty

• Charity
• Education
• Advocacy

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One NEW Idea
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Rev. Dr. Richard Bliese

• President
• Luther Seminary

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Mark Eustis

• President CEO
• Fairview Health Services

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Rev. Peter Rogness

• Bishop
• St. Paul Area Synod, ELCA
• God, Gods People and the Poor

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• The poor you will always
• have with you.
• Mark 147

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• there will never cease to be
• some in need on the earth
• Deuteronomy 1511

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• Question
• Where have we lost
• our intolerance of poverty?

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• The Prophets
• IsaiahJeremiahEzekiel
• AmosHoseaMicah

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• I despise your solemn assemblies
• Let justice roll down
• Amos 522, 24

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• the fast that I choose
• to share your bread with the hungry
• Isaiah 586-7

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• Question
• What would Amos and Isaiah see
• as marks of your faithfulness? Evidence?

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• Jesus
• annointed to preach good news to the poor
• Luke 418

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• Jesus
• love Godlove neighbor
• all the law and the prophets
• Matthew 2240

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• Jesus
• as you have done to the least of these, you
  have done to me
• Matthew 2540

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• Question
• Grace lt gt Discipleship
• Who/what would Jesus have in mind today?

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God, Gods People and the Poor

• Bishop Peter Rogness
• Question/Task
• If the servant church arose,
• what would happen?

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Mark Peterson

• President CEO
• Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

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• The servant church arises!