Missourians to End Poverty (MEP)

Missourians to End Poverty is the coalition of various individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies who have come together around the following vision:

As Missourians, we envision a just society of shared responsibility by individuals, communities, business, and government in which all individuals are respected, have opportunities to reach their full potential and to participate in thriving, diverse, sustainable communities.

As the planning group behind 2 Statewide Poverty Summits in 2009 and 2011, and a Statewide Advocacy Day in 2012, Missourians to End Poverty is continuing to meet in order to plan regional summits across the state to find ways to meet the following goals within the next ten years:

• By 2020 a cadre of 5000 leaders committed to ending poverty will exist within Missouri communities.
• By 2020, a coalition of 50 organizations will have established a network of advocates committed to ending poverty.
• By 2020, a statewide plan to end poverty is embedded and integrated within 50 Missouri communities or organizations.
• By 2020, Missouri will have adopted policies and established systems that provide an opportunity for people with limited resources to reach their full potential.

Missouri is a state rich in beauty and prosperity, in education and opportunity, in security and health, in values and vision. Yet, within our richness, lies poverty and fear, hunger and homelessness, unmet potential and despair.  Missourians to End Poverty came together to plan a summit this past June, where 425 people met to discuss the issue of poverty and how we can create change for the benefit of all communities.  In order to find ways to reach these goals, the MEP group has identified 5 pillars of poverty.

As a result of the continuing work done by the Missourians to End Poverty the following

public policy papers have been developed for each of the 5 pillars of poverty:

For more information or to become involved in Missourians to End Poverty, contact the MACA office at (573) 634-2969.