Category: Economic Opportunity

COVID-19, Economic Opportunity, Health and Education, Policy Updates

Federal pandemic relief is ending soon, the Senate must act now! 

by WREN Staff on Nov 20, 2020

Millions of people across the country are struggling to get by, including kids who aren’t getting enough to eat because their parents don’t have enough money for groceries and families that are behind on rent and could lose their homes.    Programs intended to aid Americans struggling financially due to the ongoing coronavirus will expire at

Advocate Stories, COVID-19, Economic Opportunity, News

SC Connected in Crisis

by Deitra Matthews, Conservation Voters of S.C. on Oct 12, 2020

The phrase “energy poverty” may sound strange, but it’s a vivid reality for far too many here in South Carolina. Energy poverty is reached when a household can no longer afford to pay the full cost of its utility bills and is instead forced to make difficult and often unhealthy decisions.  In our efforts with

Economic Opportunity, Research

South Carolina’s Gender Wealth Gap

by WREN Staff on Jun 10, 2020

Description: This brief aims to raise awareness and inspire action to close the gap and advance prosperity in South Carolina. It defines the gender and racial wealth gap; quantifies the gap in South Carolina; highlights some of the factors that create and perpetuate it; and offers high-level policy recommendations.  Disclosures: Analysis conducted by Jessie

Economic Opportunity, Health and Education

WREN Statement in Support of Paid Family Leave

by WREN Staff on Mar 4, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WREN Statement in Support of Paid Family Leave COLUMBIA, SC– WREN supports efforts to bring gender equity to the essential roles of working and caregiving. Paid leave would provide people of all genders with the ability to work and care for their families. This policy is essential to a healthy and functioning

Economic Opportunity, Health and Education, Policy Updates

WREN’s 2019 Legislative Session Update

by WREN Staff on Jun 4, 2019

The legislature adjourned the 1st regular session of the 123rd South Carolina General Assembly in May. While many of the state’s priorities for the year are left unfinished, WREN made progress in advancing issues affecting women, girls, and families, and successfully stopped a 6-week abortion ban for this year. The two-year session of the SC

Economic Opportunity, News, Policy Updates

Pay Equity Press Conference

by Megan Plassmeyer on Jan 15, 2019

WREN, alongside Representative Wendy Brawley, hosted a Statehouse gathering and press conference today to announce support of the Act to Establish Pay Equity. “Today is the day we make a pledge to do everything in our power to prevent gender and racial pay disparities,” said Representative Wendy Brawley. “I ask my colleagues and community members

Economic Opportunity, Policy Updates

Comments needed for Medicaid Waiver

by Ashley Lidow on Jan 8, 2019

South Carolina officials are proposing that very low-income parents and caregivers who qualify for Medicaid fulfill new reporting requirements to show they are working at least 80 hours a month or participating in job-training or volunteer activities. If they do not, they face the loss of their health coverage. The state is seeking a Section

Economic Opportunity, Policy Updates

All About the ERA

by Ashley Lidow on Jan 4, 2019

As the 2019 Legislative Session approaches, we are watching closely to see what bills are introduced in the South Carolina legislature. A bill to ratify the ERA was prefiled (introduced prior to the official start of session) by Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter. So what is the ERA? ERA stands for Equal Rights Amendment and it would

Economic Opportunity

Upward Mobility in the Upstate

by Anna Brannigan on Nov 16, 2018

For one of our recent Facebook Live Fridays, we were joined by Faith Adedokun from the Network for Southern Economic Mobility (NSEM).  She and Courtney Thomas went live to discuss economic mobility in the Upstate.  NSEM is a group of Southern communities, formed in order to bring cities together and figure out how to move