On Wednesday, May 1, United Way of Greenville County welcomed Pulitzer Prize-winning author, MacArthur “Genius” and Princeton sociologist Dr. Matthew Desmond to Greenville County. Together, we heard the powerful truth about our own roles in perpetuating poverty and steps we can take to not only address it, but prevent poverty in our community and beyond.

The energy and excitement around what we can do to flip the script on poverty was palpable. We must do our part to keep the momentum going for the 38 percent of Greenville County households that struggle to meet the basics each month.

Here are some of our key takeaways:

1. POVERTY CAN BE SOLVED.

We must challenge our conventional assumptions about poverty—the most important one being that it can’t be solved. A great way to get started is by investing in United Way’s work in education, housing, childcare and transportation. Click here to give now.

2. WE ALL PLAY A ROLE.

While recognizing our own personal responsibility and the more systemic factors of poverty, each of us can also play a role in solving it. Whether you run a business, work for a nonprofit, or are just an individual who cares about the future of our community, you have the power to make a difference. Get started by volunteering with us.

3. NOW’S THE TIME TO ACT.

In Greenville County, the number of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households is steadily growing (up 40,000 in 2001 to more than 57,000 households in 2021). Help change some of the systemic forces at play by adding your voice to United Way’s Policy and Advocacy Agenda.

To be the kind of community we know Greenville County can be, we must do what we can on both an individual level, and as a united community of caring people, businesses and organizations. With your continued engagement and support, we can transform Greenville County into a community where all people have access to the resources they need to build the lives they deserve.