Dear Friends of the Institute,

The election is over and we are rolling up our sleeves. Now more than ever, we need your help to make sure that working families have a voice in Indiana.

While we don't yet fully know what the new federal and state administrations' priorities will be, we do know that despite incremental gains from the national recovery, many Hoosier families are still suffering. For example, while Indiana's poverty and unemployment rates have largely tracked national improvements, our household income gain last year was just half that of the median U.S. increase, and smaller than all neighbors'. Meanwhile, our state was one of only eight that saw inequality rise in 2015. Indiana's policymakers have missed too many shots to improve economic mobility, and working families can't afford for them to miss any more.

Next month, the Institute will release our 2017 policy agenda. As in years past, we will focus on advancing new policies that will ensure that Hoosiers get the education, skills, and support they need to get and keep family-sustaining jobs. We'll also be closely watching the state budget process to ensure that Indiana's investments result in an economy that works for all Hoosiers. We have been successful in accomplishing policy victories in the past, but with many new lawmakers in the General Assembly next year, we need to turn up the volume. In order to get the message across to policymakers, we need you to do three things:

Also, please contact us and let us know what policy gaps you see for families in your community, and how we can help you fight to fill them in 2017. We look forward to working with you and all Hoosier families that face difficult economic circumstances to make Indiana a better place to live and work for all who live here. 

Kind Regards,

Jessica Fraser

Director; Indiana Institute for Working Families
Indiana Community Action Association