We lead the fight for economic and racial justice by litigating, shaping policy, and training and connecting people in the advocacy community.
We don’t just fight for communities affected by poverty—we work alongside them, advocating for solutions that are informed by their lived experiences.
We convene and connect advocates, community leaders, and activists across the country so they can share ideas, resources, and get the tools they need.
We build the capacity and skills of equal justice lawyers and activists to champion economic and racial justice in their fields.
From litigating and shaping policies in Illinois to training and convening multi-state networks of public interest attorneys, we work with and for the communities we serve to make equal justice and economic opportunity a reality.
In 2022, Gov. J.B. Pritzker created a task force to examine racial inequities in the child welfare system and offer solutions. Last month, the task force issued more than 50 recommendations that call for investing in families with low income, not surveilling and separating them.
In this year’s spring legislative agenda, the Shriver Center on Poverty Law advocated for progressive policies across the board that would garner real wins for individuals and families.
Recently, three unhoused individuals filed a complaint against the city, calling its anti-homeless laws unconstitutional. In Johnson v. Grants Pass, the Supreme Court will determine if the city is violating the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment when it arrests, fines, and even imprisons people without homes for sleeping outside.
The recent release of the report, Funding Our Futures: The Equitable Revenue Policies Illinois Families Need to Thrive, sheds light on the shortcomings of Illinois’ revenue system, calling it out for favoring the wealthy while leaving many struggling to meet basic needs.
The Shriver Center wants to build a future free from poverty and racism. Read insights from our experts and advocates about the fight for racial and economic justice.
Stephani Becker, the assistant director of health justice for the Shriver Center, recently spoke about the significance of the exchange and our continued efforts to expand health care to everyone in Illinois.
President and CEO Audra Wilson writes that the core of the Shriver Center’s 60-year history remains the same: changing rules to change lives. That’s why we chose it as the theme of our 2024 Annual Gala.
Vice President of Advocacy LaTanya Jackson Wilson writes that community and family justice is the heart of the Shriver Center’s work.
Erin Dowland Kabwe, the Shriver Center’s vice president of development, reflects on the 2024 annual gala’s key note speaker Chris Singleton. His message of hope unites us in the fight against racism and poverty.
If you’re a lawyer, paralegal, or a policy maker, there are many ways you can participate and contribute to our work.
With your help, we can build a better, more compassionate world. Join us.
67 East Madison Street, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60603
phone: 312.263.3830