Community Action House

A few weeks ago I read an article in the New York Times Magazine about an anti-poverty program in Mexico called Oportunidades. This program is attempting to address and break the culture of poverty by paying parents when their children attend school and are taken to regular health check-ups, for example. It is interesting to note that New York City has implemented a pilot program called "Opportunity NYC." Inspired by the Mexican program ( which is currently being practiced in a number of other countries) New York Mayor Bloomberg ignored the recommendation of his own Commission on Economic Opportunity ( created to find ways to help poor New Yorkers) and began the program in 2007 with private donations.

Critics argue that “if Opportunity NYC goes large scale it will further break down the moral obligation to care for one’s child and adopt the repertoire of parenting behaviors the middle class takes for granted. It will replace that with the expectation that I’m only going to do it if you pay me. ... living in the present is the central cause of poverty and echoes his skepticism that government can help. What government cannot do is create personal responsibility and drive in individuals." (Heather MacDonald, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute).

Supporters say that "change is usually generational, produced by education." They see Oportunidades as an investment in the future.

"Linda Gibbs, the deputy mayor for health and human services, agreed. 'We know
that education and health as children are key to getting out of poverty as
adults,” she said. 'You can have an endless, circular debate about why people
don’t do things. This program is less focused on the why and more focused on
whether a different approach can have an impact in a way traditional approaches
have not.' "

I have attached various articles from the New York Times, however, after a Google search I found many more links to articles and studies about the Oportunidades program.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/magazine/21cash-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Oportunidades&st=cse


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/opinion/17tues4.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=oportunidades&st=cse


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/nyregion/25antipoverty.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=oportunidades&st=cse


http://select.nytimes.com/2006/11/16/opinion/15talkingpoints.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=oportunidades&st=cse