March 07, 2025

Bridging the Gap: A New Approach to Ending Poverty│Mary Cacioppi

32 minutes

Mary Cacioppi, founder and CEO of Bridges to Prosperity in Northern Illinois and Author of Economic Development that Benefits Everyone, joins host Kaycee Bunch to explore the connection between economic growth and community development in the fight against poverty. With 25 years of experience – from the Rockford Chamber of Commerce to leading impactful initiatives – Mary shares key insights on collaboration, systemic change, and her newly published book.

In this episode, we explore:

How economic and community development intersect to drive change

The ‘Bridges Out of Poverty’ model and its role in systemic solutions

Building a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy

Why cross-sector collaboration is essential for lasting impact

The Urban Institute framework and its influence on upward mobility

Quotable: “It’s not just, hey, under-resourced folks, you know, you've got to build your resources and life stability, but it’s also, hey, community, here’s why these are challenges and barriers to people in our communities from getting ahead and truly staying ahead.”

Resources and Links

Connect with Mary Cacioppi on LinkedIn

Aha Process

Bridges to Prosperity

The Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Framework

The Urban Institute

Economic Development that Benefits Everyone – Book

A Framework for Understanding Poverty – Book

Special Guest: Mary Cacioppi.

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