ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Community leaders in Rockford have unveiled the "Upward Mobility Action Plan" to address the high poverty rates in the area.

The plan comes as a study from the Urban Institute`s Boosting Upward Mobility from Poverty and Advancing Equity project found 21% of Rockford residents live below the poverty line, nearly double the state average in Illinois.

Additionally, 29% of residents have debt that has been sent to collections, with this figure rising to 48% in neighborhoods of color.

"Taking all of that information into consideration as we looked at those metrics really helped us to identify our top three priority areas. So, housing affordability, effective public education, and financial security," said Mary Caccioppi, founder of Bridges to Prosperity.

To tackle th

See Full Page