[COMMUNITY EVENT] Poverty to Possibilities

About this event

Join community leaders, advocates, service providers, business professionals, policymakers, educators, philanthropists, and engaged residents for From Poverty to Possibilities 2026 , United Way of Pierce County's annual community conversation focused on understanding the realities of poverty and advancing solutions that create pathways to stability and opportunity.

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This year's keynote speaker, Brian Goldstone , is the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning author of There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America . Through powerful storytelling and extensive reporting, Goldstone shines a light on one of the fastest-growing and least understood crises in America: working families experiencing homelessness despite holding jobs, pursuing education, and doing everything they can to make ends meet.

His work challenges common assumptions about poverty and homelessness while highlighting the systemic barriers that keep families trapped in cycles of housing instability.

What We'll Explore

Together, we will examine:

• The changing face of poverty and housing insecurity in America

• The challenges facing ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households

• The impact of rising housing costs on working families

• Community-driven solutions that create lasting change

• Opportunities for collective action in Pierce County

Whether you work in business, education, government, healthcare, philanthropy, or the nonprofit sector, this event will leave you with a deeper understanding of the challenges facing our neighbors—and a renewed sense of possibility for what we can achieve together.

Registration

$35 per person

If the registration fee creates a financial hardship, please contact us at or 253.272.4263 . This event is made possible through sponsorship support, and all ticket proceeds help United Way of Pierce County support ALICE families in our community.