A lot of time and effort have been and are being spent on addressing intergenerational poverty (IGP) in Utah. A lot of money soon could follow. But before that happens, many systemic barriers, political and programmatic, must disappear.
The good news for the Utah Legislature is that a focus on IGP children now will save taxpayers dollars down the road. Situational poverty will be with us always. But intergenerational poverty is a culture; it is learned. It is in control of the human spirit. We can break this cycle if we put our minds and resources to it. It can all but disappear in a generation. That reality will save millions of dollars over time. More important, it will give hope to the hopeless and literally save lives.
