Half in Ten’s 2012 report underscores growing inequality, effectiveness of work and income supports, and ability to cut poverty while tackling federal deficits.

As Congress looks to avoid the fiscal cliff, the Half in Ten campaign released a new report today that provides key insights into how America is faring on key indicators of cutting poverty and expanding opportunity for all.

The U.S. Census Bureau today released new data on poverty in 2011. Just looking at these headline numbers, however, misses some of the most important things the data tells us about growing income inequality, the state of the middle-class and more.

Catholic Nuns took over Richmond in early July with an inspiring visit to the Virginia Interfaith Center as part of their Nuns on the Bus Tour, a nine-state road trip aimed at raising awareness about family poverty and concern over the House Republican budget proposal. The sisters shared heartwarming stories about the people they met and service organizations they visited throughout their tour. They rallied local advocates to be engaged in the political process and to voice concerns about budgets that makes cuts to the programs and services assisting the most vulnerable in our communities.

In The Hunger Games, the wealthy people of the Capitol leverage their power to create a game only they can win. Unfortunately, this is a storyline similar to one that many Americans know all too well. Watch this Hunger Games parody trailer to learn how Congress is playing games with hunger and nutrition assistance.

Paid sick days legislation would enable workers to accrue paid sick leave and provide for provisions to help employers manage. It also makes economic sense as it costs businesses more in lost worker productivity to have sick employees come in, than it would cost to offer paid time off in the first place. President Obama has come out in favor of such legislation. Mitt Romney, who claims to understand the plight of working people, has been silent.

The latest House Republican budget plan asks low-income and middle-class Americans to shoulder the entire burden of deficit reduction while simultaneously delivering massive tax breaks to the richest 1 percent and preserving huge giveaways to Big Oil.

With the end of the war in Iraq and the involvement in Afghanistan winding down, the United States can expect to see about 100,000 veterans return home. Many will need help and support from safety net programs or job training to transition to civilian life, but that help isn’t guaranteed to be there.

Hundreds of thousands of veterans are coming home as our nation winds down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But too many of them are returning to poverty, homelessness, and levels of unemployment higher than that of the civilian population.

The Virginia Interfaith Center has been working with coalition partners to ensure that vulnerable Virginians are protected in the 2012 General Assembly session.