ACORN leader Alicia Russell spoke at the press conference held in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 16.

ACORN’s latest effort, the Working Families Agenda, is gaining momentum around the country since being announced Nov. 16 in Washington, D.C.

The ACORN Working Families Agenda calls for a higher minimum wage, indexed to inflation; expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); a right to paid sick days for all workers; and subsidies and tax credits to help families with cost of child care.

ACORN chapters in dozens of states have recently held events to launch campaigns to pass legislation enacting parts of the ACORN Working Families Agenda.

At a press conference on Nov. 20, Jackson ACORN leaders gained the support of Jackson City Councilman Marshanda Crisler, who plans to present a resolution to the council next week. That same day, Arkansas ACORN leaders held a press conference at the state capitol in Little Rock pushing the program as well.

Northwest Indiana ACORN held a news conference at its Gary office to announce its participation in the Working Families Agenda in addition to a statewide effort to have Indiana raise its minimum wage from the federal minimum of $5.15 an hour to $7 an hour.

Trenton ACORN in New Jersey also a held a press conference to announce its commitment to the Working Families Agenda.

"It's a crying shame," said Jo Figueroa of ACORN's Jersey City
chapter, of the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. "We should all hang our heads down because in this country there is so much money floating around, going to wars, going to stupid stupidities, and the people who work aren't getting anything."

Similar events were also held in Louisville, Ky., and Atlanta, Ga.