Dear friends,
We made Poverty, Inc. with a simple conviction that people endowed with dignity, creative capacity, and an eternal destiny, should be the protagonists of their own stories of development. Thanks to you, the film didn’t just spark debate; it helped to change practice. We’ve heard from NGOs that moved from aid to enterprise, business leaders who rethought supply chains, and pastors who shifted their ministries from handouts to partnerships. Ten years later, the film is still being shown at colleges, seminaries, and business schools across the country, changing the trajectory of thought for a new generation of leaders. I’m deeply grateful for what we have accomplished together.
The same conviction about the human person animates our new documentary on poverty in the United States. Poverty, Inc. examined the unintended consequences of top-down foreign aid. This sequel looks at poverty in the US —where large-scale plans to end poverty have weakened the natural communities where people flourish and cut off many Americans from family, faith, work, and community. Too often, technocratic attempts to solve poverty have made the situation worse.
In making the new film, we have met people all over the country doing amazing things. Front-line ministries treating people as partners, not projects. Businesses restoring the dignity of work. Educators giving opportunities to the most vulnerable. And individuals who have been through poverty, homelessness, and addiction—and who are now flourishing.
We can’t wait to share their stories with you.
Though the film’s public release won’t be until 2027, you can watch an exclusive sneak peek of the teaser using the QR code below. If you’re interested in learning more about the new documentary, please reach out to Kayla Kaseska at [email protected].
With gratitude,
Michael Matheson Miller
Director, Center for Social Flourishing
Director, Poverty, Inc. and the forthcoming U.S. poverty documentary
Chief of Strategic Initiatives, Acton Institute
Senior Research Fellow, Acton Institute