The Sagamore Institute's 15-year look at Indiana's largest cities celebrated successes, but also highlighted problems across Indiana.

Pastor Damon Lynch says social services focus almost entirely on the emptiness of people's lives, ignoring the potential for real community growth.

IndyGo says it will use money raised through an increased income tax to expand bus routes and improve infrastructure in densely populated areas.

One local group getting federal money is the John H. Boner Community Center - they'll get $585,000.

The first recipient is the Edna Martin Christian Center, an east side facility that provides social services for families in the neighborhood.

The poverty guideline separates those who get help from federal programs, like reduced school lunch and subsidized Medicaid, from those who don't.

Ten of the 15 organizations are neighborhood community centers in Indianapolis. Most aim to help families overcome poverty.

One in five Marion County residents lives in poverty, and among children, the rate is even higher - one in three. A new initiative called the Faith & Action Project aims to galvanize the faith community, nonprofits and government to fight poverty. On Thursday, Sept. 29, the project will hold its inaugural event, a discussion about poverty and inequality with public media talk-show host Tavis Smiley and New York Times columnist David Brooks, at Clowes Memorial Hall.

NPR's Steve Inskeep interviews House Speaker Paul Ryan about his policies on poverty, his thoughts on Donald Trump - and his advice for the next Republican vice presidential candidate.

WFYI explores the factors that drive poverty - including health crisis, lack of education, housing instability, job insecurity and hunger - and examines what's really working to lift up poor households in Indianapolis.