We spent the day at the University of Notre Dame - the home of the fighting Irish and where the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) is based. Michael L. Smith Managing Director, Heather Reynolds, focuses on finding effective anti-poverty solutions to some of the nation's most pressing poverty issues.

Through the support of such foundations as the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, LEO's mission is to match top researchers with passionate leaders in the social service sector to conduct impact evaluations that identify the innovative, effective, and scalable programs and policies that help people move permanently out of poverty.

Reynolds explained, “The way we get to do that at LEO is by finding some of the most innovative social service organizations across this country combating issues of poverty, homelessness, criminal justice, foster care, and education. We get to study their work and then we get to make sure the work that they're doing is spread to others across this country. So that one success can unleash thousands of other successes helping us move over time, millions of people out of poverty.”

As one of the leaders in this community, we look forward to featuring Reynolds in this film.