2023 Impact Report

2023 Impact Report

Letter from the President

Reflecting back on 2023, the year started with so much hope for a new, post-Covid beginning. In-person activities and events were back, and it was a banner year for travel. Yet, while the masks may have largely been put away, the reality for low-income families continued to come into stark clarity. This report captures our dual path of innovation and intention, reflecting on the impactful work we’ve done for our organization and for the communities we serve.

Mid-year, U.S. Census data revealed that child poverty skyrocketed in 2022 to the highest ever rate on record, further strengthening our resolve to help put cash back in the pockets of people–cash they can use to buy food or pay for rent–to drastically alleviate the number of people, and particularly children, living in poverty. Galvanized by this data and our firsthand experience working to help California’s low-income communities, we recognized the urgency of the moment and accelerated our plans to push for policy solutions in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

In Sacramento, we hosted our first-ever Community Action Day, calling on our Community Connect nonprofit partners to join us and work together to advocate for expanding the tax credits that are proven to make real improvements in people’s lives. Together, we lifted up the voices of people most affected by our broken systems. We made a compelling case for continued policy improvements while securing anti-poverty champions in the legislature.

In Washington, D.C., our team worked closely with Representative Judy Chu and our partners in the Coalition of Franchisee Associations and the Critical Labor Coalition to introduce our first bill. HR-5689, the EITC Age Parity Act, would expand the earned income tax credit to people 18-24 and over 65—demographics currently experiencing high levels of poverty. We believe in the power of policy to effect meaningful change and are dedicated to advocating for policies that uplift all segments of society.

In 2023, GSO saw an opportunity to step into the moment and push for meaningful change, laying the groundwork for our ongoing efforts to create a more just and equitable system for all.

In 2026, Baseline changed its name from Golden State Opportunity.