Poverty Reduction Strategies for your Community

Success Stories

Reducing Poverty in your Community
In February 2004, 300 people joined together in what was called the Poverty Summit. The participation was road-based, with representation from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties. The Poverty Summit acted as a catalyst in the formation of the Poverty Reduction Initiative (PRI), whose primary goal is to reduce poverty in the Traverse Bay Region by 25% by 2010. In the PRI working sessions, each county defined the most likely reasons for poverty and formed corresponding issue groups. Each of the issue groups has organized, defined their scope, refined initial ideas and significant efforts are underway. The contributing issues to poverty and corresponding working groups observed by the Poverty Summit are:

1. Jobs & the Economy
2. Education & Training
3. Affordable Housing
4. Health and Health Care
5. Social Attitudes
6. Early childhood and Single Parents

The Poverty Reduction Initiative's philosophy is that the solution to local poverty is in your hands. We are in the best position to understand the problem and to do something about it. State and Federal governments can't solve the problem of poverty alone; there is a need for a strong community response to the poverty in our midst. Since the Poverty Summit, a steering committee has been formed. A strategic plan has been created and evaluation methods are being formed. PRI recently engaged Dr. Ruby Payne to present "Bridges Out of Poverty", with 1300 attending. Many other programs have been implemented and will be shared.