How Would You Reduce Poverty in Virginia?
If you had two minutes with Governor Kane — or the mayor of your town — what would you recommend to reduce poverty and why? What should we start doing, stop doing, or keep doing to expand economic opportunity for all Virginians?
 The community joined together on July 18, 2009 at Southside Virginia Community College in Keysville, Va., to share insight and experiences on reducing poverty.
The general public, community leaders and local and state elected officials were asked to recommend strategies for expanding economic opportunity for our communities.
“This was one of the largest conversations devoted to reducing poverty in our communities that Virginia has ever had,” said Secretary of Health and Human Resources and Co-Chair of the Taskforce, Marilyn B. Tavenner. “The public has recommendations that need to be heard. That’s why elected officials were encouraged to attend, listen to constituent ideas and share their own.”
All comments were compiled and summary presented to the Poverty Reduction Taskforce. This taskforce will communicate all ideas to the Governor as prepares his recommendations to the 2010 Assembly.
The Virginia Community College System, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Community Action Partnership and the Virginia Department of Social Services partnered to host and facilitate the conversations, which were free and open to the public. Several turned out for this event.
Recommendations also may be submitted via e-mail to poverty@governor.virginia.gov.
If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Donna Daniel at the Lunenburg Office at 434-696-5526/TDD* during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to discuss accommodations five business days prior to the event. *”TDD number is (800) 828-1120.
(c) 2009. Southside Virginia Community College. All rights reserved.
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