Extension Facilitating Community Conversation To ‘act On Poverty’

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA – On Saturday, July 18, 10 a.m.-noon, Virginians will have a unique opportunity to pitch their solutions for reducing poverty in their localities and statewide. In one of the largest simultaneous conversations ever devoted to the issue of poverty reduction, attendees are encouraged to recommend specific strategies for the Commonwealth’s Poverty Reduction Taskforce and local and state officials to consider. Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and program assistants will facilitate the Act on Poverty (www.hhr.virginia.gov/povertysummit/) conversations held at local Virginia Community College System campuses, including 25 locations statewide. John Tyler Community College will host the Act on Poverty conversations for its service region. The summit will take place at the college’s Chester Campus, 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, Bird Hall, Room B124. “We are thrilled to be a part of this. Our family and consumer sciences agents and family nutrition program assistants are in everyday contact with many of the most economically vulnerable people in their communities. It’s important that they attend, and that our community leaders be there to hear them and provide solutions of their own,” said Karen Gehrt, Extension’s associate director for family and consumer sciences. The Virginia Department of Social Services has been actively involved in the Act on Poverty initiative. “We couldn’t have better partners to help us make this conversation possible. Virginia Cooperative Extension has a long-standing commitment to issues that have a real impact on the community, and poverty is certainly one of the most deeply felt. We’re eager to hear solutions from the public, and community leaders, on ways we can expand economic opportunities for all residents,” said Anthony Conyers Jr., commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services. The event is free and open to the public. No advance registration is required. For more information, visit: http://www.hhr.virginia.gov/povertysummit/ About Virginia Cooperative Extension Virginia Cooperative Extension (www.ext.vt.edu/) brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth. Through a system of on-campus specialists and locally based agents, it delivers education in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. With a network of faculty at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 13 agricultural research and Extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers, Virginia Cooperative Extension provides solutions to the problems facing Virginians today.

July 8, 2009; 8:00 PM • by Scott

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA – On Saturday, July 18, 10 a.m.-noon, Virginians will have a unique opportunity to pitch their solutions for reducing poverty in their localities and statewide.

In one of the largest simultaneous conversations ever devoted to the issue of poverty reduction, attendees are encouraged to recommend specific strategies for the Commonwealth’s Poverty Reduction Taskforce and local and state officials to consider. Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and program assistants will facilitate the Act on Poverty (www.hhr.virginia.gov/povertysummit/) conversations held at local Virginia Community College System campuses, including 25 locations statewide. John Tyler Community College will host the Act on Poverty conversations for its service region. The summit will take place at the college’s Chester Campus, 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, Bird Hall, Room B124.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this. Our family and consumer sciences agents and family nutrition program assistants are in everyday contact with many of the most economically vulnerable people in their communities. It’s important that they attend, and that our community leaders be there to hear them and provide solutions of their own,” said Karen Gehrt, Extension’s associate director for family and consumer sciences.

The Virginia Department of Social Services has been actively involved in the Act on Poverty initiative.

“We couldn’t have better partners to help us make this conversation possible. Virginia Cooperative Extension has a long-standing commitment to issues that have a real impact on the community, and poverty is certainly one of the most deeply felt. We’re eager to hear solutions from the public, and community leaders, on ways we can expand economic opportunities for all residents,” said Anthony Conyers Jr., commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services.

The event is free and open to the public. No advance registration is required.

For more information, visit: http://www.hhr.virginia.gov/povertysummit/

About Virginia Cooperative Extension
Virginia Cooperative Extension (www.ext.vt.edu/) brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth. Through a system of on-campus specialists and locally based agents, it delivers education in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. With a network of faculty at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 13 agricultural research and Extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers, Virginia Cooperative Extension provides solutions to the problems facing Virginians today.

July 8, 2009 8:00 PM 0