'Turning the Tide on Poverty' kick-off scheduled for Feb. 18

by Harvin Hudson

February 17, 2010 | The Neshoba Democrat | Philadelphia, Mississippi

The Kick-Off Event for Neshoba County's "Turning the Tide on Poverty" initiative will be held Thursday, February 18, 2010 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Neshoba County Coliseum in Philadelphia.

"Turning the Tide on Poverty" is an initiative of the Southern Rural Development Center that works in thirteen Southern states and is headquartered at Mississippi State University. The initiative has identified sites in five of the region's states for the pilot programs.

In Mississippi, Lauderdale and Neshoba Counties have been chosen for the initiative. Since August, community planning teams have been working to prepare for the upcoming Study Circles series and to recruit participants.

Turning the Tide on Poverty is a project designed to bring communities together to take action against poverty. By working together, people from all over the community can join to explore the causes of poverty and find ways to help families and individuals move from poverty to prosperity.

Volunteers are needed to be take part in Study Circles which will meet weekly for five weeks to examine tough issues communities are facing today. A trained facilitator will guide the Study Circle participants through the discussions to look at poverty in our communities and to explore the right mix of approaches that can bring about positive changes.

The goal of the Study Circles is the development of a clear community action plan that will help address the issue of poverty. This is an opportunity for community members who have not had a voice to express his or her views on these issues.

Those in attendance will have an opportunity to sign up to participate in one of the Study Circles scheduled to meet weekly for five weeks beginning the week of Feb. 22.

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