Project Promise compels community to keep spotlight on poverty

by Kara Patterson

June 25, 2007 | The Appleton Post-Crescent | Fox Cities, Wisconsin

Project Promise, a recent effort that spread awareness about Fox Cities poverty, has prompted the formation of small groups that are addressing specific issues affecting the community's poorest residents.

The four-month initiative ran from January through April and included a community book read, poverty simulations and diversity circles. So far it has inspired 13 teams with various goals centering around improving the quality of life for people in need.

"Project Promise wasn't intended to be a long-term initiative as much as a spark in the community," said Paula Morgen, co-leader of the ThedaCare-driven Community Health Action Team (CHAT), the main sponsor of Project Promise.

"It really brought the community together to think about, talk about and learn about poverty. You have hundreds of people who maybe weren't engaged in the poverty issue before, who now have found a place to get involved and to help with the cause."

Team projects include teaching gardening, harvesting and canning; mentoring current or former prisoners and their families; matching senior citizens with families who need life skills training; mobilizing faith communities to help with poverty initiatives; and working for more affordable public transportation.

One group that's interested in legislation affecting poverty is planning on partnering with a coalition leading Vision 2020, the state's recently launched plan to end childhood poverty by the year 2020.

The teams of volunteers are inviting others to join them who may not have attended Project Promise's action forum in April, when the teams formed.

Morgen said people by July 16 should contact the teams that interest them, so the teams can schedule meetings.

A full list of teams, their objectives and contact information is available at www.project promisefoxcities.org/page1/ ActionForum.htm.

Dr. John Mielke, a retired Appleton cardiologist who sits on the Appleton school board, is leading the team that hopes to create a money management curriculum for children.

"Any way you can educate the public about financial literacy, that's going to help poverty," Mielke said. "Ultimately, the idea is to get the (school) superintendents in the area together and ask them how we might embed (it) within the K-12 curriculum."

The Fox Cities is in the infant stages of fighting poverty, but the community is taking the right small steps, said Mielke, who co-leads CHAT with Morgen.

"People have been made aware that there is poverty, and it's real poverty, and it's not somebody's imagination," Mielke said.

"I think we've made progress there. That is the first step, people becoming concerned and investing their time, talent and resources to see if they can't make a difference."

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070625/APC0101/706250553

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