Turning the Tide on Poverty
Background:
"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 project was inspired by Horizons, a leadership development effort sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation to address poverty on reservations and in rural communities in the northwestern United States. Support for the initiative comes from Everyday Democracy, the Farm Foundation and the Kettering Foundation.
Stories from the initative:
Southern towns creating new opportunities to strengthen their community
Over the last year, communities involved in the Turning the Tide on Poverty program have been finding creative ways to encourage healthy lifestyles and bring jobs to their town.
Poverty project sees early successes, plans expansion
In its first year, Turning the Tide on Poverty launched 30 "study circles" with more than 250 participants taking part across five southern states. With additional funding, the effort will expand to as many as five additional southern states for the 2010-11 year.
Selma, Ala., residents take action to clean up their community
As part of their action plan, volunteers in Selmont, Ala., are holding a community-wide clean-up in an effort to attract more businesses and to create a clean and safe environment for children.
Neshoba County, Miss., makes progress on action ideas
As part of “Turning the Tide,” residents in Neshoba County, Miss., are working on a number of action ideas, including starting community gardens and researching the best ways to implement town meetings.
'Turning the Tide' on poverty in St. Joseph, La.
As part of a pilot program for “Turning the Tide,” residents in the Tensas Parish study circles in St. Joseph, La., are eager to turn their visions and action ideas into real change in their community.
Local efforts in Mississippi work to "turn tide on poverty"
Two counties in Mississippi are preparing to engage communities as part of "Turning the Tide on Poverty." "[The approach] empowers communities to build on their own strengths and abilities to find a direction for change.”P>