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Published February 12th, 2014
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"Voices On Poverty"
A community event designed to make a difference
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| Submitted by Casey Sasner |
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According to U.S. census data and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, 1 in 6 people are considered "food insecure" and 107,000 people are living in poverty in Contra Costa County. On Feb. 23, the community is invited to attend "Voices On Poverty," an event designed to raise awareness of poverty in the county.
The idea for the event began four years ago, when Temple Isaiah began a community organizing initiative to learn what was in the hearts and on the minds of its congregants - what were they worried about, what they wanted to work on. Organizers conducted house meetings, one-on-ones and temple-wide events. Through the process, they learned that congregants were thinking a lot about how the recession was affecting folks here in Contra Costa County - the jobless, homeless, working poor, and under-employed - and decided to use the passion for social action to make a difference.
Conducting over 100 meetings over the course of a year, organizers from Temple Isaiah met with executive directors of non-profits, non-governmental organizations, service providers, funders, county employees, those living in poverty, political figures, and the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and their social justice alliance. In late January, Temple Isaiah and the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County co-hosted a lunch attended by 110 clergy and lay leaders where they discussed the issues of poverty and decided to create an interfaith coalition.
"Voices On Poverty" will feature a series of speakers who will share stories about struggling with poverty or working in service on the problem. Small group conversations will be facilitated where participants will consider how faith and community-based organizations can advance the fight against poverty. Opportunities for engagement will also be presented. The event will also honor the hundreds of volunteers in the interfaith community who work on Winter Nights, the rotating family shelter which operates from October through May. Winter Nights is a program of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County.
Jasmine Tarkoff, leader of the effort, said of the event, "Our hope is to get the community to begin confronting the issues around poverty in Contra Costa County and figure out how we might work together on solutions. We know that hearing stories is the best way to put a face on poverty and that's why we felt this would be a good way of raising awareness." All community members who are concerned about poverty are encouraged to attend.
"Voices On Poverty" will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in the social hall of Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa Road, Lafayette. The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, visit www.temple-isaiah.org/voicesonpoverty.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA