On November 8, more than 100 social justice advocates, grassroots organizations, and policymakers gathered for South Florida’s first Anti-Poverty Summit in Miami. Among the participants were members of Barry University’s School of Social work, Prof. Tisa McGee, PhD, and SSW graduate students Gisele Schjang, Audrey Isaacs, and Danica Samuels.
The summit was hosted with one major goal: find ways to reduce Miami’s high poverty rate. Event organizers considered it an opportunity for the community to work together to identify county and state policies, and practices, that are successful in lifting the poor out of poverty.
The event was supported by Catalyst Miami, with whom McGee volunteers.
Currently, Miami’s poverty rate stands at 17 percent, 2.5 points above the national average of 14.5 percent. Nationwide, the number of people living at or below the poverty line — some 45.3 million — has remained about the same for the last three years.
Barry social work students regularly assist Miami’s homeless population through the completion of field education in shelters, soup kitchens, and social service organizations.
The summit was nationally supported by Half in Ten, a project of the Center for American Progress dedicated to cutting poverty in half in ten years, along with Catalyst Miami and South Florida Voices for Working Families.
A version of this article, written by Katie Lepri, originally appeared in the November 8 edition of The Miami Herald. The original article can be read in its entirety here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article3668989.html#storylink=cpy