Advocacy for the Poor

Advocacy for the Poor Fall Campaign Kicked off on November 25th, 2009

As the holiday season approaches we find ourselves busy with preparation and anticipation for gatherings with family and friends. This is also a time of year that many people help those less fortunate. Donations of time and money during the holiday season help to provide food, shelter, and financial assistance to many people in our community. But, is it enough?

Advocacy for the Poor believes that moving people out of poverty requires advocacy and direct services.

Our driving force is simple; we believe that achieving economic independence for the poor of Forsyth County will contribute to the overall good of the community.

Our goal for 2009 was to build stronger collaborations with local agencies, local legislators, and individuals to identify improved ways to address barriers to economic independence. We have been working diligently to do just that.

As a member of the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Council on Services to the Homeless, The Ten-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness, and the Forsyth Working Families Partnership we have worked to assist our community in taking a comprehensive approach to eliminating poverty.

One of our accomplishments was our work, in collaboration with our partners, to review grant proposals and make recommendations to City Council for a stimulus grant. The grant provides more than one million dollars to assist individuals in finding affordable housing and prevent homeless. The Rapid Re-Housing and Prevention of Homelessness grant funds a collaborative of agencies working together to solve homelessness.

Educating our local leaders about poverty, hunger, and homelessness continues to be an important part of our work. By encouraging meaningful dialogue and informed decision-making on issues vital to improving the lives of the less fortunate, we will create systemic change necessary to eliminate poverty.

Please join us in being a part of the solution. You can give securely online by using the donate button on our new website or you can mail a contribution to:

Advocacy for the Poor
608 Summit Street, Suite, 4
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Sincerely,

Jennifer Ruppe
Executive Director