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Bridges Out of Poverty training is Dec. 4, 11

Posted at 10:11 am November 12, 2015
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Bridges Out of Poverty Training Poster

Register by November 30

The Compassion Coalition is presenting Bridges Out of Poverty, a two-day training program for those who serve people who are homeless, in poverty, or in need.

“When you work with someone in need, do you wonder why they make certain choices?” the Compassion Coalition asks. “Do you wish they would experience faster success?  Do you give them ‘the look’ when they just don’t get it? If so, this training is for you.”

Bridges Out of Poverty training will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on two Fridays, December 4 and 11, at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. This training class is in two parts, and participants must attend both sessions.

The interactive training explores how the economic environment in which people grow up impacts their ability to not only get by, but also get ahead in life. Registration is required by November 30, and the cost is $25 for the book and training materials. Agape House of Oak Ridge, a nonprofit organization that provides transitional housing for the homeless, is underwriting the cost of bringing the training to the community. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: Agape House of Oak Ridge, Bridges Out of Poverty, Compassion Coalition, homelessness, poverty

Education: A path out of poverty

Posted at 12:36 pm May 16, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Chris Whaley

Chris Whaley

“Education: A Path out of Poverty,” will be the theme of an interfaith luncheon at First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge at noon on June 5. Chris Whaley, president of Roane State Community College, will be the guest speaker.

The cost of the noon luncheon is $5, payable at the door. The luncheon is open to the public.

Admission to the talk is free. To make a reservation, call the church office at (865) 482-1318 or send an email to [email protected].

In the international development community, it is well-known that education is one of the most effective ways to improve the economic growth and potential of a country, a press release said. UNESCO reports that an additional year of schooling will raise income by 10 percent. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Churches, College, Community, Education, Front Page News, Meetings and Events Tagged With: American Association of Community Colleges, Bill Haslam, Chris Whaley, community colleges, Drive to 55, economic growth, education, First Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge, FPC, health, poverty, Roane State, Roane State Community College, RSCC, Tennessee Promise, Teresa Brittain, well-being

See, discuss documentary on poverty: Feb. 6, Roane State Oak Ridge Campus

Posted at 10:38 am February 5, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Poverty Documentary

Filmmakers Dan Parris, David Peterka, and Rob Lehr will discuss their documentary on extreme poverty on Feb. 6 at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus. (Photo courtesy RSCC)

Roane State Community College’s International Education Department will screen the award-winning documentary “Give a Damn?” on Thursday evening at the Oak Ridge campus.

The 90-minute film tells the story of three friends who attempt to live in poverty on $1.25 a day as they journey across three continents. The adventure turns devastating when two of them survive a deadly plane crash in Africa, and all three must fight to finish what they started.

The film was named best documentary at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, won a Visionary Award at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles, and has been an official selection for additional film festivals. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Community, Education, Front Page News, Movies Tagged With: Dan Parris, David Peterka, documentary, Give a Damn?, International Education Department, poverty, Roane State Community College, Rob Lehr

Letter: Residents urge legislators to raise minimum wage

Posted at 12:27 am November 30, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Letters 4 Comments

To the Editor:

Two bills in Congress to raise the minimum wage by about 95 cents per year for the next three years are HR1010 and S460. We, the undersigned, urge readers to contact their congressmen and senators to urge passage of these bills.

The minimum wage is now $7.25. If these bills pass, then over the next three years, the minimum wage would increase to $10.10.

Currently, if a worker is able to get 2,000 hours of work per year (in 50 40-hour weeks)—and unfortunately, not all can—he or she earns a yearly gross wage of $14,500, which is below the U.S. Department of Labor threshold of $1,245 per month ($14,940 annually) for receiving food stamps. If this worker’s wages increased by 95 cents an hour, he or she would earn $16,400 and thus would be raised above the poverty guideline. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, Congress, congressmen, Don Hurtubise, food stamps, HR1010, Joan Burns, Joan Cassens, minimum wage, poverty, S640, senators, Tim Holt, Tom Burns, U.S. Department of Labor, Virginia Jones

Guest column: Concept paper concerning a housing policy for Oak Ridge

Posted at 12:58 pm June 18, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns 4 Comments

By Pat Fain and Leslie Agron

Today Oak Ridge has a default housing policy that begins and ends with two modest grants from Housing and Urban Development consisting of objectives decided internally by city staff. Input from the public has been minimal at best, despite HUD requirements to hold public input meetings. These were held, minimally advertised and sparsely attended. In the past, these objectives were then approved by Oak Ridge City Council without holding Council work sessions to discuss real needs or creative solutions for those needs.

This year and this month, Council will begin an open and (hopefully) far-reaching discussion for a well-thought-out response to community concerns and the need to protect the tax base of the city from further erosion resulting from the deterioration of a significant portion of the housing built before 1945. This paper is to offer ideas and alternate thinking as the City Council proceeds to contemplate the path ahead. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns Tagged With: blight, code violations, deterioration, dilapidated homes, funds, grants, housing, Housing and Urban Development, housing policy, housing strategy, HUD, Leslie Agron, maintenance, nonprofits, Oak Ridge City Council, Pat Fain, poverty, rehab, tax policies, wartime houses

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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