Agenda - 03-21-1990 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 • BACKGROUND More than 120 Orange county community leaders gathered on November 29, 1989 at the Ke- nan Center in Chapel Hill to participate in a forum addressing poverty in the county. Orange County Commissioners initiated the all-day meeting in response to last year's symposium on services for the county's youth. Participants included representatives from community and county agencies and boards, area churches,the university, the Commissioners, and concerned citizens. The morning presentation focused on the general demographics of poverty. Panel discussions followed which addressed poverty issues in three areas of concern: Health, Education and Employ- ment. After a luncheon address by William Friday,Honorary Chair of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Poverty Project, five "break-out" groups met to discuss possible solutions and/or strategies related to the identified problems and issues regarding poverty in Orange County. High- lights from the morning discussions follow, as well as a brief summary of the outcome of the group sessions. Enlightening and somewhat startling statistical data on poverty in Orange County provided participants a rich source of information as a base for determining what might be done to reduce poverty in the county. To stimulate discussion in the break-out groups, Professor Andrew Dobelstein of the UNC-CH School of Social Work presented demographics and health statistics,education data, employment/income patterns, and child care statistics. The following are synopses of the statistical data/problem identification and the findings of the Forum's discussion groups. Needs, solutions and/or strategies to reduce poverty in the area of health,education, employment,and child care are listed. In reading the discussion groups strategies it is important to recognize that the four topic areas are interrelated.