Mayor Jones Establishes Anti-Poverty Commission

By -
Mayor's Order #2011-3

WHEREAS by the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Richmond I do hereby create the Anti-Poverty Commission; and

WHEREAS under this authority, the Anti-Poverty Commission is hereby established
to develop strategies to address poverty that have demonstrable results for increasing employment and educational attainment, improving transportation, and enhancing healthy communities for Richmond residents; and

WHEREAS the City of Richmond seeks to identify the root causes of poverty in the
City and develop policies designed to address these causes; and

WHEREAS according to the US Census 2009 American Community Survey, 22.1%
of Richmond residents are below the poverty threshold set by the Federal government, compared to 7.2% average for the Commonwealth of Virginia; and

WHEREAS the US Census 2009 American Community Survey reports the median household income for residents of the City of Richmond as $37,735, while the median household income for the Commonwealth of Virginia is $60,301; and

WHEREAS according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2010 data, the unemployment rate in the City of Richmond is 9.5%, while the rate of unemployment for the Commonwealth is 6.4%; and

WHEREAS the City of Richmond seeks to promote economic parity and social justice;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Dwight C. Jones, Mayor of the City of Richmond, do hereby set forth to develop an Anti-Poverty Commission, and do hereby order that:

The Commission will consist of the following work groups; Job Creation, Workforce Development/Education, Policy/Legislation, Healthy Communities, Research/Evaluation, and Transportation. The Commission will provide recommendations on strategies to address poverty. The Commission will identify strategies consistent with making Richmond a Tier One City, and develop a report detailing its recommendations within twelve months of the establishment of the Commission.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereto set my hand and caused the seal of the City
of Richmond to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Richmond, this eighteenth day of March, two thousand and eleven.

Anti-Poverty Commission Members:

Rev. Wallace Adams-Riley
Dr. Kevin Allison, VCU WIlder School for Government
Elizabeth Blue
Jackie Bolden, NAACP
Kim Bridges, Richmond School Board
Ben Campbell, Richmond Hill
Betsy Carr, Virginia House of Delegates
Michael Cassidy, Virginia Public Policy Institute
Peter Chapman, City of Richmond Economic and Community Development
Tom Chewning, Community Volunteer
Mary Lou Decassaux, Fulton Neighborhood Resource Center
Lillie Estes, The Ridley Group
Aaron Evans, Richmond Drug Court
Reggie Gordon, Red Cross
Dr. Carolyn Graham, City of Richmond Human Services
Michael Herring, Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney
Anne Holton, Former First Lady, Former Judge
Yvonne Jones-Bibbs, Sixth Street Baptist Church
Kelly King-Horne, Homeward
Dr. Jack Lanier, Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA)
Dr. Melvin Law, NAACP
Charles Layman, Goodwill
Paul McWhinney, Commonwealth of Virginia Social Services
Dr. John Moeser, Community Volunteer
Tyrone Nelson
Gary Rhodes, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Ellen Robertson, Richmond City Council
Dr. Michael Royster, Virginia Department of Health
Jim Schuyler, Partnership for Community Action Agencies
Anthony Scott, Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA)
Aquanette Scott, Richmond Tenants Association
Dr. Tom Shields, University of Richmond
Dr. Donald Stern, Richmond City Health Department
Candice Streett, LISC
Thad Williamson, University of Richmond
Patricia Williford, Richmond Tenants Association

This is a partial list. Others will be added as a desire to serve is expressed.

###