ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 2, 1996 TAG: 9610020026
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
More full-time jobs with good wages and benefits would be the best means to alleviate poverty in the New River Valley, according to the results of a recent survey.
New River Community Action, an anti-poverty organization, queried 327 people earlier this year during a series of 15 "Dialogues on Poverty" held at various locations in Montgomery, Pulaski, Giles and Floyd counties and Radford.
The dialogues were focus groups attended by a cross section of citizens, including low-income clients of New River Community Action, staff members of the organization and community leaders.
Participants were asked to rank issues such as health, income and work, education, crime and family development in order of importance to combat poverty. They also suggested ways to achieve changes.
More than half identified the lack of good jobs as the most critical need. To create jobs they recommended hiring incentives for small businesses, free day care for working parents and electing local government officials who will recruit new businesses to the New River Valley.
Second highest among the concerns was meeting the needs of citizens who lack adequate food, clothing and shelter. Participants said groups that serve indigent clients with emergency needs should be better funded, and the community should be more involved in helping.
Other poverty issues identified by the groups were more affordable housing, better health insurance and reducing the number of children born by ill-prepared teen-age mothers or single parents.
The survey results support a dual anti-poverty approach of boosting the local economy and strengthening area social service support networks, New River Community Action said.
The organization traditionally has stressed self-help as a way to rise above poverty, said Glenda Vest, director of planning and program development. "This reaffirms what we felt was our mission."
Vest said New River Community Action will present the survey results to local government officials at meetings over the next two months.
The New River poverty dialogues were part of a national effort this year that saw similar workshops conducted across the country attended by 150,000 people, the agency said.
National survey results identified good jobs, health care, family development and education as primary concerns, Vest said.
"I found it interesting that across the country people from different backgrounds selected jobs that will support their families and health care as top priorities," she said. "I think that people feel if these needs are taken care of, they will be able to provide sufficiently for their families."
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