As the City of Richmond moves closer to its goal of becoming a Tier One City, Mayor Dwight Jones has lined up a team of experts to knock out poverty. “If we are to effectively address poverty in our city, we have to do so with a united front,” explains Richmond’s mayor.

Jones, who last year established an Anti-Poverty Commission to provide his Administration with recommendations, has already demonstrated results toward reducing poverty. Charged with identifying strategies to make Richmond a top level city among other major metropolitan areas in the country, his commission has developed a report detailing its recommendations to create jobs, build healthy and inclusive communities, address transportation and regionalism, improve education and workforce development, and more.

“It’s in our entire city’s best interest that we combat the high poverty rates and ensure that we all move forward together,” says Jones.

To make this happen, Jones has lined up community advocates, academics, community leaders, members of the business sector, and other stakeholders on the Anti-Poverty Commission. Highlights of the team’s key recommendations include the need to extend transportation service in the region in order to connect low-income people needing jobs to major employers, providing financial literacy education, vocational training opportunities and transitional employment opportunities, and developing comprehensive housing plans with private and public partners.

The Anti-Poverty Commission, comprised of individuals with diverse professional backgrounds, continues to perform intensive analysis of poverty in Richmond while providing solutions for moving RVA forward. To get involved, visit www.richmondgov.com/CommissionAntiPoverty.