The future of Asheville’s success will depend largely on how well we can expand opportunity to all children and families and nurture their success. To realize such a vision, our city leadership will need to focus attention on low-income and working families. Too many families are experiencing poverty in Asheville — dramatically increasing their risk for poor health, hunger, reduced productivity and lower educational achievement.
Last week, the Census Bureau released the 2010 American Community Survey showing that 24.1 percent of families with children in Asheville lived in poverty — up from 20.7 percent in the 2009 ACS.
During this election season, issues impacting children and families like poverty, affordable housing and homelessness need to be discussed. Children First/CIS, along with 13 other local nonprofits, posed questions on these and other issues to candidates. The results are online at http://www.childrenfirstbc.org. We invite you to consider their responses as you prepare to vote in the primary election.
— Allison Jordan
Children First/Communities in Schools of Buncombe County
Asheville
I have addressed poverty, affordable housing and homelessness.
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“Freedom works — and government, when it grows beyond the barest minimum, keeps people poor.”
http://is.gd/7zLQnv
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It’s true. When FreedomWorks and government combine, it helps keep people poor.
“address homelessness”
IS that a pun?