TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Community leaders are now focused on ways to reduce poverty in Leon County while revitalizing the communities most impacted.
32304 Prosperity for All met Friday morning to set a plan of action, including a poverty reduction goal. Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council Executive Director Miaisha Mitchell is a member of the group.
"The goal has been set 20 percent reduction in poverty by 2025. That's something to look toward. If we can get to that, that means we'll have addressed 11,000 people in our community," said Mitchell
The 32304 zip code, which includes portions of Frenchtown, Griffin Heights, and Bond, has the highest rate of childhood poverty in Florida. Prosperity for All hopes to address 12 issues contributing to poverty including access to food, education, health care, and mental health.
"We want to make sure we're getting people thinking about the equity in this community and dealing with the external issues of disparities and social issues like discrimination. All the things that have built over the years and have contributed to poverty," said Mitchell.
The team is the direct result of a 2018 study that revealed 32304 has the most poverty of any zip code in the state. They organized shortly after.
"I'm very excited to revive the community collaboration that was flourishing in 2019 before the pandemic," said Prosperity for All leader Bart Bibler.
To regain that momentum, they're now working alongside a group out of Canada focused on erasing poverty. Elle Richards spoke at that Friday morning meeting.
"Poverty is better addressed when elimination, not alleviation is the goal. We work toward no one living in poverty as opposed to making the lives of those living in poverty more comfortable," she said.
If you want to find out more about the goals set in place, you can watch that meeting by clicking here.
