DeltaPovertyReductionPlangettingintogear

SANDOR GYARMATI sgyarmati@delta-optimist com

The City of Delta is taking the next steps to do more to assist those experiencing poverty. Council last week agreed with a staff recommendation to submit an application for $50,000 in funding to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Poverty Reduction and Action program to hire a part- time poverty reduction coordinator for one year to address priority issues identified in Delta’s Social Action Plan.

The city two years ago received a grant of $25,000 for a first stream of the UBCM program to conduct a poverty needs assessment and develop a poverty reduction action plan for Delta.

Delta’s Poverty Reduction Plan was presented to council last

May and helped form the Delta Social Action Plan, which was recently endorsed by council.

The social action plan includes 20 actions to reduce poverty and improve food security in the community

The proposed poverty reduction coordinator would report to the city’s social planning manager, undertaking actions developed in consultation with the

Delta Poverty Reduction Action group and Delta’s Community Voices Table

The city’s poverty reduction action initiatives will include, among other things, development of a Delta Citizen’s Academy “that aims to build and elevate leadership skills and confidence of community members with experience of poverty to be more influential change-makers in their community.”