Mayor's Task Force On Poverty Background
Everyone deserves to be adequately fed and housed. The existence of poverty in Kingston is an issue that concerns our entire community as it affects and reflects the quality of life of all citizens in our city. Poverty is also a complex issue and one that will require a co-ordinated community-based response.
On March 6, 2007, Mayor Harvey Rosen announced the formation of The Mayor's Task Force on Poverty. In making this announcement he stated, "The real possibility of this Task Force — its real opportunity — is to plant the seed of a truly community-wide, community-based social agenda — an integral part of an overall community and economic development framework."
In October 2007, the Task Force issued a report encompassing recommendations and an action plan to harnesses community will and resources for a co-ordinated and community-wide response to poverty to better serve those in need.
The Task Force report was the result of consultation with community groups, service providers and their clients, as well as the public to better understand the shape of poverty in Kingston. An online Poverty Survey, for instance, was one of the consultative tools employed to guide the Task Force in determining its recommendations and its action plan for a co-ordinated community-wide response to poverty.
Another main goal of the Task Force was to outline the role, composition and structure of a permanent Community Roundtable that will continue to guide Kingston in its efforts to reduce — and, ideally, eliminate, poverty in Kingston. After a call for volunteers, the Community Roundtable was formed in the fall of 2007 and scheduled its first meeting for November 1.
