Conference held to address urban poverty, hunger issues

from Capital News 9

This weekend, the Times Union reported that urban poverty in the Capital Region is growing exponentially. Local community members met Sunday to address this and other hunger issues at the annual Faith and Hunger Network Conference. The meeting focused on how to campaign to help Albany's inner-city neighborhoods out of poverty.

This weekend, the Times Union reported that urban poverty in the Capital Region is growing exponentially.

We spoke with one organizer who said that poverty in the region is misunderstood and that while soup kitchens and food drives are helpful, they do not provide long-term solutions.

"What we really need to do, and what we are doing, is advocating with our state legislator and advocating with our Governor and, of course, Congress to provide sufficient resources so that people don't go hungry and have adequate affordable housing and have all the things they need to provide for themselves," conference organizer Barbara Zaron said.

The organizers hope to develop a Capital Region advocacy campaign that will combine local actions and educational events throughout the region.