Nashville Poverty Reduction Initiative
Background Information
The Metropolitan Action Commission and the Nashville Chamber Public Benefit Foundation, working with many other organizations, began an initiative to reduce poverty in our community. Working with hundreds of Nashville’s city leaders, advocates, organizations and residents, seven Action Teams developed a Poverty Reduction Initiative Plan on the key issues Child Care, Economic Opportunity, Food, Health Care, Housing, Neighborhood Development and Workforce Development.
In 2010, Mayor Karl Dean asked Metropolitan Social Services to monitor and coordinate the initiative’s implementation, as well as to conduct community needs assessments, develop collaborations and enhance community coordination.
Implementation Strategy
Through implementation of the recommended actions, the quality of life and well-being for Davidson County’s low-income residents improved. Metropolitan Social Services developed seven public-private Implementation Teams to address the recommended actions from the Poverty Initiative Plan.
Nashville Poverty Council
The Nashville Poverty Council was created in 2010 to review progress toward implementation and to give guidance to the process. The Poverty Council was previously chaired by Howard Gentry, former Chairman of the Metropolitan Social Services Board of Commissioners, who is now the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk.
In October 2011, Mayor Karl Dean appointed Kristine LaLonde to Chair the Nashville Poverty Council and to serve on the Metropolitan Social Services Board of Commissioners. Dr. LaLonde coordinates and teaches the courses for the Honors leadership studies program, Project LEAD at Belmont University.