Welcome to the War on Poverty Florida Website
The War on Poverty-Florida (WPF), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Florida nonprofit organization, committed to the revitalization of minority communities in Florida. Through work in targeted Florida communities, WPF endeavors to help reduce poverty and racial inequality, close the wealth gap and ensure minority voices are heard in major policy debates. Our Assets for Change Initiative is a grassroots approach to provide programs, services and outreach to community residents to increase opportunities for asset accumulation, and community and faith-based organizations to help increase organizational capacity.
HOME Home Ownership Made Easy Employer Assisted Housing Summit
April 25, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.-War on Poverty-Florida (WPF) and The North East Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) announces its partnership to promote HOME- Home Ownership Made Easy. The free event will take place inside the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Center.
The Home Ownership Made Easy program will provide employers in NW Jacksonville with free informative workshops for their employees about accessible, affordable housing and investment opportunities. These opportunities, in turn, can provide strong and stable homeownership strategies that will keep employees happy, productive and loyal.
The HOME Program provides employers with free educational homeownership workshops conducted by credentialed Realtors and lenders; one-on-one counseling to help employees understand their options for homeownership and real estate investments.
For more information or to RSVP please call 904-766-7275.
GMAC Financial Services and War on Poverty-Florida Partner to Increase Financial Education in Florida
War on Poverty Receives Grant and GMAC SmartEdge Financial Literacy Training from GMAC Financial Services
In an effort to increase financial literacy in the Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa, Fla., metro areas, GMAC Financial Services announced it has awarded a grant to War on Poverty-Florida and will provide GMAC SmartEdge financial education training to War on Poverty-Florida’s community partners.
“Given the economic trends in the U.S. and specifically Florida, we are excited about the opportunity to team with GMAC and SmartEdge to give consumers an advantage in managing their personal finances and developing good financial habits for long-term success,” said Karen Landry, Executive Director for War on Poverty-Florida.
A central component of the War on Poverty-Florida/ GMAC partnership will be the “train-the-trainer” program. Key partners will be trained on GMAC SmartEdge’s financial education program, who will in turn provide financial education training to interested community members living in targeted neighborhoods in the selected cities. The train-the-trainer sessions are scheduled to take place the week of April 21 – 26, 2008.
"Informed consumers will make smart financial decisions,” said Sharon Sayles Belton, Director of community relations for GMAC Financial Services. “We are committed to helping consumers gain access to information that will help improve their use of credit and to learn more about how their credit scores impact their ability to buy a home, car, insurance and other important services.”
GMAC SmartEdge is a comprehensive financial education program that aims to help improve understanding of budgeting, credit scores, credit cards, vehicle and home financing, and insurance. GMAC SmartEdge promotes financial literacy through its Web site, www.SmartEdgebyGMAC.com, and seminars. Call War on Poverty-Florida for more information about becoming a community partner or hosting a financial education workshop at your location, Miami (786)469-2172, Tampa (813)935-0626, Jacksonville (904)766-7275. To register, contact the War on Poverty-Florida office nearest you.
Transformational Leadership in Community Development
The racial disparities that impact the quality-of-life issues facing Jacksonville residents must be addressed to restore harmony in our communities.
In a recent Assets for Change Forum "Cultural Diversity" facilitated by Dr. Brenda Jarmon community members and leaders were challenged to develop strategies for community engagement to enhance cultural competence. Dr. Jarmon is a tenured Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Social Work at Florida A&M University (FAMU), has held undergraduate and graduate appointments at Florida State University and a courtesy faculty appointment at the University of South Florida.
Dr. Jarmon is an international and nationally sought after educational consultant, staff trainer, motivational speaker, and a frequent guest on television and radio talk shows. She is chronicled in several major magazines–Women’s Day, Time, Jet, Women in Community Service, Style Magazine, and the Tallahassee Magazine.
January 2007, her first co-authored textbook entitled, Letters from the Future: Linking Students and Teaching with the DIVERSITY of Everyday Life was released by Stylus Publishing, LLC. She is also the author of Lift Every Voice: African American Students Surviving in Higher Education, the forward in Journey to the PhD (2003), What it Takes to Be Successful on Standardized Tests in Graduate and Professional School Success (2003), and Unwritten Rules of the Game in Sisters of the Academy (2001). She is self-publishing her autobiographical life story entitled, From GED to PhD: Let Me Tell You What the Lord Has Done for Me. A summer 2008 release date is planned.
St Thomas University - Miami Gardens
On April 3, 2008 - St Thomas University Law School and War on Poverty-Florida embarked on an important partnership to bring business education to the St Thomas Law Students. War on Poverty-Florida participated in a three panel discussion on starting your own law firm.
Speakers included: WPF Executive Director, Karen Landry, Cornell Crews of Partners for Self Employment, City of Miami Gardens Community Development Executive Director, Daniel Rosemond, Representatives of Citi Bank and SunTrust and St Thomas alumni who have been through the process of starting their own firm.
The event was also sponsored by, Professor Pierre-Louis, Bar Passage Committee, Student Bar Association, Black Law Student Association, APALSA, Business Law Society and Career Services of St Thomas University.
Over 90 students and alumni attended the event, and this event is part of a larger series presented by War on Poverty-Florida to provide resources and technical assistance to new and established businesses. Find out about additional free business workshops in Miami by calling War on Poverty-Florida at 786-469-2172.
Technical Assistance Assets for Change Forum
On February 7, 2008- War on Poverty-Florida sponsored a day long Assets for Change Forum to provide a free technical assistance Grantsmanship Workshop to help organizations and participants find out what it takes to successfully write and submit a grant proposal. Elaine Spencer, Operations Specialist and Faith Based Liaison for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development facilitated the workshop.
Other sponsors in supporting the workshop: Sun Trust and Fifth Third Banks, The Greater Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Honey Baked Hams and the host Beaver Street Enterprise Center.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program at Edward Waters College.
On February 4, 2008, The Edward Waters College Schell Sweet Resource Community Center opened the doors to its first ever VITA site, providing free income tax preparation to the greater community.
War on Poverty-Florida and Edward Waters College embarked on this important partnership to deliver the free income tax service to the community. According to the Jacksonville Community Asset Analysis, more than 8,000 eligible families residing in NW Jacksonville may not have claimed their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) refunds in the previous years, leaving more than $16 million on the table, and lost to the community. Edward Waters College has opened their doors beyond the VITA site to host free weekly financial education classes on Tuesday’s for the students, staff and community members at the Schell Sweet Community Resource Center. Find out more about these financial education programs and services, contact the Schell Sweet Community Resource Center 904-470-8142 or War on Poverty-Florida at 904-766-7275.
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As a registered user you can view the event calendar, access community resources and receive news updates.
The War on Poverty is a not-for-profit organization committed to a comprehensive and collaborative approach to reducing the effects of poverty by assisting and equipping families and minority organizations with wealth and capacity building tools and resources. Working collaboratively with faith-based and community-based organizations, and other partner agencies in communities across the State of Florida, WPF is implementing a plan of action for Northwest Jacksonville, Miami Gardens, Opa Locka and Tampa.
"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." Deuteronomy 8:18