Local leaders work together to raise awareness in Freeborn County

The Blandin Foundation and a group of community leaders are launching a new initiative in Freeborn County aimed at raising awareness about poverty.

Called Leaders Partnering to End Poverty, the initiative unofficially began earlier this year and will incorporate more community events next month starting with a program at Albert Lea High School.

Ann Austin, executive director at the United Way of Freeborn County, said she hopes the program helps the community come together.

The purposes of the program are to deepen the understanding of poverty-related issues and to ultimately form a focused community effort to impact poverty-related issues. It is designed for community members of all income levels who are engaged in the community and who are passionate about ending poverty.

“We’re not different than each other,” Austin said. “There is no ‘us and them.’”

Austin said former Blandin Community Leadership Program graduate Mary Laeger-Hagemeister heard about the program in other communities and applied to Blandin to bring it to Albert Lea.

Blandin will provide funding for marketing, speakers and food at the various events. Over the next nine months, there will be what’s described as “seven capacity building sessions” and at least two other community events.

Already started this week was the launch of a chalkboard wall in downtown Albert Lea during Wind Down Wednesday where a question was displayed on the board and then people were invited to write in personalized responses.

Amanda Irvine, marketing and communications specialist for the United Way of Freeborn County, said there will be two other chalkboard walls with messages about poverty on Broadway.

“The idea is to focus on poverty in Freeborn County,” Irvine said, “and what Freeborn County might be like without poverty.”

The group has also started a Poverty Buster game that asks people to go out into their neighborhoods or communities and ask specific questions or build relationships. Each task is worth a certain number of points.

Once people reach 100 points, they can get a prize.

The kickoff event will be July 23 at Albert Lea High School featuring Jodi Pfarr, a nationally known speaker who educates people on poverty and its impact on communities. Sessions go from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Albert Lea High School auditorium. Meals will be served free of charge at both sessions.

“It’s just an exciting time for Freeborn County,” Irvine said. “There’s a lot of poverty in the community, so to really find out what the needs are and see how we can work together to make the community better.”

All county residents are invited to attend, and free childcare will be available on site. Transportation assistance will be available for both sessions by calling Cedar Valley Services at 377-2893.

To register, contact Albert Lea Community Education at 379-4834.