Kansas City, KS – The Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) concluded a meeting today to discuss
regional poverty issues. The two-day summit, Exploring Poverty Reduction Strategies and Advancement
Opportunities in the Midwest, brought together an array of stakeholders from governors’ offices, state
agencies, non-profits and other sectors who are leading efforts to reduce poverty and expand economic
opportunities in the Midwest.
Meeting topics included public-private partnerships to fill the skills gap, overcoming rural housing
hurdles, stopping the cycle of poverty, and developing male-focused poverty strategies. Attendees also
heard from speakers discussing third grade reading, veteran hiring and the delivery of federal food
programs.
This meeting served as a pillar of Kansas Governor Sam Brownback’s agenda as MGA Chair. The
agenda built upon a series of bi-monthly conference calls convened by the MGA to promote the sharing
of best practices and identifying opportunities for collaboration.
“Reducing poverty and moving people from dependence to prosperity is a daunting task, but by working
together on this issue, we can forge innovative approaches and new ideas to an age-old problem. Thank
you to everyone who joined me in Kansas City for this important regional discussion,” said Governor
Brownback. “Leaders in each state are tackling these vital issues, and by working together we can to help
address the needs of everyone in our region.”
Despite the globally-recognized regional attributes of the Midwest, there are some in the region that are
living in poverty. The complexity of this issue does not allow for a one-size-fits-all solution. Fortunately,
there are an abundance of regional similarities and opportunities for sharing best practices to approach
poverty reduction.
For more information on the summit, as well as additional information on Governor Brownback’s agenda,
is available at www.midwesterngovernors.org/chairagenda.htm.