GET CONNECTED with our CHURCH FAMILY … responding to human need

Lewinsville Presbyterian Church and Redeemer Lutheran Church of McLean have partnered to launch a monthly series of panel discussions on “Pathways Out of Poverty in Northern Virginia.”

Pathways out of Poverty in Northern Virginia begins with the knowledge that affluent Northern Virginia is home to many poor families and individuals who are confronted daily with a multitude of simultaneous challenges. The goal of the series is to understand these barriers, and to explore policies, programs, and individual actions that can help remove the barriers facing our neighbors. 

Third in this Series: Job Preparedness

Second in this Series: Financial Empowerment

The event features Annamarie Lusardi, Founder and Director of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center at the George Washington University School of Business; Maria Jose Cantoni, Director of the Financial Empowerment Center in Fairfax County, a division of Britepaths, Inc.; and Donna Snyder-White, Vice President for Financial Empowerment at StandByMe (UnitedWay/Delaware). The panel will be moderated by Irene Foster, Professor at the George Washington University.

First in this Series: Affordable Housing

The event features Christopher Fay, Executive Director of Homestretch, and Carmen Romero, President and CEO of Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH), and will be moderated by Jim Edmondson, Principal of E&G Group. James Foster, Professor at the George Washington University, will introduce the series. 
About the event. In this first event of the series, we examine a key barrier to escaping poverty in Northern Virginia: Affordable housing. James Foster sets the stage by describing the multidimensional view of poverty and showing how the lack of affordable housing is a key burden facing poorer Northern Virginians. Christopher Fay walks us through the multidimensional approach used by Homestretch to help homeless families access affordable housing and expand their capabilities. Carmen Romero discusses APAH’s strategy to provide quality rental communities for thousands of low-income residents, and to keep them affordable. Jim Edmondson, the moderator of the session, who has extensive experience in owning and managing affordable apartments, moderates the discussion and facilitate the Q&A session following the formal presentations. 

Future planned topics and dates include:

  • Reducing Barriers to Education and Training
  • Expunging Misdemeanors
  • Expanding Community Engagement