This week Sunday Morning Wake-up Call host Rick Moore talks with Ridge Schuyler about his work with the Charlottesville Works Initiative. According to Schuyler, 18% of Charlottesville families cannot afford food and shelter. That’s 5661 families says Schuyler. Billed as Real Jobs for Real People the initiative connects employers with the people they need.
The Sunday Morning Wake-Up Call is heard on WPVC 94.7 Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m.The station is looking for volunteers. Apply here if you are interested in volunteering.
Rick Moore has assembled a group to discuss how poverty affects the Charlottesville area. Alicia Lenahan, President of Piedmont CASA, the Court Appointed Special Advocates work for children whose parents are unable or unwilling to keep their children safe. Ridge Schuyler, director of Charlottesvile Works Initiative, helping local residents find decent work. Although minimum wage is $14K a year, for a Mother with two children to work and commute in Charlottesville, she would need to make about $34K a year. Along with Susan Goins-Eplee, MSN, RN, Bilingual Community Health Nurse for Jefferson Area CHiP, working with parents to make healthy homes, to help interpret, not only the language barrier, but also to interpret and navigate the healthcare system.
On Saturday, February 21 these groups, headed by Piedmont CASA will put on the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS). The goal for the 80 participants is to keep a roof over their head and get their bills paid with a kit to role-play the life of a low-income family. More details on the CAPS simulation here.
More information about Piedmont CASA at pcasa.org, information about Charlottesville Works Initiative at cacfonline.org, and information about Jefferson area CHiP at jachip.org.
Brian Wheeler, Executive Director of Charlottesville Tomorrow, joins Coy Barefoot every Tuesday at 5:00 PM for a discussion of growth and development issues in Albemarle County and Charlottesville.
Brian and Coy discuss the possibility that construction of the Landmark Hotel could be on hold for a while (The Hook)
Albemarle County Supervisors hear proposal to fund creation of local food hub to be located in Ivy (Charlottesville Tomorrow)
Jarmans Gap Road project in Crozet could be delayed due to budget cuts (Charlottesville Tomorrow)
Advance Mills Bridge replacement project is on schedule to be completed by spring 2010
Ridge Schuyler, one of the architects of the community water supply plan and new district director for Congressman Tom Perriello (D-5) , is profiled in C-Ville Weekly