I’ve been reading the book A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Dr. Ruby Payne. It’s a great resource for us in Friends of North Richmond.

Dr. Payne has found that an education is the key to getting out of , and staying out of, generational poverty. She says that individuals leave poverty for one of four reasons:

1. A goal or vision of something they want to be or have
2. A situation that is so painful that anything would be better
3. Because someone “sponsors” them, i.e. a mentor or role model who shows them a different way or convinces them to live differently
4. A specific talent or ability that provides an opportunity for them.

As I read this I get excited about our mentoring program that will launch next year. Our partnership with educators in North Richmond is key, and I can’t wait to hear the stories that will emerge in the coming days. This really underlines for me the importance of Friends of North Richmond being a long-term commitment.