Empower Upper Cumberland, a pilot program funded by the Tennessee Department of Human Services, hosted a dynamic Poverty Alleviation Summit on May 13 at the Upper Cumberland Development District. In partnership with The Poverty Solution, the Summit convened community leaders, organizations, and fellow pilot programs from across the state to discuss strategic solutions to combat poverty.

Attendees included representatives from The Highlands Training Center, Tennessee Tech University, Workforce Connections, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), the Department of Human Services, UCHRA, Circles USA, the Cookeville Regional Charitable Foundation, and many others, all united in their mission to serve Tennessee families affected by poverty.

Mark Farley opened the event with a sobering statistic: approximately 20% of people in the region are living in poverty. He challenged the audience to consider, “How many families have we helped out of poverty?” urging everyone to adopt this mindset as the driving force behind their efforts.

Tennessee DHS Commissioner Clarence Carter delivered a keynote address emphasizing the importance of community-led solutions. “When we are going to serve our neighbors, we have to have the end in mind,” he stated. “Ultimately, the answer lies in our communities, not in Nashville or from the state level. How can we unleash the force of our communities to solve these issues and help our neighbors?” He concluded with a powerful reminder: “We strengthen Tennessee by strengthening Tennesseans.”

The heart of the Summit was facilitated by Scott Miller, founder of Circles USA and The Poverty Solution. His session focused on the importance of collaboration, not duplication. He noted that the Upper Cumberland already has effective services in place, but the challenge is to better align them with the real and specific needs of local families.

Discussions highlighted the complexity of poverty, not just as a financial issue, but as a generational and systemic one. One attendee shared a compelling insight: “Poverty isn’t just about money. It’s generational. It’s all some people know; it’s survival. The system will keep you from drowning, but it won’t teach you how to swim.”

The Poverty Alleviation Summit served as a powerful call to action, bringing urgency and purpose to the shared mission of combating poverty. Attendees left with a renewed commitment to collaboration, alignment, and service with the ultimate goal of lifting families out of poverty and into long-term success. By working together, community partners can bring about meaningful, measurable change in the Upper Cumberland by positively impacting individual lives and breaking the generational cycles of poverty. Local employers and community organizations are invited to partner with Empower Upper Cumberland to explore how they can contribute to this transformative movement.

Poverty Alleviation Summit

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