Atd Fourth World Movement

Training and public information activities include: webinar training for ongoing promotion and development of Atd Fourth World. Partnerships with academics in social policy research (boston, new york) and think tanks create conversations, training sessions and collaboration between people living in poverty, academics, and policymakers. Public presentations and events include panel discussions, conferences, and commemorations of october 17, the international day for the eradication of poverty. In these forums people living in poverty exchange their knowledge, experience, and efforts to overcome poverty with other concerned citizens. Publications including newsletters, and e-newsletters update our membership about our progress and invite others to join our work. Our website www.atdfourthworld-usa.org features updates on our programs, advocacy, and membership. Our facebook page, www.facebook.com/atdfourthworldusa, features discussions of current events, Atd Fourth World projects nationally and other internationally, and other perspectives.

Activities with families and children include: story gardens (new mexico, new york) offer community organizing through reading and art activities in under-resourced neighborhoods. During story gardens, trained facilitators offer quality books, puzzles, art activities, and other educational resources free to families who are mostly low-income and have little access to uplifting educational programs and supportive social environments. All children in the community are invited to this activity that happens weekly in different neighborhoods and locations. A special effort is made to reach those with difficulties. Our team in gallup, new mexico, runs story gardens in an open-air market and in a disadvantaged neighborhood with native american and latino children. Our new york team runs a community-based story garden in a large public housing development in brownsville, brooklyn, with the partnership of the housing development's tenant association. Summer festivals of arts and learning are extensions of the story garden programs in new mexico and new york highlighting community strengths and helping bridge the summer learning gap for children. Collaboration with other anti-poverty organizations, universities, schools, civic agencies (national), strengthens efforts to overcome poverty locally and across the country. The collaborations open up channels for families in poverty to access essential community resources and advocate for themselves and others. These projects include joint representation at the united nations, running art workshops together, Fourth World people's university sessions, a participatory research training project, and sharing stories through communications initiatives and public events. Accompaniment and support in accessing basic rights (national)help ensure that vulnerable families benefit from services such as housing access, educational support, job training, and legal aid. This long-term accompaniment also supports those who are socially isolated to build their social connections.