Breaking Poverty in Farm Communities

A year into University of Idaho Extension’s 18-month Horizons III program, 15 south-central and southeastern Idaho communities are expanding their leadership capacity and working towards making their rural towns appealing, inclusive and economically vibrant places. The goal is to reduce the poverty that undermines rural Idaho. Eligible communities must have populations under 5,000 and poverty rates of 10 percent or more. Participant communities are attempting to transform their towns into places where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Program Director, Barbara Petty, explains that poverty is not just defined by dollars and cents: “The Horizons program is designed to help communities reduce poverty through becoming aware of their poverty situations which includes more than just a financial poverty but also to build leadership capacity within their communities.

This means

·         developing community gardens, farmers’ markets, canning kitchens, movie festivals, cross-cultural celebrations, historical societies, youth councils;

·         launching enrichment, education, business and language classes for adults; community centers for seniors and youth; day care and afterschool programs;

·         sprucing up Main Street, implementing recycling and promoting homeowner pride,

·         improving their emergency preparedness and initiating Neighborhood Watch programs, developing walking and bicycling trails, and investigating job opportunities in alternative energy.