Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Holds Town Halls Across the State

Half in Ten’s state partner Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families announced last month that it would be organizing a town hall meeting to discuss issues surrounding poverty in Arkansas. AACF joined with the Legislative Task Force on Reducing Poverty and Promoting Economic Opportunity on a hot July day to welcome almost 50 people at the event. The group was split into two small groups with one focusing on public health and education issues, and the other focusing on business development and community organizing. AACF also participated in a similar event in Dumas, Arkansas, and will work with the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on another town hall meeting later this month.

As Half in Ten’s partner, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families is leading the effort to compile all of these findings from meetings statewide and deliver a report to the governor in November. AACF Executive Director Rich Huddleston serves as the co-chair of this taskforce along with state Sen. Joyce Elliott.

In other news, Rich Huddleston highlighted our Half in Ten campaign work during a panel discussion at the Clinton Presidential Center on July 15, 2010. The group addressed issues of childhood hunger, obesity, and poverty to more than 200 attendees.