Niagara County Conference: Economic Development
The third annual Poverty Conference, hosted by the Niagara County Coalition for Services to the Homeless, will take place on Friday, March 13, at Niagara University’s Dunleavy Hall. The theme for this year’s event is “From the Ground Up: Economic Development Solutions to Alleviating Poverty.”
The conference will include examples of national, regional and local economic development initiatives. National initiatives will be highlighted by keynote speakers Jeanne DuBois, strategic advisor for Boston’s Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation, and Gary Wozniak of Detroit’s RecoveryPark. Following the keynote addresses, the scope of the conference will narrow to the Western New York region. This will include speakers from Buffalo’s Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP), People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH), and Empire State Development’s WNY Regional Office. The final session of the day will bring together economic development leaders from the county’s three cities for a discussion on current and future initiatives. New to the conference this year are advocacy efforts, including increased funding for homelessness and transportation.
The conference is open to the public at a cost of $20, which includes continental breakfast and lunch. The registration deadline is March 6, though early registration is encouraged as space is limited. Registration can be completed online by visiting www.niagara.edu/povertyconference or by calling 716. 205.0287. For more information please contact Brittany DePietro at bdepietro@niagara.edu.