United Against Poverty Conference with Keynote Address by Former Sen. John Edwards

Released: Feb 2, 2006 1:11 PM

BURLINGTON, VT -- On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the University of Vermont (UVM) will host "United Against Poverty," a conference in partnership with Democracy for America, State Senator Matt Dunne, the City of Burlington, AARP Vermont, and the UVM Political Science Department. The conference will feature leaders in Vermont's fight to eradicate poverty, as well as former Senator John Edwards, the 2004 Democratic vice-presidential nominee.

The conference will commence at 9:30 am with an introduction by Mayor Peter Clavelle at the Mann Auditorium. Sen. John Edwards will deliver the keynote address at 12:45 pm at the Ira Allen Chapel on the UVM central campus.

"Poverty remains a critical issue facing Vermont," said Sen. Dunne. "We have some of the most innovative organizations in the country leading the charge in the fight against poverty. Senator Edwards has dedicated his efforts to the issues of poverty since his bid for Vice President, and I am delighted that he has chosen to join us for a day to take stock of where we are, share strategies, and determine ways to make our efforts more successful in ensuring that every Vermonter has a chance to succeed." Dunne was the Director of AmeriCorps*VISTA during the Clinton administration.

"For 25 years, the City of Burlington has been at the forefront of innovative efforts to create perpetually affordable housing, ensure livable wages, and address the needs of low-income people," said Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle. "We are pleased to co-host this conference and look forward to a day of sharing our strategies, learning from others, and, together, redoubling our commitment to ending poverty in Vermont."

Other conference speakers include: Con Hogan, Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Social Policy; Jane Knitzer, Director of the Center for Children in Poverty; and David Murphey, Senior Policy Analyst for the Vermont Agency of Human services.

Doors will close at 12:40pm for Sen. John Edwards' keynote address. For more information, contact Noreen Nielsen at (802) 651-3200, ext. 148 or NNielsen@democracyforamerica.com.