From the Desk of Jamie Stanley - Project Manager / Getting Ahead

August 6, 2007 - The Bridges Out of Poverty (BOP) project was implemented in Toledo due to the riots resulting from a Neo-Nazi march in the impoverished North Toledo area in October 2005. Once again, this white supremacist group has planned a march for the same area. Poverty is a risk factor for crime and violence. The economic stress of a shrinking manufacturing sector already permeates these neighborhoods and the citizens are faced with more than their share of crime. The underlying poverty of this area provides the powder keg for additional violence when this supremacist group arrives. This group is trying to “stir the pot” and create more strife. They are a predator trying to further destroy an already unstable area.
The BOP project aims to assist individuals living in this area and other economically depressed areas of Toledo to garner knowledge and hope through participation in the Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’ By World program so that they can better combat the ignorance spewed by groups such as these.
Poverty can be impacted one person at a time with a change in attitude and behaviors by individuals regardless of their socio-economic status. European countries are also looking at ways to impact poverty. For example, Slovakia is trying to combat poverty and is looking at Toledo as an example. With other countries looking to us for guidance, we need to stand up a make sure that Toledo continues to combat poverty one person at a time.