14 Hoosier Banker November 2014 The book Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities (by Ruby K. Payne, Philip E. DeVol and Terie Dreussi Smith) addresses the root causes of poverty and provides a model to support individuals as they build resources. Over 100 leaders in our community came to each of the two forums, which featured DeVol and Dreussi Smith as speakers. With that type of positive response, it became clear that we had the interest and momentum to form a steering committee and develop plans for an initiative. Almost two years later, Morgan For our small community bank based in Morgan County, it was very painful for us to witness an escalation in the levels of poverty around us. In 2012 a group of Home Bank employees learned about the “Bridges Out of Poverty” program and its unique approach to understanding and addressing the poverty problem. Following two community forums underwritten by our bank, a countywide movement began, bringing together the many sectors of our community with a goal to make meaningful impact and change lives. FEATURE About the Author Dan L. Moore is president and chief executive officer of Home Bank, Martinsville, which he joined in 1978. He serves as a board member of the Morgan County Economic Development Corp., as a director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis and as a member of the mutual institutions board of the Independent Community Bankers of America. He is a past member of the board of the Indiana Bankers Association. Additionally Moore is a director of the Confessing Movement of the United Methodist Church, serves as chairman of the building committee of First United Methodist Church of Martinsville and is past chairman of the Barbara Jordan YMCA. He is a graduate of Indiana State University and earned a master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. Moore also is a graduate of the School of Executive Development and has served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Indianapolis. The author can be reached at 765-342-6695, email: dmoore@homebanksb.com. Home Bank, Martinsville, is a member of the Indiana Bankers Association. Bridges Out of Poverty: One Bank’s Experience as a Community Connector County Bridges Out of Poverty (MCBOP) is now a collaborative organization with representation from multiple sectors in our community, including private business, education, nonprofit agencies, the faith community and health care. Our organization has evolved to include a subcommittee structure reflecting different areas of focus: data measurement to assess poverty and its impact, poverty education and training for local employers, transportation issues, quality housing, economic development, fund development for projects and “Getting Ahead” classes. The latter is the critical “boots on the ground” part of the initiative, a program working directly with individuals to help them move out of the cycle of situational and generational poverty. “Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-by World” is a 45-hour workshop, developed by DeVol, involving rigorous work with the support of a trained facilitator and co-facilitator. Through Getting Ahead, participants examine their own experiences of poverty, assess their current resources, and learn how to build more resources as they move toward self-sufficiency. The essence of Getting Ahead is putting tools into the hands of those in poverty to make a difference in their own lives. As of this date, Morgan County Bridges Out of Poverty has trained four Getting Ahead facilitators and is
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