The Florida Chamber Foundation is expanding its Florida Prosperity Initiative with the hire of Heather Cogar as the initiatives Statewide Director of Community Engagement.
The initiative aims to cut childhood poverty in Florida in half by 2030. Cogar brings years of public and private sector experience to the work. For Cogar, the initiative is personal.
“Growing up in the challenges of the foster care system, serving as a Deputy Sheriff and running a small business have all taught me that the Florida Prosperity Initiative’s approach is the right one and I’m looking forward to partnering with more and more business and community leaders as we continue to change lives,” Cogar said.
“Every child deserves the chance to thrive, and by working hand-in-hand with business and community leaders we can remove barriers that hold families back and build a future where opportunity is within reach for all Floridians, regardless of their zip code.”
The Florida Prosperity Initiative, spearheaded by Florida Chamber Foundation President Mark Wilson, targets the nearly 715,000 children living in poverty in Florida. Half of them live in just 15% of the state’s zip codes.
In addition to targeting high-poverty areas, the program looks at 10 root causes of poverty[1], including food insecurity; unaffordable and unattainable housing; limited access to health care; unsafe homes or neighborhoods; lack of employment opportunities; lack of education and workforce development; insufficient transportation; unaffordable and unattainable child and family care; lack of financial literacy; and lack of community voice.
“In a state that has the 16th largest economy in the world and continues to create jobs higher than the national average, replacing poverty with prosperity is not only imperative, it’s the right thing to do and having Heather building support in every community of Florida will be a game changer for our Florida Prosperity Initiative and so many kids and communities,” Wilson said.
Wilson in 2016 testified before Congress on the importance of breaking the cycle of generational poverty, which gave way to the initiative, focusing on free enterprise to create pathways to prosperity. The initiative also utilizes he Zip Code Model, a nationally recognized solution to tackle poverty.
“With 983 zip codes and more than half of our 714,768 children living in poverty in just 15 percent (150) of Florida’s zip codes, the Florida Prosperity Initiative is connecting every community to leverage partnerships aimed at helping families move from a life of barriers and dependence to one of prosperity and self-sufficiency. The Moore Agency is a proud supporter of this work,” said Karen Moore, founder and CEO of The Moore Agency and incoming Chair-Elect of the Florida Chamber Foundation.
Added Citrus County Sheriff David Vincent: “My wife and I have known Heather Cogar for approximately 15 years, and her life experiences are defined by resilience, perseverance and overcoming obstacles. As a person, she has been impacted by the foster care system and therapeutic treatment centers like those at Camp E-Nini-Hassee in Floral City, FL. I am confident that her unique set of personal and professional experiences have prepared her to be a fierce advocate for children, while helping them find a pathway to prosperity they otherwise wouldn’t have had.”
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References
- ^ 10 root causes of poverty (www.flchamber.com)