What are religious leaders and other people of conscience to do in the face of growing poverty, homelessness, and misery? Over the next eight days faculty and students from Union Theological Seminary and the Columbia University School of Social Work, media activists, and grassroots leaders will explore the reality of poverty in Appalachia and across the United States. Together they will build relationships and learn practical tools to overcome and eliminate poverty.

A hands-on and experience-based project, the Poverty Immersion Experience will include dialogue with leaders of local and national poor people’s organizations and local congregations engaged in mission work, human rights trainings and documentation in poor communities, Bible studies, video-showings, and poverty reality tours.