STARKVILLE Miss. (WTVA) -- Starkville Bridges Out of Poverty is a program that aims to eradicate poverty in Oktibbeha County.
It provides education and resources for people in poverty to transition into the middle-class.
Friday in Starkville, the program held a community training event with a special focus.
"Today, what we are doing is educating the middle class in the traditional ways that we do things incorrectly when we try to do things for people in poverty," said coordinator Lynn Gaines.
The special-session with members of the middle class was to educate them on perspective.
"Most of the programs that are developed for those in poverty are developed by the middle-class and then we can't understand why they don't get it. And it's because we're not speaking their language. We're not addressing their values that are important to them or their motivators," said Gaines.
Two folks that were in attendance both agreed that this program does something that most programs miss.
"I think it hits the spot. Because, now you can understand why a person is always late, or why a person that comes from poverty is always late or why they think a certain way or why their kids are not like the middle-class kids. Because they don't have the education or upbringing that your kid had if you were from the middle-class," said NAACP President of Oktibbeha County, Chris Taylor.
"You don't really understand how the other class lives. This has been very interesting to see how their mind works, what problems they deal with daily compared with the problems we deal with daily. And why those don't mix very well. And just to be really, really aware on how you're coming across to somebody," said Lauren Lang of Starkville.
Organizers plan on future events to continue the bridging process for Oktibbeha County.
