Conference covers poverty issues, social entrepreneurship

Stone Soup Ministries is hosting Solutions Day 2008 on Wednesday to identify and promote long-term solutions to poverty-related issues in Springfield.

The conference - called "Defining Change" - will be 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday at the Lay Auditorium at Drury University. Sign-in begins at 8:45 a.m.; no pre-registration is required. The event is free and open to the public, but lunch is $12 for the general public and $6 for area students or faculty; Drury representatives are free.

The organization is aiming to find long-term solutions for several key issues: local hunger, child abuse, lack of affordable medical and dental care, lack of adequate low-income housing, the increasing drop-out rate among high school students and underemployment.

Rep. Sara Lampe, 138th District, is scheduled to speak during the morning session, and Laura Fabro of the Southwest Center for Independent Living will speak in the afternoon. At 4:30 p.m., there will be volunteer and mentoring sign-up opportunities. The evening session, 7-9 p.m., is called "Changing the Way We Work" and covers social entrepreneurship, which applies entrepreneurial skills to tackle social issues.

Springfield-based Stone Soup Ministries is a nondenominational faith-based organization that promotes resources for low-income individuals.