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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; United Way of Wyoming Valley is kicking off its &#8220;Poverty to Possibility: Building the Movement&#8221; effort on from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 2 at the Keystone Ballroom Mohegan Sun Pocono.</p><p>Five hundred reservations have been made, with a goal of 600.</p><p>Both the effort and the event emphasize long term strategies to childhood poverty. Nearly one third of all children in Luzerne County currently live below the poverty level.</p><p>&#8220;Support over the last year for our focus on reducing childhood poverty has been overwhelming, and we seek to keep that momentum growing,&#8221; said United Way of Wyoming Valley President/CEO Bill Jones.</p><p>Local and national studies have shown that the poverty level in a community influences academic achievement, workforce readiness, economic development, crime and safety, government spending, health and healthcare costs and many other issues.</p><p>Liz Murray will share her story of overcoming homelessness when at 15 she found herself living on the streets of New York City, eventually graduating from Harvard University. Her story was documented in her New York Times bestselling book <em>Breaking Night</em>, as well as in the TV movie <em>From Homeless to Harvard.</em></p><p>The program will be a part of the Kickoff Reception, which will include food, beverages and musical entertainment by &#8220;Big Daddy Dex.&#8221; Tickets for the event are $25. For more information and to make a reservation, please call United Way at 570-829-6711 ext. 231, or e-mail mphostarr@unitedwaywb.org.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">United Way of Wyoming Valley keynote speaker Liz Murray will tell her story of escaping a life of poverty on Sept. 2. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Liz-Murray1.jpg</photo0><caption0>United Way of Wyoming Valley keynote speaker Liz Murray will tell her story of escaping a life of poverty on Sept. 2. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Still tickets available for United Way of Wyoming Valley’s ‘Poverty to Possibility’ kickoff event