The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce has announced it will be partnering with the Florida Chamber Foundation on its Florida Prosperity Initiative. Florida currently has close to 900,000 children living in poverty which is more than 20 percent of all of Florida\u2019s under-18 population. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to cause that number to rise dramatically. Many in our workforce rely on Florida\u2019s tourism, service, and hospitality industries for survival. As those industries effectively closed for months and are just now beginning to reopen slowly, many Lakeland area residents are left with few immediate options and face an uncertain future as to when and if their jobs will come back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith several of our Lakeland area zip codes designated as \u2018economically distressed\u2019 and many residents under the age of 18 currently living in poverty, the Chamber has made it a priority to address the many root causes of poverty such as education, housing, and access to employment. As together we begin the safe and smart relaunch of our economy, there is no better time to facilitate discussions with our friends at the Florida Chamber Foundation and local stakeholders as to how to implement findings of the Prosperity Initiative to best serve all our residents,\u201d said Lakeland Chamber President & CEO, Cory Skeates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The work of this Florida Chamber Foundation initiative further supports the Lakeland Chamber\u2019s mission to serve as the catalyst for business success, convener of leaders and influencers, and champion for our thriving community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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