This month, United Way of Snohomish County, Snohomish County Human Services Department, several civic organizations and other nonprofit leaders are holding a summit aimed at beginning the conversation about working better together to address poverty in the community.

The goal of the summit is to learn about working collectively, as well as share insights about work already occurring in the community. The gathering will be the first step in creating a greater network of addressing poverty-related issues in the county.

“There are over 100 organizations addressing poverty-related issues in our community, and they don’t always know about each other’s efforts,” said Mary Jane Brell Vujovic, Human Service Director of Snohomish County and an organizer of the summit. “This summit will help make sure we’re all on the same page, and move forward collectively.”

Summit organizers believe that poverty is a complicated issue and addressing it successfully requires careful collaboration.

“If we work together, we can make a real difference in Snohomish County,” Vujovic said.

This summit will be the first in a series of conversations about how to tackle issues surrounding poverty and homelessness using a collective impact approach.