"I have experienced how lives can change in an instant. People’s beliefs of poverty can often be clouded by perceptions of laziness, addiction, or values. The doors into poverty are complex, intertwined and unforgiving. The pathways out of poverty can be challenging to reach and hard to attain. My goal in being part of VCC is to help shift perceptions and to make the pathways easier, clearer and more supportive. Everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential and VCC’s work alongside community partners and champions is vital to creating those opportunities."