our Mission
The Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) is a multi-sector community collaborative with a mission to break the cycle of poverty by shifting power to enable upward mobility for individuals and families.
Mission statement
In order to create an equitable Greater Rochester, we seek to achieve upward mobility from poverty for everyone in our community. It’s common to talk about being “anti-poverty.” But to define ourselves in terms of what we’re against does not leave enough room for the vision of the world we’re yearning to see. That’s why we’re changing how we talk about our work, instead using language that is focused on solutions and based on our shared strengths.
What Guides Us
RMAPI’s work began in early 2015 with extensive community engagement, research and a rigorous design process that created a roadmap for addressing poverty. Through this work, RMAPI identified three key principles to inform the work going forward and serve as a guide for community decision-making:
- Center Racial Equity
- Address Collective Trauma
- Revitalize Neighborhoods
RMAPI serves as the guardian of these Guiding Principles, spreading them across our community and helping coalition members adopt them within their own organizations.