I think a great way of involving the poor to reduce poverty levels in any given town or city would be to introduce establishments (cafes, restaurants, shops) where only the poor can work - and those who work keep the profits.

In the UK we have jobseekers allowance - what if we were able to offer these people looking for jobs, real work in a restaurant or cafe, specifically designed to train people up - and pay them for their time. This way these people would get paid for working, rather than for looking for jobs, and it would teach them valuable skills to be able to get a job elsewhere after a stint working in the poverty eliminatin establishment.

If those that live in these poverty areas are working in such establishments in the area, they'll have money to spend supporting the local economy. In doing so, there would be more skilled workers in the poverty struck area which in itself should help bring these areas out of poverty.

There's been talk of setting up stores where surplus food from supermarkets could be distributed. That's a good idea anyway, and why not involve local volunteers in creating such resources? You could go a step further and get them preparing meals, so you then have a community cafe. I saw an interesting model for this in Australia, where there were cafes set up to give refugees skills in food preparation, and diners would pay whatever amount they wanted for the food. It was an effective project and offers the potential of helping to eliminate poverty by making good use of foods that supermarkets don't want, and making it available for a nominal fee to people in local communities, where it's cooked by people who are developing kitchen and table waiting skills that could help them find work to escape the poverty trap they're in.

One of the most insidious aspects of poverty is the way it creates a disconnect between those at society’s lower end and everyone above them. People without the financial means to participate feel marooned. Increasing reliance on technology in the workplace may be creating a more sophisticated, IT-literate workforce, but the downside for jobseekers is that unless they are given access to training, the employment market will never be a level playing field. Training costs money, so the cycle continues.

States and localities must continue to provide support at grassroots level. There are many worthy initiatives involving voluntary and local authority or privately-funded community groups, where the poorest members of society can gain access to everything from CV-writing tuition to using computers for job searching. The communal aspect of these get-togethers is valuable in itself, as those in poverty often feel marginalized, especially if they live in peripheral housing estates. Members are encouraged to share their experiences, and for those who may be suffering from stress or other mental health issues directly related to poverty, becoming part of a supportive group can be vital to health and wellbeing.

These bodies help to instill a positive outlook, and as people are successful at gaining employment they can share their stories and encourage others to follow in their footsteps.