Charleston, W.Va. (AP) -- Nearly 160 community and religious leaders from across the country are coming to West Virginia to talk about ways to fight poverty.

Direct Action Welfare Group Executive Director Evelyn Dortch says next week's event is especially relevant as more americans lose their homes, jobs, health care and retirement savings.

Leaders from more than 20 organizations, including domestic workers united in New York, the Coalition of Immokalee workers in Florida and Jesus People Against pollution in Mississippi, are expected to attend.

The weeklong event is a project of the poverty initiative at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

It begins Sunday at Camp Virgil Tate outside Charleston and runs through Aug. 15.

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