Groups want to change region
Source: The Northville Record
Published: March 22, 2007
By: Pam Fleming
Northville resident Mike Brennan knows the battle has just begun when it comes to tackling poverty and lack of education in Metro Detroit.
But Brennan, president and CEO of the United Way for Southeast Michigan for the past three years, said the United Way and five other charitable organizations are poised to transform the area with a new plan to help those less fortunate.
Announced in November 2006, the "One D: Transforming Regional Detroit" program includes staff from the United Way of Southeast Michigan, the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance and New Detroit.
Their goal is to develop a unified approach in the region in six areas: economic prosperity, educational preparedness, regional transit, race relations, regional cooperation and quality of life.
The organizations plan to unveil a blueprint to help residents in the region at the Mackinac Public Policy Conference in June. About 2,000 professionals are expected to attend.
Creating an Agenda for Change
The local United Way also announced its "Agenda for Change" program in December.
This will focus on three areas in which United Way staff members believe they can help area citizens — economic stability, educational preparedness and basic needs.
"This is a major shift in the way the United Way does business as the organization moves from simply a fund-raising and fund-distribution agency to one that seeks to bring people and groups together to combat some of the region's most pressing problems," Brennan said.
The areas were determined after a year of research and investigation that included focus groups, leadership interviews and a community-wide survey that asked people what they thought were the critical issues facing the metropolitan area.
Deloitte Consulting in Detroit did some business planning to help bring the plan together, and Edsel Ford serves as the champion of "One D."
Brennan said input from some of the 7,000 tri-county residents served by the local United Way in 2006 helped the organization identify the three areas of concern.
"Whether they lived in Northville, Detroit, Downriver, Troy or Macomb County, we saw a common theme," Brennan said.
He believes the regional effort is one of the most innovative such programs in the nation.
"We're not aware of any other place in the country where six organizations have come together like this," Brennan said.
Need help? Dial 2-1-1 center
Brennan said December also marked the one-year anniversary of the United Way for Southeast Michigan's call center, which has received almost 100,000 calls since December 2005.
"Any resident can dial that number and get a trained professional who can help them with a variety of needs," he said.
The number is for nonemergency calls.
"It's an information and referral number where our staff can connect people in the community with available resources," Brennan said.
Callers might have a child who needs counseling or a parent who requires a home health nurse or meals delivered.
"We have identified more than 6,000 services in the tri-county area," Brennan said.
United Way statistics reveal that since 2000 the number of individuals in the area living at or below the poverty level has grown 20 percent.
Brennan said there's a misconception that most disadvantaged people live in urban areas.
"There are more people living at the poverty level or below in the suburbs than there are in the city of Detroit," Brennan said.
The 2-1-1 call center can also be used by those who want to volunteer in the area.
Why volunteer?
"Research shows that individuals who volunteer tend to live longer, healthier and productive lives than those who do not," Brennan said.
For more information, visit www.uwsem.org.
Pam Fleming is a staff writer for the Northville Record. She can be reached at (248) 349-1700, ext. 105, or at pfleming@gannett.com.
By: Pam Fleming
Northville resident Mike Brennan knows the battle has just begun when it comes to tackling poverty and lack of education in Metro Detroit.
But Brennan, president and CEO of the United Way for Southeast Michigan for the past three years, said the United Way and five other charitable organizations are poised to transform the area with a new plan to help those less fortunate.
Announced in November 2006, the "One D: Transforming Regional Detroit" program includes staff from the United Way of Southeast Michigan, the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance and New Detroit.
Their goal is to develop a unified approach in the region in six areas: economic prosperity, educational preparedness, regional transit, race relations, regional cooperation and quality of life.
The organizations plan to unveil a blueprint to help residents in the region at the Mackinac Public Policy Conference in June. About 2,000 professionals are expected to attend.
Creating an Agenda for Change
The local United Way also announced its "Agenda for Change" program in December.
This will focus on three areas in which United Way staff members believe they can help area citizens — economic stability, educational preparedness and basic needs.
"This is a major shift in the way the United Way does business as the organization moves from simply a fund-raising and fund-distribution agency to one that seeks to bring people and groups together to combat some of the region's most pressing problems," Brennan said.
The areas were determined after a year of research and investigation that included focus groups, leadership interviews and a community-wide survey that asked people what they thought were the critical issues facing the metropolitan area.
Deloitte Consulting in Detroit did some business planning to help bring the plan together, and Edsel Ford serves as the champion of "One D."
Brennan said input from some of the 7,000 tri-county residents served by the local United Way in 2006 helped the organization identify the three areas of concern.
"Whether they lived in Northville, Detroit, Downriver, Troy or Macomb County, we saw a common theme," Brennan said.
He believes the regional effort is one of the most innovative such programs in the nation.
"We're not aware of any other place in the country where six organizations have come together like this," Brennan said.
Need help? Dial 2-1-1 center
Brennan said December also marked the one-year anniversary of the United Way for Southeast Michigan's call center, which has received almost 100,000 calls since December 2005.
"Any resident can dial that number and get a trained professional who can help them with a variety of needs," he said.
The number is for nonemergency calls.
"It's an information and referral number where our staff can connect people in the community with available resources," Brennan said.
Callers might have a child who needs counseling or a parent who requires a home health nurse or meals delivered.
"We have identified more than 6,000 services in the tri-county area," Brennan said.
United Way statistics reveal that since 2000 the number of individuals in the area living at or below the poverty level has grown 20 percent.
Brennan said there's a misconception that most disadvantaged people live in urban areas.
"There are more people living at the poverty level or below in the suburbs than there are in the city of Detroit," Brennan said.
The 2-1-1 call center can also be used by those who want to volunteer in the area.
Why volunteer?
"Research shows that individuals who volunteer tend to live longer, healthier and productive lives than those who do not," Brennan said.
For more information, visit www.uwsem.org.
Pam Fleming is a staff writer for the Northville Record. She can be reached at (248) 349-1700, ext. 105, or at pfleming@gannett.com.
Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism
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