Emerging Leaders - Part Three

My last two entries have been building the stage for this- creating an Emerging Leaders Society in Metro Detroit- through the United Way.

Picture this: a group of thousands who care about what happens in the region, coming together, networking, volunteering, and developing their business skills together through mentoring with today’s CEOs. Through their involvement, they begin to take a “hands-on” approach to the opportunities of the region. They get direct, immediate, positive reinforcement from their investment of time and dollars. They learn business strategy and leadership skills, get board training, and volunteer at sites that resonate with their own causes.

An Emerging Leaders Society that makes people feel connected to the community and each other, and see that not only is change possible, but that they are actively involved in creating that change, could drastically change the future of the region.

We, as the United Way, would help those who will be the next generation of business and community leaders to become successful. We educate them to the needs of the region and empower them with the skills they need to impact society. If we want the area to move, then we need to provide the “movers and shakers” with the means to “move and shake.” Again, the Twin Cities have over 12,000 active members in their Emerging Leaders Society. Apparently this idea resonates with more people than just me!

The Community has already stated that they want the region to work together to move this ship forward. What a great way for the United Way to answer their call, positioning itself as a true community convener- and helping those who want to take action determine the course of Detroit. I’m pretty sure that the brain drain would reverse- a community that empowers its people to lead is an enticing, and exciting, place to live.

Julie Updyke
Campaign Associate
Resource Development

See Also

• Emerging Leaders - Part One
• Emerging Leaders - Part Two

What Does Community Feel Like?

As I was coming back from Au Bon Pain today, I ran into a friend of mine that lives in the Lofts @ Merchants Row. While we were talking, a friend of mine that works at Compuware saw us and joined the conversation. Then as I was walking away from my friends I saw another friend who works as a chef in Greektown.

I walked back into UWSEM with a huge smile on my face. Partly because I had gotten three unexpected hugs in the middle of the day, but also because it's a perfect example of what community is all about.

These people all work different hours in different kinds of jobs and live in different places, yet we all met on a corner in Detroit and took a minute to say something that put a smile on each other's faces.

Sometimes we look long and hard for a perfect sounding definition for something when all you have to do is walk out the door to find it.

This is what community feels like.

Jeanette Pierce
Detroiter By Birth...and By Choice

Emerging Leaders - Part Two

Last week, I attended a workshop facilitated by one of the top ten most dynamic women I’ve ever met, in my second favorite city ever- D.C. Her name is Jacinda Adams and she works for the Twin Cities United Way. Her “thing” is mobilizing emerging leaders in the community to make a tangible difference in the community. Her message resonated with me- down to the very makeup of my being.

Young people in today’s society are motivated, action-oriented, and like to see the results of their work… and like to see those results immediately. When you can find a way to engage this group, mighty big things happen. What I understand though, is that it is more than just about engaging them- it’s about truly achieving a “buy-in” and having leaders take ownership over the community and its development. The Twin Cities gets that- you should see what their 12,000 Emerging Leaders have accomplished in just the last year alone. Think- 6 million dollars and Volunteer-run “Extreme Makeovers” of area agencies that rival ABC’s Ty Pennington!

In my last entry, I mentioned how all Detroit needs is a forum that connects emerging leaders to the region and each other. Now, I know that some of this is already taking place- I see Model D as a great information network that is sharing with the region the growth and development that is happening. Detroit Synergy is more grassroots- mobilizing the involved and motivated, and Inside Detroit is physically showing people the uniqueness and goodness of the area. These groups are awesome, and necessary, but I think we can go even farther… we need something bigger- something that connects people even more- with not only the area around them, but with each other as well. I think the perfect forum is an Emerging Leaders Society through the United Way.

Picture this: a group of thousands who care about what happens in the region, coming together, networking, volunteering, and developing their business skills together through mentoring with today’s CEOs. Through their involvement, they begin to take a “hands-on” approach to the opportunities of the region. They get direct, immediate positive reinforcement from their investment of time and dollars. They learn business strategy and leadership skills, get board training, and volunteer at sites that resonate with their own causes. An Emerging Leaders Society that makes people feel connected to the community and each other, and see that not only is change possible, but that they are actively involved in creating that change, could drastically change the future of the region.

We, as the United Way, would help those who will be the next generation of business and community leaders to become successful. We educate them to the needs of the region and empower them with the skills they need to impact society. If we want the area to move, then we need to provide the “movers and shakers” with the means to “move and shake.” Again, the Twin Cities have over 12,000 active members in their Emerging Leaders Society. Apparently this idea resonates with more people than just me!

The Community has already stated that they want the region to work together to move this ship forward. What a great way for the United Way to answer their call, positioning itself as a true community convener- and helping those who want to take action determine the course of Detroit. I’m pretty sure that the brain drain would reverse- a community that empowers its people to lead is an enticing place to live.

Julie Updyke
Campaign Associate
Resource Development

See Also
Emerging Leaders - Part One

Emerging Leaders - Part One

I moved here in June. I’ve bopped around a bit, living in New England, Ohio, Philadelphia (my favorite city!), and Louisiana over the last 5 years.

I love the awareness I have of different regions- each has such a different persona. What makes Philly and D.C. my favorites is the energy of each place- you can feel it in the air! You walk through the city and there is such hustling and bustling- you get energized just being there. The funny thing is, they have the same problems that we have here in Detroit- failing public education systems, a widening poverty gap, and the need for community action.

However, there is a dramatic difference between those cities and Detroit. I think a part of it is that the lack of public transportation makes it easier to be isolated, but its more than that. I don’t know if I can verbalize it properly- its like the people who you walk past in those cities have a bounce in their step- they are confident in the power of their region, and in the power of themselves to participate in its growth and development.

Since moving here, I’ve seen a lot of despair and doubt coming from those who are native to the area. One of the big concerns I hear is that there is a “brain drain” occurring- and that young people are fleeing the state. It seems that many don’t think that Michigan can offer what other cities can.

I don’t see it that way at all! Detroit has that energy- it just needs harnessed! Maybe its because I’m kind of an outsider, but I see so much opportunity for young people- and the harnessing of that energy- and that is truly thrilling. Where else in the country is the community primed and ready for a group of motivated, dynamic, educated, and energetic people to step up?

Southeastern Michigan is so unique, because it has the need and desire for innovative leaders to take action. All that is needed is the forum for this to take place.

Julie Updyke
Campaign Associate
Resource Development

Nonprofit Finance Fund to expand work in state, add grants and loans

The New York City-based Nonprofit Finance Fund earlier this month said it plans to expand its funding and service in Michigan beyond the construction loans it has made the past five years through its partnership with the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

Under a five-year agreement with the fund, the United Way has provided planning and construction grants through its Nonprofit Facilities Center since 2001, and the fund has provided construction loans, said Carmen Thomas, director of the Nonprofit Facilities Center.

The two organizations, which have also provided facility-planning assistance through the center, are working out the details of their future relationship, but both said they plan to continue the center’s programs.

The Nonprofit Finance Fund and the United Way have provided $13 million in grants and $6 million in loans for 250 facilities projects since they began their joint work at the Detroit-based Nonprofit Facilities Center five years ago.

Read more

Symposium to focus on nonprofit collaboration

Contraction and consolidation of the private sector is putting ever-increasing demands on nonprofits to find more efficient ways to deliver products and services.

“The question that’s being asked of nonprofits is, ‘How do you put more money on mission, extract cost out of your operation and deliver a high-quality product?’ ” said Michael Brennan, CEO of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

Corporate and private foundations are increasingly more apt to fund proposals that are more collaborative in nature, making it imperative that nonprofits take a new look at how they deliver services in today’s economic environment.

“Inevitably, that asks the question, ‘Are their different ways to deliver our products and services than we have historically?’ ” namely through collaborations and consolidations, Brennan said.

Brennan will speak at a March 12 nonprofit management symposium on the topic, “Best Practices from the Best-Managed Nonprofits: The Collaboration Imperative” March 12 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield.

The cost for the program, which runs from 8-11:30 a.m., is $35. To register, call (248) 478-6076 or visit www.afpdetroit.org.

Read more

The Russians Came to Detroit!

Privyet! It's how you say Hi! in Russian... and I got to say that to some Russian visitors this past Friday when they visited United Way.

Not only did I get to learn a few great Russian phrases, but I had the opportunity to show them around the city of which they have only heard about through the media and movies. Though I only had a short 30 minutes to show them around I know (because the interpreter told me) that they not only enjoyed learning and seeing this city, but that it wasn't what they expected of it at all.

I also learned something from the Russians besides a few words. When they hear how much money people in poverty in America make, they are blown away. Where they are from making $20,000 a year would put someone in the upper class!

Moral of the story is to try to see new things through new ways... and learning about something you didn't know about before should be on the top of everyone's daily to do list. I know that it's at the top of mine from now on.

Jeanette Pierce
Special Events Associate

Sandra E. Pierce: Reviving Metro Detroit

Region must learn from past, embrace change to progress

We have a real opportunity to transform our region and to rightfully position it among the world's most admired communities. But it will only happen if we adapt and embrace change.

It was President John F. Kennedy who said, "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

To put things in perspective from an industry I know well, look at what's happened in banking. The 50 largest banks in 1985 have been consolidated into what are now eight banks. That's how dramatic change can be. And yet if change is something that is fought instead of embraced, there simply is no future.

Change encourages new thinking, appropriate risk taking and active decision-making. One of the best examples of this is One D: Transforming Regional Detroit. This group of six of the most powerful regional civic organizations -- Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance, New Detroit and the United Way for Southeastern Michigan -- is committed to working collaboratively to advance progress and growth by aligning the private, public and nonprofit sectors toward common priorities.

Not only is change at the heart of One D, so is a willingness to set aside independent plans and instead work behind the scenes to advance solutions for the greater good. One D understands that no one organization, municipality or even political party has a monopoly on good ideas.

There are other examples of regional collaboration. Detroit Renaissance recently brought together the region's economic developers to develop new ways to grow the region's economy as the Economic Development Coalition of Southeast Michigan. And organizations like Detroit Synergy offer an example of people from throughout the region working together to find innovative solutions.

While we have the future in mind, let's acknowledge the strength of our starting point. Our region is home to world-class cultural and entertainment venues, rich history, breath-taking architecture and culturally diverse communities. We hosted Super Bowl XL with finesse, and our amazing riverfront is transforming before our eyes as an international waterway to behold.

And with Tigers' spring training in full swing, the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings boasting winning records in their respective conferences, and steadfast Detroit Lions fans willing to come back next season, I am convinced Metro Detroit is the best sports town.

Charter One understands that our success is directly tied to the success of the communities where we live and work. The responsibility lies on all of us across all sectors to think strategically and seriously about how we can work together for positive change.

So let's learn from our past and act in the present with urgency around regional priorities and solutions. We can't afford to miss the future.

Sandra E. Pierce is president and chief executive of Charter One Bank. E-mail comments to letters@detnews.com.

[Source]

Life is looking good

I received a call from a homeless man today. He is 50 and was recently released from jail. He was thrilled to find shelter information and promised to call soon for employment info. He said he was “eager to turn his life around and happy to call 2-1-1 first” for shelter information and eventually to find a job and an apartment.

"Life is looking good," he said.

Emad Ghith,
Bi-Lingual I&R Associate (Arabic)
United Way 2-1-1

community m@tters™ - February 2007

The February issue of community m@tters™, United Way for Southeastern Michigan's online newsletter, is now available.

The monthly newsletter highlights United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Agenda for Change work in the areas of educational preparedness, economic stability and basic needs -- along with upcoming events, volunteer spotlights and Kurt's Corner, UWSEM demographer Kurt Metzger's look at key regional trends.

In the February issue:

• Educational Preparedness: Early childhood investment produces huge return
• Economic Stability: EITC qualifiers fail to pocket cash
• Basic Needs: United Way gives voice to area's homeless
• Upcoming Events: Time to celebrate volunteers
• Volunteer Spotlight: Alternative Spring Break blog
• Kurt's Corner: Volunteering in America

Videocast of UWSEM special available

In case you missed the Detroit Public Television special highlighting United Way for Southeastern Michigan, a videocast of the program is now available online.

WTVS TV56 originally aired the One D/United Way half-hour special February 8th. The show featured UWSEM President and CEO Michael Brennan, UWSEM Board Chair Anthony F. Earley Jr., Board Vice Chair Reginald Turner and Board member Leslie Murphy, in a panel discussion moderated by veteran news broadcaster Amyre Makupson.

Panel members discussed the future of the region and the impact United Way’s Agenda for Change and key programs -- along with work of the One D collaborative -- will have on lives and communities for years to come.

Click here to watch.

A Burden to your family?

Yesterday Tom Hendrickson of Model D and I hit the streets to videotape interviews of people who are homeless. The snow was wet and heavy and was difficult to walk into, yet the frigidity of the cold had moved on and we were grateful. We came across a gentleman very near our UWSEM office who was willing to talk. At this point we had room on the videotape for two more interviews. He had a friend with him who also wanted to talk, though I was somewhat reluctant as he seemed rather withdrawn and quiet. I wasn't sure how much usable footage we would get from his quiet friend and didn't want to waste the available videotape. The first interview went well and his friend just stood away looking down. Now I was trying to figure out a way to inform the quiet one that I wouldn't really need his interview. How short-sighted and misdirected I was because the following is what I soon heard.

Glenn, the quiet one, was 23 years old. He's been living on the streets for nearly 2 years. He graduated High School while working full time as a cook to support his mother, grandmother and his brother's newborn. He was involved with a young woman near his age and soon she became pregnant. Her family was unable to help raise the child so his family offered to help. This was the greatest day of his life and the most destructive day of his life.

Soon after his girlfriend and newborn moved into his small apartment he lost his job. He was trying to get as much work as possible to support his family, but the work just wasn't there. His concern for his family was growing ever more each day. Food was less, new clothing was a thing of the past and the basic needs for his family were not being met. And still no work. His options were becoming less and his fear was growing.

The choices he soon faced came down to him eating or his baby. Him eating or his grandmother.

With no money coming in and being unable to support this family, Glenn came to feel that he had become more of a burden to his family than a support. He made the choice to leave his small world so others he loves could eat. He would find food at shelters or in dumpsters. He also heard he might find clothing at these places. He did. But he is still looking for hope.

Not a day or minute goes by without him thinking about his "baby girl" and wanting to reunite with her. He misses his family horribly but replaces these feelings with those of him being a burden to them. I could see this makes it easier for him to accept. I could not.

I am now left with the feeling of "why?" Why him? Why someone so caring and able? Why someone who has tried so hard? and then...

Why anyone?

Bill Sullivan
Team Leader
United Way 2-1-1

A New Face of Royal Oak

“I am hitting the streets of Royal Oak with Bill tomorrow; We have this assignment meeting with the homeless.” I told my wife as I was digging up my heavy-duty camping winter gear.

“Bundle up,” she said, “I do not want you to freeze to death.”

I could not hide my grin thinking how caring she was, to the point of ignoring that I had delivered pizza for a living during college and survived six winters in Detroit. I was particularly curious about such an assignment in a “hip’n cool” city like Royal Oak. The next day, Bill, Loren and I hunted for some homeless individuals and we (surprisingly) quickly stumbled into two of them seeking warmth at the Grey Hound Bus Station in Royal Oak.

Although we only met two interviewees that day, the shock effect was felt, deeply. While taking notes during the first interview, my left elbow went numb, my right arm froze and the nerves of my right hand fingers ceased to respond. I started to wonder how do they survive and, days later, I am still wondering.

Our interviewees, John and Dave, were middle-aged men who lost their employment, endured past [and current] drug abuse recovery, suffered families’ abandonment and were gravely buried under societal stigmatization. John had a felony on his record, which eradicated his hope of finding new employment. Dave had just had a surgery and his chances of surviving the remainder of winter are gradually fading away.

The more I remember their stories the more I feel slapped with painful realizations. We love numbers, statistics and survey results. We tend to factualize what we perceive by finding a way to measure by numbers and standards. This building is 400 foot high, a single colony could have millions of ants, that car could run at 100 miles per hour. We cannot, alas, evaluate and assess things like awe, loyalty, beauty, joy and suffering.

Overwhelmed, I have reached a state of emotional numbness that superseded astonishment; The same one I felt when I heard in 1990 about a Kuwaiti woman who was raped by 48 Iraqi soldiers, the same one I felt when I learned that it took only three months of tribal war to eradicate about a million Rwandans. Why do the words “tsunami,” “Katrina,” “Hiroshima” sound like? Not like any bells ringing but like immeasurable grief and unbearable sorrow. I did not dwell on the number of victims for it was powerful enough to reflect on the “amount” of suffering they had to endure.

This time, suffering was closer to home than ever. It was standing before my eyes in hip’n cool Royal Oak. Standing in the form of men with broken spirit and ailing bodies with no place to go. I still do not know how their frail builds could survive such conditions that made my perfectly healthy body tremble in a few minutes. Their survival is beyond my comprehension and their suffering is beyond my grasp.

Dave mentioned that Royal Oak is booming with new condominiums whose owners consider the very presence of the homeless a risk on the value of their property. I instantly wondered how would I react if my condo association informed me that our elegant “territory” is attracting homeless individuals. While flying in the philosophical sky took me nowhere but to seeing more suffering, my wife brought me back to earth with very few words. She reminded me that some of us do actually care enough to do something about that suffering, even though it is not foreseeable to erase it from existence. We all can aspire to watch, participate in, and promote real acts of compassion toward those burdened ones.

I am still reflecting on that unusual experience and am still amazed how selective our perception of reality is. I can see now the big irony of the odd co-existence of the homeless and the hip in Royal Oak. Next time I visit the area, beauty salons, and fine eateries will not be the first things to strike my eyes. For those who look closely enough, the city has a lot of other features. For me at least, Royal Oak has a new face.

Emad Ghith Emad.Ghith@uwsem.org
Information & Referral Associate
United Way 2-1-1

United Way recruits 100 volunteers in 10 days

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contacts
Patricia A. Ellis, 313-226-9484 or pager, 313-840-1948
Megan Bracket, 313-226-9409 or pager, 313-840-4321

VOLUNTEERS RESPOND TO HELP WORKING RESIDENTS GAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY THROUGH EITC

DETROIT – Ten days ago United Way for Southeastern Michigan reached out to this community and asked for 100 volunteers to be trained in tax preparation services to help low-income individuals and families receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) federal tax refund. The organization reached out to many of its community partners and local media to help get the word out. Why? Because there are thousands of working individuals and families who are eligible to receive $412 to nearly $5,000 in tax credits but are unaware that they qualify for the refund.

Unclaimed EITC tax credits will result in lost revenue for our region and lost financial security for thousands working residents who are eligible for the tax benefit. The 100 additional volunteers will be able to prepare approximately 1,300 more free tax returns, representing approximately $1.2 million in tax credits.

“When we come together as a community we can make greater progress around issues that impact the success of our residents and our region,” said Michael J. Brennan, president and CEO, United Way for Southeastern Michigan. “These 100 volunteers responded to our call for action. By dedicating their time, they will be gaining a valuable skill and provide a tremendous service to hundreds of families who will be a step closer to gaining financial independence.”

Volunteers will receive free training, learn information on tax issues and tax credits as well as learn how to use tax software. Those who successfully complete the training will be certified in tax preparation and volunteer at least three days at one of the 30 free tax preparation sites in southeastern Michigan to help low-income working residents file their tax return and claim the tax benefits they’re entitled to. Currently only one percent of the EITC tax returns are prepared at the free sites.

The 100 volunteers represent companies such as AT & T, Capital Financial, Comcast, Comerica Bank, DTE Energy, Flagstar Bank, Matrix Human Services, National City Bank, State Farm Insurance and United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

The EITC Initiative is a partnership with the following organizations: Accounting Aid Society, Department of Human Services - Wayne County, Detroit Regional Chamber, Harmony Financial Network, Leaps and Bounds Family Services, Macomb County Asset Building Coalition, Macomb County Community Service Agency, Macomb Intermediate School District, Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency, The Tax Credit Initiative Coalition of Oakland and Livingston Counties, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Wayne County Asset Building Coalition and the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency.

To find out more about volunteer opportunities call United Way at 313-226-9430, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., or go to www.uwsem.org and click “Help Your Community”.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan mobilizes the caring power of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to improve lives in measurable and lasting ways throughout the region. The organization is led by a diverse group of volunteers from business, labor, government, human services, education and the community. United Way provides opportunities to invest in the metropolitan Detroit community through its annual Torch Drive and is a leader in convening partners to impact local residents each year by increasing economic self-sufficiency, protecting children and youth at risk, strengthening families, empowering neighborhoods and communities, and promoting health and wellness. Additional information is available at www.uwsem.org.

###

United Way recruits 100 volunteers in 10 days

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contacts
Patricia A. Ellis, 313-226-9484 or pager, 313-840-1948
Megan Bracket, 313-226-9409 or pager, 313-840-4321

VOLUNTEERS RESPOND TO HELP WORKING RESIDENTS GAIN FINANCIAL STABILITY THROUGH EITC

DETROIT – Ten days ago United Way for Southeastern Michigan reached out to this community and asked for 100 volunteers to be trained in tax preparation services to help low-income individuals and families receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) federal tax refund. The organization reached out to many of its community partners and local media to help get the word out. Why? Because there are thousands of working individuals and families who are eligible to receive $412 to nearly $5,000 in tax credits but are unaware that they qualify for the refund.

Unclaimed EITC tax credits will result in lost revenue for our region and lost financial security for thousands working residents who are eligible for the tax benefit. The 100 additional volunteers will be able to prepare approximately 1,300 more free tax returns, representing approximately $1.2 million in tax credits.

“When we come together as a community we can make greater progress around issues that impact the success of our residents and our region,” said Michael J. Brennan, president and CEO, United Way for Southeastern Michigan. “These 100 volunteers responded to our call for action. By dedicating their time, they will be gaining a valuable skill and provide a tremendous service to hundreds of families who will be a step closer to gaining financial independence.”

Volunteers will receive free training, learn information on tax issues and tax credits as well as learn how to use tax software. Those who successfully complete the training will be certified in tax preparation and volunteer at least three days at one of the 30 free tax preparation sites in southeastern Michigan to help low-income working residents file their tax return and claim the tax benefits they’re entitled to. Currently only one percent of the EITC tax returns are prepared at the free sites.

The 100 volunteers represent companies such as AT & T, Capital Financial, Comcast, Comerica Bank, DTE Energy, Flagstar Bank, Matrix Human Services, National City Bank, State Farm Insurance and United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

The EITC Initiative is a partnership with the following organizations: Accounting Aid Society, Department of Human Services - Wayne County, Detroit Regional Chamber, Harmony Financial Network, Leaps and Bounds Family Services, Macomb County Asset Building Coalition, Macomb County Community Service Agency, Macomb Intermediate School District, Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency, The Tax Credit Initiative Coalition of Oakland and Livingston Counties, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Wayne County Asset Building Coalition and the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency.

To find out more about volunteer opportunities call United Way at 313-226-9430, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., or go to www.uwsem.org and click “Help Your Community”.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan mobilizes the caring power of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to improve lives in measurable and lasting ways throughout the region. The organization is led by a diverse group of volunteers from business, labor, government, human services, education and the community. United Way provides opportunities to invest in the metropolitan Detroit community through its annual Torch Drive and is a leader in convening partners to impact local residents each year by increasing economic self-sufficiency, protecting children and youth at risk, strengthening families, empowering neighborhoods and communities, and promoting health and wellness. Additional information is available at www.uwsem.org.

###

Making the Connection

I started off my day with a meeting of 200 local professionals who came to hear Bill Millett, a national speaker, talk about the impact of the investment in early childhood programs. Specifically, the long term return for communities when they focus work on children before the child ever reaches school. As I gave the opening comments, I said that "the decisions that are made today impact lives 20 years down the road."

A couple of hours later, dressed in my flannel jeans, long underwear and a Detroit Lions hat, I joined one of United Way's associates -- Bill Sullivan--on a project he was working on: interviewing the homeless in the tri-county area on the barriers they face. It was one of those days that never saw the thermometer hit higher than a single digit. As we traversed through the central business district of Detroit on foot, we met up with Roderick walking along the sidewalk.

Of his 44 years on earth, 35 of them have been homeless. Roderick didn't complete 10th grade. He had employment on and off over his life. He had family in the area, but not much contact with them. His warn face and hands spoke to someone who looked 20 years older. He lives off of small government support.

Is there a connection between 200 professionals gathering to figure out how this region puts more attention on early childhood development and Roderick. You bet.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again. There is a cost not only to Roderick, but to society for not having him with permanent housing and employment. So when we say that every dollar put in early childhood development saves $17 at the other end, this is in part what we mean. When research shows us that a child not reading at grade level by age three gives them nearly a 90% chance of NOT graduating, the consequences of that gap has a human toll.

These topics of Early Childhood Education and Homelessness can often seem abstract and not real. The things others discuss, others experience and others must solve. But the fact of the matter is the issues are real and the responsibility for solving rests with all of us.

This day, for me, was a stark reminder of how so much of what we all do is connected. At times though, we don't always see the links.

Click here to learn more about early childhood work in the region and the personal reflections of United Way associates who have interviewed over 60 homeless individuals in the region.

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Pass it on: 211 is call away for needy

From The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Bill Sullivan is learning a thing or two about the homeless in southeastern Michigan, and he's doing it by talking to them.

They aren't just roaming the streets of downtown Detroit, an occasionally unsettling sight in a cleaner and redeveloping downtown. He's talked with them in Royal Oak and Mount Clemens, too, corroborating United Way for Southeastern Michigan data that there's more poor in the tri-county suburbs (270,000) than in the city of Detroit (261,000).

They aren't all drunks and drug addicts, he's found in the more than 60 interviews, so much as individuals with their own hard-luck stories and sometimes their own demons. No permanent address. No phone. No transportation to get to work, if they can get a job.

As Michigan struggles with the collateral damage of its wrenching economic transformation, calls for more cash inevitably will rise -- from nonprofits, from local governments and state politicians. But Sullivan and his team are finding that the help is already there, and the trick is matching the services to the needy.

Bruce: A success story

There's Roderick, who told us Tuesday he's lived on Detroit's streets for 35 of his 44 years. There are Monica and Angelo, who live in a tent behind the UAW-Ford National Training Center. He's disabled, has seizures and can't work; she wants to, but has trouble finding any.

There's Bruce, who'd spent two homeless years in Macomb County until he met Sullivan, operations manager of the United Way's 211 center, a 14-month-old social service information center. Bruce used the two quarters Sullivan handed him with a brochure, dialed 211 and within two days he had a voucher for low-income housing and soon landed a job.

Bruce is, so far, a Sullivan success story.

"There are resources out there," Sullivan told me during our break from walking the frigid streets, along with United Way President Michael Brennan. "But we're doing a really poor job of helping the community know about the resources."

That's where the United Way's 211 system, begun in December 2005, can help. Essentially a 24-7, 365-day social service help line, 211 is a vast database of services that can do everything from help a caller with her gas bill to help a homeless guy find a home.

50 cents, $5 and 211

In its first 12 months, the tri-county 211 system fielded 100,000 calls, and this year its call volume is growing anywhere from 15 percent to 30 percent per month. Yet only 5 percent of the potential market in southeast Michigan, Brennan says, is aware of 211.

That needs to change. Michigan's economy is likely to get worse before it gets better, as thousands leave their jobs under a slew of buyouts, as auto production ebbs to meet demand, as foreclosures and personal bankruptcies rise.

One answer: Bill Sullivan's mobile 211. Stuffed into the back pocket of his blue jeans are 211 brochures wrapped with $5 bills and two quarters taped to each one, a quid-pro-quo to folks on the street who don't want to be.

If the measure of a community's character is how it treats its less fortunate, Sullivan and the folks at 211 are one yardstick that should be used, and often.

Daniel Howes' column appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He can be reached at (313) 222-2106, dchowes@detnews.com or his blog at http://info.detnews.com/danielhowesblog.

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A Life Impact

On Tuesday, January 30th, I volunteered to assist in United Way's homeless interviews. As I prepared for this assignment I found myself uneasy - I didn't know what to expect. Was our approach going to offend the homeless? Would they think it was all just a big prank? My nervousness continued to grow as Bill, the United Way 2-1-1 Team Leader, and I drove towards Mount Clemens. I began to wonder how the homeless would look at us and treat us or how their circumstances were going to affect me.

As we approached our first person I realized how cold I was. Just knowing that the cold was something that this person experience every day, all day, started to change my heart. I started to worry less about myself and focused on the individuals we were interviewing.

We interviewed Bruce. Bruce was homeless with nothing of his own but the clothing on his back and the food in his belly. He was very nice, educated, and the first thing he did was offer me some Kleenex so I could wipe my nose. He was happy to see someone that was interested in helping him with a change of life.

We talked with Bruce about what he ate and where he slept. But the largest impact came when Bruce told us how he was treated differently because he was homeless. He's not different. He is someone just like me and you - he's just in need of resources so he can seek help and change his life.

As the day ended, after talking with over ten homeless individuals, I went somewhere that I call home - where I can get food, clean clothing, heat, bedding and love from my family. I felt so emotional knowing that there are so many people out in the streets without anything to call their own, wishing they could trade places with someone like me or you. This tremendous experience makes me realize that it doesn't matter where you are today, there's no prediction where you could be tomorrow.

And by the way, Bruce took us up on our offer of help. He called United Way 2-1-1 today and we are going to start working together to find the resources he needs to get his life back on track.

Jazzanee Hayden
Information & Referral Associate
United Way 2-1-1

Dreams of the Homeless

January 26, 2007, started out as an ordinary day. However, it would soon become a memorable and extraordinary day. By 11:00 p.m., my mind was still consumed with thoughts of James, Mario, Charles, Brian and John. These were just a few of the homeless individuals I had been privileged to meet on this day. As part of a project to interview the homeless, these gentlemen educated us to their plight, obstacles and the numerous challenges they face each day as a result of having no home. Quickly I realized that these faces could very well be members of my own family.

Many shared very candidly the unfortunate set of circumstances and tragic events that led to their current experience; a lost job with no unemployment benefits, which translated to no income; an injury on the job that led to no workers compensation or disability benefits, which again, translated to no income; an ex-offender who is consistently stigmatized and denied employment because of his past, and still another, denied housing due to his poor credit rating. And the list goes on. Yet somehow in listening and trying to understand their plight, I realized that the problem of homelessness had become my plight as well.

In the midst of their daily reality and fight for survival for those who find themselves homeless, I still perceived within each person interviewed, a spirit of hope, determination, and a strong individual belief of a better tomorrow. I will forever be touched by the consistent response to the final question posed to each homeless interviewee. When asked about their short-term goals and desires for the future, "A job, a home and a family" became the overwhelming and consistent response. With each answer, I knew that the dreams of the homeless were the same as my own. Their hopes were the same as my hopes. As difficult and far away as their dreams may seem, I'm certain that their desires are certainly not too much to ask or expect.

As I ate my dinner after work, a twinge of guilt settled in as I thought about the homeless, never quite sure where their next meal is coming from. As I lay in my bed, again I felt the sting of being protected from the cold, which I knew was not a reality for many of the homeless. Yet loudest and most prominent of all my thoughts and feelings, were the questions surfacing through my mind, refusing to go away and demanding to be answered. What can I do to make a difference? What can we do as a community to improve the lives of the homeless? Where should we start? How will it end?

And slowly, the answers began to come. I must become an advocate, a voice for the homeless, by caring enough to educate others and encourage them to get involved. The process of where to start has already begun, as we seek to understand the needs of the homeless. We must let the homeless know that though currently downtrodden, they are not forgotten. How will it end? Triumphantly of course, because those of us committed to the cause must refuse to stop until the battle is won. As a united community, dedicated and determined to win, we must work together to end homelessness. We must commit our time and our resources so that every homeless person may realize their most basic hopes and desires; Employment, a home and a family. Truly, this is not too much for anyone to ask or expect.

Carol D. Smith, CIRS
Senior Information & Referral Specialist
United Way 2-1-1

Reasons to roam

Many are leaving Michigan, but there are a few pluses for those who stay

BY RON DZWONKOWSKI
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

Michigan was one of just four states to actually lose people last year -- about 5,200, net -- and the population is expected to drop by at least that much again this year.

This might not be such a bad thing -- more jobs, more room, less traffic for those who stay -- if we got to pick who had to go. Surely we all know someone whom Michigan would be better off without.

But people get to make up their own minds, and the departing folks already include many who would have been important to this state's future if they had just been able to find one for themselves here.

The population loss adds another layer of urgency to efforts to restructure the Michigan economy.

You'd think a state with around 10 million people would hardly notice a loss of 0.1% of them, a number equal to the year-round population of Cheboygan. But think about who leaves a state when it's fallen on hard times: People who can. That means people with the resources to relocate or the brains to have found opportunities elsewhere and the energy to pursue them. Such people would logically fall into just a few groups: retirees with secure benefits, entrepreneurs, people with skills or experience in demand elsewhere, and recent college graduates.

Retirees have always been the largest group to leave Michigan, usually for warmer climes. College grads, well, you can't blame them. They are highly mobile and those student loans have to be repaid. Maybe they will come back, maybe not. That likely depends on what Michigan can create for them to come back to.

Michigan is hardly Iraq, but it's interesting to note that the United Nations estimates about 12% of Iraq's population has fled since the U.S. invasion turned into a bloody civil war. The first people to get out when things deteriorated were those who could -- the educated, upper class of Iraqi society, professionals who had the means to leave. Their absence has hampered efforts to get the country functioning again and, should Iraq ever be stabilized, raises the question of whether there will be enough capable people around to run it.

When the Michigan economy bottoms out -- sometime in late 2008, economists say -- will there be enough smart, industrious people around for the rebound? Nothing attracts creative people and entrepreneurs like other creative people and entrepreneurs.

Michigan needs to develop some reason beyond hope to keep those folks home for the next year or two. It's nice that the cost of living here is relatively cheap compared to the coastal or southern hot spots, but the cost of living doesn't concern you much if you're not making one.

Kurt Metzger, a demographer with United Way of Southeast Michigan, says the population drop from 2005-06 was the first for Michigan since the severe recession of the early 1980s, when outward migration topped 100,000 a year. The states of New York, Rhode Island and hurricane-stricken Louisiana also lost people last year while Texas, Florida and California were the leading gainers.

Metzger says Michigan out-migration began ticking upward again in 2001 and probably hit about 65,000 last year. Immigration offset some of the loss, as did Michigan's natural population change, 40,733 more births than deaths. But Metzger says that "natural growth" has decreased 45% since 1990, as births continue to drop and the average age of the state population increases.

Another consequence of this population drop, one that is most evident in Detroit, is the cost of maintaining a societal infrastructure built for X-number of people when only Y-number are around to pay taxes to support it.

"The tri-county area," Metzger says, "has fewer people today than it did 30 years ago and yet less open land. That is a result of some really stupid decisions about infrastructure and land use, and now we're all paying for it."

Since creative people like to go against the tide, maybe there's a way to market this. What about a commercial showing the stream of U-Hauls moving households out of Michigan and a lone traveler walking in the opposite direction? "Michigan," the announcer could say, "where we don't know what we're waiting for, but the lines are sure shorter."

RON DZWONKOWSKI is editor of the Free Press editorial page. Contact him at dzwonk@freepress.com or 313-222-6635.

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Plight of the Homeless

On the morning of Monday, January 29, 2007, I went out to assist in interviewing the homeless, just to get their thoughts on how and why they became homeless and if they knew of any resources out there that could help them. I felt that I was prepared for the frigid temperatures outside with new gloves and a scarf that I had just bought, but nothing prepared me for what I encountered that morning. As we walked toward Hart Plaza, we approached a man named Angelo. He was sitting on a step in Hart Plaza. This man had on one glove and he was blowing on the other hand without the glove trying to keep it warm.

I quickly gave Angelo the spare gloves I had in my coat pocket. As we interviewed Angelo, he was very articulate and he talked about the struggles of homeless people in general, he talked about how he and his wife, Monica, who walked up a few minutes later to converse with us, are sleeping in a tent and sleeping bags on the Hart Plaza grounds. Angelo is blind in one eye and walks with a cane (he cannot walk very far).

I asked Angelo if he knew of any resources that were available to him and his wife Monica. Angelo said that he knew of the assistance and he even utilized some of them. "However," stated Angelo, "if you go into a shelter at night; in the morning, they kick you out at 5:00a.m., where are we to go then? And as far as the food, it is as if we get the leftovers." Angelo goes on to say, "Do not get me wrong, I am very grateful for anything that I receive, but the food is made days and weeks earlier, such as sandwiches and then it is given to us, the homeless." Angelo’s wife, Monica, goes on to say that she does not mind working, in fact, she wants a job, but doesn't know who will hire her with the clothes that she is wearing. Some of the shelters will not even let her take a bath.

On my journey of interviewing the homeless, I ran into a few more homeless individuals that had only a few goals in life which are to be happy and not have to struggle. Anthony, who has not seen his family in 3 years and has been homeless for 6 years. Ramone, who only needs to get his broken furnace repaired so that he and his mom can go back to their warm home. Gregory, who was in a car accident and never recovered financially or physically and Joseph, who was just released from prison, had no support system and said that he was tired and just wanted to get off the streets.

Even writing this blog brings tears to my eyes to know that there are people in the world that have no food, clothing or a sense of hope. This saddens my heart to the point that, I wish and I want to start my own homeless shelter to get as many people off the streets that I can. However, I am only one person and who will help the rest?

But just think, if we all took the responsibility to care for at least 1 or 2 of our brothers and sisters, it would make the world of difference in their lives and ours.

Wanda Y. Ghannoum
Information & Referral Associate
United Way 2-1-1

Today a murderer hugged me!

The quest of interviewing Homeless people in our region has opened my eyes to the true barriers that are preventing these people from attaining the resources in our community. I've been faced with grace, sadness, strength and despair. I've looked into the eyes of hopelessness unlike I've ever seen before, yet the words of survival speak with dreams and belief. I wonder how this can be. How have I lived 44 years without even the consideration of such conflicting notions? I suppose I cannot understand fully, yet I've just gotten closer to this than I suspect I ever will.

I'm somewhat embarrassed of the preconceived notions I entered this project with. I wondered how I would get measurable responses from those who are doped up, or how I would decipher the thoughts of the mentally ill. Of the roughly 60 people I've interviewed, I don't think but 2 or 3 were clearly mentally ill or high. No, those I've spoken with are just like you and me except that were faced with challenges they were unable to overcome and are now drowning in a fight for their lives. Have many of these people made mistakes that they continue to live with today? Of course. Should these mistakes disallow them from eating? From having warm clothes? From having a roof over their heads? From contributing to our society through work? From being loved?

Anthony quickly approached me asking for help. He told of his struggles. He accounted his attempts to regain his footing. He was really sharing his feelings of giving up and I heard him clearly. With humility and shame he told me how he found his way to the streets of Detroit. He played a part in the murder of someone involved with dealing drugs. He knows he will never be excused from his actions, nor is he hoping to be excused. Instead of choosing to live in fear and anger, he somehow chose love and forgiveness. Could I believe his turnaround or am I being conned? I will never know for sure, but I can tell you I felt nothing but love coming from him. I think that was enough (for me). Upon concluding our discussion of his life and barriers I extended my hand to thank him for his time. In the cold of 10 degrees and a fierce wind blowing upon us, he removed his tattered glove, took my hand, looked as directly into my eyes as anyone ever has, and pulled me into a hug. He blessed me and said thank you. Blessed ME. Why me? It was me who will always be grateful for the insight and experience I learned from him. I know more today, because of Anthony, than I did the day before. Today, a murder hugged me!

Bill Sullivan
Team Leader
United Way 2-1-1

Lou, Steve, James, Ron & Mike: Reflections on a Day Spent With the Homeless

Leaving work last Thursday, I bundled up to brave the cold and prepared to make my seemingly long journey over to Trolley Plaza to get to my vehicle. I hurried as the wind whipped through me, remembering that this day was predicted to be the coldest of the season. After making it to the refuge of my car, I began to plan my evening’s activities, which, for the most part, consisted of preparing dinner for my family, slipping into my cozy pajamas and snuggling up under my leopard-print comforter to watch television.

As I settled into the comfort of home, I began to collect my thoughts and reflect on my day as I normally do at the bedtime. Suddenly, I was struck with this vague feeling of uneasiness.

As I listened to the wind rap against my windows, I couldn’t help but to think of the persons I’d met that day; the people whom, contrary to my preconceived beliefs, have so much in common with myself: the homeless.

I thought about “Lou”, the college-degreed man who could not work in his field due to a stroke. I thought about “Steve”, the articulate antique dealer, who once owned a lucrative business. And then there was “James”, the witty and comical former van driver, who wished he could be more involved with his grandchildren. I thought about how “Ron”, who eventually wishes to work to help the homeless, admits to sometimes having to search trash dumpsters for food.

Each of these people touched me in a unique way, either with their gregarious personalities, their talents, their strengths and resourcefulness or their challenges. Beneath the superficial image of weathered clothing were unique individuals with stories of all their own. They eagerly spoke of lives they had when they were younger. They talked about their education, their families, their dreams and aspirations. At the same time, I was amazed at how candidly they expressed their challenges and details about how they became homeless.

What struck me the most was how homelessness affects one’s pride, self-confidence and sense of self-worth. Many of them told me that the stigma attached to being homeless causes them to be turned away from job interviews, housing and other help that they need. How dehumanizing! “You should try dressing like me. Go walk around looking like I look and try to get some help.See how people treat you,” “Mike” said. Several of them told me that they had gotten so discouraged by their experiences that they had given up hope.

So, as I sat in my warm bed with my full stomach, taking the simple things for granted, I could not get their faces out of my mind. Lou. Steve. James. Ron. Mike. What were they doing right at that moment? Were they indoors or out? Had they eaten? How would they survive the night? How could I help the weary soul of the person who feels forgotten about?

I wished that I had a place for each of them to go, clean and fitting clothes for them to wear and enough food for them to eat. I wished that I could help them put all of their talents to use. I wished that I could give them hope. I wanted them to know that they were not forgotten about…I knew that I would never forget about them.

Kristen Bolds
Research Associate
United Way 2-1-1

Monica

Today I met a homeless woman, Monica, who has been living in a tent with her husband Angelo in the Downtown area of Detroit, Michigan, for two years. I learned that there are few shelters around and most of the shelters in her area are for men only.

It's hard for Monica and Angelo to find food and get money. Monica believes she can get a job - she's educated, she's smart. But she doesn't have the look to walk into a place of business and expect to get a job. That's her biggest concern, she just wants to have some descent clothes and fix her appearance so she can get a job.

Monica has family in the area but they have no idea where she is living. Monica was a single, divorced mother of three. She was living with her mother but couldn't keep up with with payments. She then lost custody of her kids and her father put her on the street.

I wonder what type of family would do that to their own daughter? Monica is a very strong woman and is determined to get back on her feet, she just needs a chance.

Loren Courts
Multimedia Intern
United Way Brand Identity and Communications