Source: Research Services, United Way for Southeastern Michigan
By: Kurt Metzger
Published: June 28, 2007

Phoenix has become the nation’s fifth most populous city, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released June 28, 2007. As of July 1, 2006, this desert metropolis had a population of 1.5 million. New York continued to be the nation’s most populous city, with 8.2 million residents. This was more than twice the population of Los Angeles, which ranked second at 3.8 million. Detroit, while estimated to have lost just over 12,000 residents between 2005 and 2006, remained in 11th place with Jacksonville, Florida closing the gap to 75,000 persons.

Click here to download the full report

Labels: Research

Why should nonprofit work lean heavily on the cutting edge of technology?

I think the reasons are plentiful, distinctive and varied. Indeed, I think the topic merits deep exploration.

But imagine what one could do with real time communication tools to help others find shelter when they need it, or connect immediately with 2-1-1, United Way's first call for help.

In fact, I'm writing this post on a loaned blackberry from our partners at AT&T, and trying to think of ways this device will not only increase my productivity, but also enrich United Way's work in the community.

Got any ideas? Please comment and let us know.

Bradford Frost
Brand Strategist

As I walked up to a wedding reception this weekend at a golf club with my "retired" brother, my sister-in-law said to him --"you know Tom, all this could be yours (IE golf...)." Tom later told me that while in theory it could be his life: in practice, it just was not possible.

Instead of heading off to the links, he took retirement and headed off to community. He spends his time and talents working with a variety of non-profit organizations in the region and has started a group called the Great Lakes Green Initiative (GLGI). He put his optics on making a difference.

As I walked into the room for an important community meeting last week, I saw our volunteer chair -- Al Lucarelli --- at the head of the table. This was an early morning meeting over on the west side of Detroit. Al, a little tongue in cheek, said to me, "you know I am supposed to be retired." He hung up his professional career and dedicated his efforts towards working in the community with a college, a hospital and organizations like United Way. He makes those around him better. And for that, the community improves.

These two individuals spend most of their free time serving. They are two of many in this region who work every day to make things a little bit better. A little bit stronger.

What strikes me about both of them, is the vibrancy in their voice, actions and aspirations. They are re framing what it means to "retire." They are helping to create a more visible path on other ways to transition from the "have to list" to the "want to list."

As more and more "boomers" enter retirement, Tom and Al might be modeling what others will want to follow. As Martin Luther King said, "Everyone can be great. Because everyone can serve."

If life's success is measured by what you give, not by what you have, then Al and Tom have a bounty of success. My instincts tell me they have figured out "how to retire."

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Labels: civic engagement, Window on Community

I have often called 211 the "first social innovation of the 21st century." We came into this century with 211 in its infancy and yet, we will come out of the first decade with nearly universal access to America.

Much of the attention has been put on getting 211 up and running. At the end of last week, Detroit hosted the 211 North American Summit of leaders from both Canada and US. Individuals from Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, LA, New York and many other cities came to explore creating 'version 2.0' of 211.

That is, what have we learned from the first 10 years about the power and utilization of 211. We have seen it play a huge role in 9/11, Katrina and everyday issues that individuals face. For the first time in America, we have real time data about the need in many areas of our communities. Data from 211 is being turned into knowledge which in turn is being converted into better decisions. We also have the beginning of a centralized quality 'check point' from individuals who are accessing service.

We now better understand how Toronto is taking 211 information to improve policy decisions. We heard from the Chief of Police in Detroit --Chief Bully-Cummings -- how 211 in an important tool on the streets for police officers as they face a wide range of issues on a daily basis. We heard from FEMA how 211 has become a powerful long term tool when dealing with the recovery from disasters.

211's presence and role in America/Canada has exceeded any original expectation. The question becomes, how do we steward this important social asset towards its full capability. The purpose of the summit was to begin that work.

If you would like to read more on 211, please go to 211.org.

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Labels: 2-1-1, Window on Community

United Way is focused on creating lasting solutions to social problems, and Public Policy issues on the state and federal level are key to that effort. Through its Public Policy team, citizens are able to advocate for issues that are important to metro Detroiters in the areas of Educational Preparedness, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs.

United Way is continually monitoring and advocating for these and a host of other issues that are important to you.

But they can’t do it alone.

The organization believes that collective action can affect change more than any one person working alone. By contacting your legislators, monitoring important legislative issues, and being an active participant in the legislative process, your voice can join thousands of others across the state to affect change.

United Way is interested in your thoughts on state budget priorities. Please take this brief survey:

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB226MAFBN4AR

United Way will share survey results with state legislators, ensuring your voice is heard. In the coming weeks, United Way will also be launching an online e-advocacy tool to help you monitor and advocate for those issues important to you and your family.

More information is available at www.uwsem.org/publicpolicy.

Labels: advocate

Labels: InTheNews, leadership_next

On June 20, United Way for Southeastern Michigan launched Leadership Next^SM, a group committed to moving this community forward.

They are tasked with addressing the root cause of why emerging leaders and talent leave the region and instilling a sense of community empowerment and investment within these individuals. It is their hope that Leadership Next^SM will not only groom a future generation of leaders for the United Way and region, but will also cultivate a culture of giving within emerging leaders and professionals. Click here to view photos from the event.

To learn more about Leadership Next^SM, visit www.uwsem.org/leadershipnext.

Labels: leadership_next

This article in Crain's Detroit Business yesterday about United Way's Leadership Next program tells the story of the pioneers in the region who wake up each day with an abundance mentality. Not scarcity. If you didn't have a chance to read the article......here it is.


Source: Crain's Detroit BusinessBy: Sheri Begin Published: 6:00 am, June 18, 2007

Emerging leaders don't currently feel invested in the region, and that's a problem, according to one of them.“It's very easy to just get up and move to greener pastures” when you aren't invested, said Matt Clayson, a legal coordinator at ePrize L.L.C. in Pleasant Ridge, who's chairing a new young leaders society at United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

“We want them to stay so they build a community they want to see.”Emerging leaders have an opportunity in Southeast Michigan, Clayson, 26, said. “There's something to build.”

United Way plans to launch Leadership Next, a new organization for under 40s, on Wednesday.

“Our goal is to increase regionalism and to bring all of the young leaders together,” said Jeanette Pierce, 26, special events coordinator for the United Way and a member of Crain's 2007 class of 20 in their 20s honorees.Patterned after the One D collaboration of six civic groups and similar groups at United Ways across the U.S., Leadership Next plans to work with other groups from around the region to come up with volunteering, mentoring, networking and leadership training opportunities for younger adults, while engaging them in the community by making them aware of issues that affect the community and showing them how to get in touch with legislators.Retention is the overall goal of other young professional groups, Pierce said. Leadership Next “starts them thinking in a cohesive, collaborative, regional way ... that is more effective.”

“If you have 100 people ... all digging holes in different parts of the region, they'll make a little bit of difference in a lot of places,” she said. “If you bring them together, and they combine their efforts, they can make more impact more quickly.”

United Way by July 1 plans to pull together a committee of 10 to 15 people to set the direction for the group and to develop events in cooperation with other young professional and leadership groups to avoid duplication and have a greater impact, Pierce said.

Clayson was a good candidate to chair the new group, Pierce said.Before joining ePrize, Clayson oversaw the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau's public information campaign to get people reconnected to Detroit before the Super Bowl and subsequently helped to develop the monthly Campus Martius street festival, Fourth Fridays.Clayson also is very involved in the community in a number of different groups, including Detroit Synergy, Pierce said. He also was part of Crain's first class of 20 in their 20s honorees in 2006.


“He's very intelligent, has experience working regionally and was excited to be an agent for change in the region.”One of Clayson's prerequisites for chairing the group was that it had to be more than just a networking group, he said. “For me it has to be something that advocates concrete and tangible change.”

The group will recruit members from every ethnicity and every city, focusing its efforts in United Way's Wayne, Oakland and Macomb service area, Pierce said.

“We're not going to limit this group to just 9-to-5ers. We're going to try to bring in the creative class for a different perspective,” she said. “We need all types of people to effect change in the region.”

After the group's launch, one of its first events will be a joint meeting with all the current leaders of other young professional groups to discuss together how they can work as one to move the region forward, Pierce said.But members won't just come to meetings or networking events, she said. “This will be a deep-dive and discussion into the region's problems, issues and best ways to solve them.”

The group has already planned a team-building trip this fall to help with rebuilding efforts in New Orleans, along with its United Way counterpart in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pierce said.

It will make the trip on a flight donated by Northwest Airlines Corp.


“Rebuilding is needed everywhere, including here (in metro Detroit),” she said. “Hopefully this will inspire our young leaders to come back to this region and work harder to make a difference here.”

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Labels: Window on Community

"Everyone is leaving the state." "There are no opportunities in Michigan." "Once kids can leave, they do." "If you want to be where the action is, go to NYC, Chicago, DC..." "There are no resources available, all the venture capital is in other parts of the country."

You get the point. We all have heard the tape recording similar to the words above. When regions get hit with the contraction of industry like SE Michigan--- it becomes hard to imagine anything but scarcity.

I'm in the upper floor of Buzz Bar in Downtown Detroit meeting with 8 professional and civic minded leaders in their 20's and early 30's. Buzz Bar is a place known for its music --- mostly blues and jazz.

I don't hear scarcity, I hear abundance. I don't hear why one should leave, I hear why one should come and stay. I don't hear entitlement, I hear a pioneer's voice. I don't hear "can't", I hear "do".

As I leave, I am struck that volume and visibility of their voice isn't as evident as it needs to be. This group, which is helping United Way think through its next generation leadership strategy -- called Leadership Next, isn't writing a chapter to an already established story.

They are writing the region's new story.

"My friends ask me what am I doing in Detroit, Michigan. They are in New York and Chicago. I invite them here and show them what I am doing. (This person develops commercial property in the City of Detroit --- he is from New York) They can't believe it. I remind them that I wouldn't be able to do a quarter of what I am doing in Detroit if my work was in NYC or Chicago. I can go farther, wider and faster here than any other market."

Abundance not Scarcity. That's the tune to play. He wasn't singing the Blues; he was imagining the future. He was participating in the writing the new story.

Abundance vs Scarcity --- how do each of us tell this region's story?

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Labels: Window on Community

Source: The Detroit News
By: Louis Aguilar
Published: June 2007

Since 1978, Detroit News readers have nominated outstanding citizens who have helped make living in this state a richer experience for the rest of us, either by their good works or by the example they set. Here, you'll meet our 2006 winners, a passionate group dedicated to the work they do in the worlds of business, entertainment and community life. They were chosen from hundreds of entries. Prepare to be inspired...

Committed to state's diverse talent

If eclecticism has a role model, it is Lizabeth Ardisana.This successful Latina has turned her varied life experiences into a source of strength that enables her to maintain a highly respected career and an admirable life, and keeps her grounded.

While her love of fast cars inspired the launch of her own auto racing team, she personally drives a Ford Focus.

As she talks about planning her next mountain climbing venture -- she's scaled peaks from India to Utah -- she casually mentions that she happens to be a breast cancer survivor.

Though she recalls her upbringing as being "just another military brat" who moved from one U.S. Air Force base to another, her father, Bernard Ardisana, ended his career as a brigadier general and deputy director of the National Security Agency.

No matter what angle you come at Ardisana -- whether you know from her community activism or her business acumen -- she is a person of many interesting facets.

"You're never smart enough to stop learning. You're never big enough to not keep growing," she says, trying to sum up her wide-ranging life.

"Beth" is CEO of ASG Renaissance, which she co-founded 20 years ago with Greg Rouke, whom she later married. The Dearborn firm is as multifaceted as Ardisana. It started as a technical company that helped Ford fix its ambulance vehicles that were facing recall. Today, ASG provides marketing, consulting and staffing to automotive and nonautomotive clients. Those clients include Jaguar, Land Rover and, of course, Ford. They also include the city of Detroit, pharmaceutical giants and once the People's Republic of Bangladesh, whom she advised on how to curb air pollution.

ASG has offices in five states and another in Vancouver, B.C. It earned $20 million in sales in 2006 and employs 225 people; 45 percent are women and 20 percent are people of color.

She could choose to relocate to one of those other states.

"I choose to stay here because I truly believe there is too much talent here to leave," she explains.

"She uses her eclectic background to understand what entreprenuers have to do," says Armando Ojeda, director of Ford's Supplier Diversity Development. "She's also quite charming."

Her commitment to diversity doesn't stop at the office. She spends up to three nights a week serving on various boards. She's on the boards of Kettering University, Citizens Bank, Ford Hispanic Supplier Council and Focus: HOPE. And she's heavily involved in fundraising for University of Michigan-Dearborn, where she earned a master's degree.

She also happens to be the first woman chair of the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

"I'm not ambitious," Ardisana says. "I can't imagine -- I hope it never happens -- never being curious."

Labels: InTheNews

Source: Crain's Detroit Business
By: Sheri Begin
Published: 6:00 am, June 18, 2007

Emerging leaders don't currently feel invested in the region, and that's a problem, according to one of them.

“It's very easy to just get up and move to greener pastures” when you aren't invested, said Matt Clayson, a legal coordinator at ePrize L.L.C. in Pleasant Ridge, who's chairing a new young leaders society at United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

“We want them to stay so they build a community they want to see.”

Emerging leaders have an opportunity in Southeast Michigan, Clayson, 26, said. “There's something to build.”

United Way plans to launch Leadership Next, a new organization for under 40s, on Wednesday.

“Our goal is to increase regionalism and to bring all of the young leaders together,” said Jeanette Pierce, 26, special events coordinator for the United Way and a member of Crain's 2007 class of 20 in their 20s honorees.

Patterned after the One D collaboration of six civic groups and similar groups at United Ways across the U.S., Leadership Next plans to work with other groups from around the region to come up with volunteering, mentoring, networking and leadership training opportunities for younger adults, while engaging them in the community by making them aware of issues that affect the community and showing them how to get in touch with legislators.

Retention is the overall goal of other young professional groups, Pierce said. Leadership Next “starts them thinking in a cohesive, collaborative, regional way ... that is more effective.”

“If you have 100 people ... all digging holes in different parts of the region, they'll make a little bit of difference in a lot of places,” she said.

“If you bring them together, and they combine their efforts, they can make more impact more quickly.”

United Way by July 1 plans to pull together a committee of 10 to 15 people to set the direction for the group and to develop events in cooperation with other young professional and leadership groups to avoid duplication and have a greater impact, Pierce said.

Clayson was a good candidate to chair the new group, Pierce said.

Before joining ePrize, Clayson oversaw the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau's public information campaign to get people reconnected to Detroit before the Super Bowl and subsequently helped to develop the monthly Campus Martius street festival, Fourth Fridays.

Clayson also is very involved in the community in a number of different groups, including Detroit Synergy, Pierce said. He also was part of Crain's first class of 20 in their 20s honorees in 2006.

“He's very intelligent, has experience working regionally and was excited to be an agent for change in the region.”

One of Clayson's prerequisites for chairing the group was that it had to be more than just a networking group, he said. “For me it has to be something that advocates concrete and tangible change.”

The group will recruit members from every ethnicity and every city, focusing its efforts in United Way's Wayne, Oakland and Macomb service area, Pierce said.

“We're not going to limit this group to just 9-to-5ers. We're going to try to bring in the creative class for a different perspective,” she said. “We need all types of people to effect change in the region.”

After the group's launch, one of its first events will be a joint meeting with all the current leaders of other young professional groups to discuss together how they can work as one to move the region forward, Pierce said.

But members won't just come to meetings or networking events, she said. “This will be a deep-dive and discussion into the region's problems, issues and best ways to solve them.”

The group has already planned a team-building trip this fall to help with rebuilding efforts in New Orleans, along with its United Way counterpart in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pierce said. It will make the trip on a flight donated by Northwest Airlines Corp.

“Rebuilding is needed everywhere, including here (in metro Detroit),” she said. “Hopefully this will inspire our young leaders to come back to this region and work harder to make a difference here.”

Sherri Begin: (313) 446-1694, sbegin@crain.com

Labels: InTheNews, leadership_next

Press Release

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Cara I. Belton, 313-226-9484 or cell, 313-520-8454
Laura L. Rodwan, 313-226-9484 or cell, 313-477-2750

United Way introduces a new program focused on strengthening tomorrow’s leaders today.

On Wednesday, June 20, 6-9 pm, United Way for Southeastern Michigan will launch Leadership Next – a new program designed to nurture, develop and bring together tomorrow’s leaders. United Way will also host a meeting that will bring together all of the leaders of existing young professional groups to one table in order to discuss how to best support the region through collaboration.

“We believe that young leaders are more regional in their thinking than any other demographic,” said Jeanette Pierce, Special Events Coordinator for United Way for Southeastern Michigan. “Leadership Next is not about creating yet another young leaders group. The foundation of our approach is focused on convening the existing leadership in order to effectively shift the way that the region moves forward. Think next generation One D.”

The event will take place at McNarney’s Public House (673 Franklin in Detroit), and will feature special guest, Troy Clarke, President of GM North America, and music by The Brothers Groove. The event is open to anyone interested in making a positive impact on the community.

The vision of Leadership Next is to build a stronger future for the region by supporting emerging leaders in their efforts to improve Southeastern Michigan. Members will engage in skill-building workshops, volunteer opportunities, and networking events. The organization will achieve its goal of empowering and engaging its members by:

• Strengthening leadership skill through educational workshops
• Coordinating business, civic and community mentoring opportunities
• Developing meaningful volunteer experiences
• Organizing events that encourage cross-industry collaboration
• Supporting members in their efforts to affect public policy.

According to Matt Clayson, Chair of Leadership Next, the new organization will encourage members to take ownership in their community, connect them to opportunities in the region, and equip them with the resources to make the changes needed – in the neighborhoods and the boardrooms. “It’s a win-win situation,” said Clayson. “By tapping into our region’s potential, Leadership Next will compel talented and passionate people in Southeastern Michigan to remain and help guide it towards a brighter future.”

Businesses throughout the region are encouraged to support Leadership Next as well, as it presents them with an additional opportunity for their employees to become involved in the community. Leadership Next members will also develop and hone business skills, which will positively impact work performance.

What makes Leadership Next unique is its structure -- focusing on community impact through volunteerism, skill building and networking and its reach. United Way’s national affiliation allows it to utilize established local partnerships and to provide national and global opportunities as well. To date, over one hundred United Way agencies worldwide offer similar programs.

For more information about the Leadership Next Launch on June 20, go to www.uwsem.org/leadershipnext, or call (313) 226-9494.

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.

###

Labels: leadership_next, Press_Releases

United Way for Southeastern Michigan is excited to invite local nonprofit agencies to participate in our 2007 Campaign Kick Off Days of Caring on Friday, September 7th. This year, we will be focusing on volunteer projects that have long-term impact on Southeastern Michigan.

If your agency is interested in having a volunteer project on this day, please visit www.uwsem.org/daysofcaring to fill out an interest form by Friday, July 13th. Please note that completing this form does not guarantee that volunteers will be placed at your site. All agencies that are chosen will be required to attend an informational conference call prior to September 7th. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Angela Walker at 313-226-9450 or Angela.Walker@uwsem.org.

In addition to our Days of Caring, we would also like to take this time to invite you to post your organization’s ongoing and one-time volunteer needs on Volunteer Solutions. If you are currently signed up on Volunteer Solutions, please take this opportunity to update your volunteer needs and contact information online.

All new agencies are encouraged to go to www.volunteersolutions.org/uwsem/agency/ to register your agency. All services and postings are free to non-profit agencies and allow you to make your volunteer needs visible to southeastern Michigan volunteers. If you have registration questions, please contact Angela Walker via email at Angela.Walker@uwsem.org or 313.226.9450.

Representative George Cushingberry will be holding a town hall meeting at Macomb Community College in the Community Hall of the Cultural Center at Center Campus on Hall Road on Monday, June 18, 2007, at 3:00 p.m. Representative Cushingberry will be discussing the State Budget and alternative solutions to the crisis we face.

This issue affects everyone in Michigan regardless of income or political persuasion! Please join us at the Town Hall meeting on Monday and help spread the word by asking your friends and family to attend and voice their opinion as well.

- United Way for Southeastern Michigan Public Policy team

I admit that, even as a member of United Way's Diversity and Inclusion team, I've long struggled with the difference between the two - diversity and inclusion. As far as I could figure, inclusion was just another new, "corporate-speak" way of saying diversity. That is, until I saw the following on a piece of paper side-by-side...

Diversity: the quality of being different or unique at the individual or group level. This includes work style, parental status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, skin color, language, age, mental and physical abilities - and more. Even when people appear the same on the outside, they are different!

Inclusion: a strategy to leverage diversity. Diversity always exists in social systems. Inclusion, on the other hand, must be created. In order to leverage diversity, an environment must be created where people feel supported, listened to, and able to do their personal best.

And now it makes sense. Diversity isn't a program or an initiative, it just simply is. Choosing to embrace and leverage it is the real task at hand... and that's called inclusion.

community m@tters™ is an online update of what matters in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. This newsletter highlights United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Agenda for Change work along with upcoming events, volunteer spotlights and Kurt's Corner, UWSEM demographer Kurt Metzger's look at key regional trends.

In the June issue:

• Top Stories
  • Groups Unite to Fight Foreclosures in Macomb
  • Summer programs improve student readiness
  • DaimlerChrysler’s community work earns national honor
• Upcoming Events: Leadership Next
• Volunteer Spotlight: Tax refunds connect thousands to financial stability
• Kurt's Corner: Financial Stability Slipping Away From Region?

Labels: monthly enewsletter

Source: Detroit Free Press
By: RUBY L. BAILEY, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Published: June 10, 2007

Experts say things will only get worse as loved ones seek living and nursing options

It was 2 a.m., the room was dark and Doris Wackerle, rising from the haze of sleep, didn't notice the bedside chair as she headed for the bathroom.

The 85-year-old stumbled, fell over the chair and onto the floor.

Wackerle crawled to the phone and roused her daughter, Peggy Trabalka, who lived nearby. Trabalka arrived to find her mother shaken, not hurt. But she realized that her mother's time in an independent-living center in Highland Township was nearing its end.

Trabalka, 63, had the difficult job of telling her mother, who'd always lived independently, that she'd have to move and accept more help.

"I thought, 'I can't drag my mother out of there against her will,' " Trabalka said, "so I tried to make it her idea. Once she lived with that thought for a while, she got comfortable."

The two then began a journey that thousands of families undertake every year: the search for appropriate long-term care.

Finding such options is likely to get harder as Michigan's population ages, straining nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and home-care dollars.

"The only growth in this region is going to be in the population 65 and older in the next 20 years," said Kurt Metzger, research director of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. "All the needs, from housing to long-term care, are going to increase dramatically."

Seniors now make up about 12% of Michigan's population. By 2020, the percentage will rise to 15%. By 2030, people 65 and older will make up roughly 19% of all residents, Metzger said. The issue also affects residents with disabilities, who make up about 16% of the state's population.

Nursing homes, the long-term care option most often turned to, are the most expensive, averaging around $5,000 a month. With more people seeking help to pay for nursing homes, Michigan's Medicaid payments ballooned from $900 million in 2000 to $1.4 billion in 2006. About 320,000 disabled Michigan residents and 90,000 seniors are on Medicaid.

Help centers open

Hoping to get a handle on the spiraling costs as well as to help residents through complex decisions, the state Department of Community Health quietly opened four help centers in April. Called Long-Term Care Connections, they serve limited parts of metro Detroit and outstate areas, but are expected to expand.

Though nursing homes can be the best option for those in need of 24-hour care or those with conditions that can't be cared for at home, such options as home-based care or an assisted-living facility could be better and cheaper for many others.

Michigan spends less on non-nursing home care -- 14% of its Medicaid dollars -- than the national average of 22.9%, said Lisa Alecxih, who works for the Lewin Group, a health research firm based in Virginia. She has studied long-term care centers in Wisconsin similar to ones in Michigan.

"The hope is, by getting to these people at the decision point, by providing information about their options, that more people will be able to remain in the community and live independently," Alecxih said.

The hunt for information is difficult. It can take dozens of calls to get details about in-home medical assistance, help with meals and baths and guidance through Medicare and Medicaid requirements.

People looking for options "are pretty much into the phone book, the senior center or whatever you can sew together," said Michael J. Head, director of the state Office of Long-Term Care Supports and Services.

Families stretch their budgets

Wackerle's family spent hours looking online and driving to check out several homes before finding an American House assisted-living facility in Grand Blanc. They've patched together a way to pay for it, using Wackerle's Social Security benefit of $1,100 a month to cover part of the $1,600 monthly fee, which includes meals and 24-hour care.

Trabalka will stretch her own household budget to cover the rest, including utilities. She'll do her mother's laundry to save on costs.

"We've been working around the clock, trying to get her where she needs to go," said Trabalka, who moved her mother in early May.

Kelly and Craig Satterfield have spent months searching for assisted living, health care and other assistance for their son, Steven, who has physical and mental disabilities. He'll turn 17 next year, and the Satterfields fear he could lose some or all of his state health care benefits and be dropped from special-needs programs. Finding information has been difficult, the Ferndale couple said.

"My fear is, when he's 18, he's on his own," said Kelly Satterfield, 42, who said Steven is learning to cook but fails to think about turning off the stove, bringing into doubt his ability to live on his own. "Even if he lived in a group home, he'd have to come up with his own insurance, transition to his own care."

Their son could continue to live with them indefinitely, but, "what happens once we're not around?" she asked.

"The hardest part is finding who's the gatekeeper for the information and how to access this stuff," said Craig Satterfield, 43.

"To just come up to a dead end, it's very disheartening."

Loved ones lack information

With little time and scant resources, many families end up choosing nursing homes, the fastest way to get all their needs met, said Robert Kane, a professor and endowed chair in long-term care and aging at the University of Minnesota.

"It's an emotionally complex decision typically made in a moment of panic with an incredible clock ticking overhead," Kane said. "There is no good source of information."

When Robert Gurk's 84-year-old father, Warren, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year, his son, 52, received the names of three nursing homes from a hospital social worker. Because the state doesn't have a system that ranks quality or provides information about the number of beds available, Gurk checked the homes in person.

One in Saline was affordable but had a year-long waiting list. Another in Toledo was too far away for easy visits. The third, Arden Courts in Livonia, was expensive but had an opening.

Warren Gurk has lived there since. But he's rapidly depleting his Ford Motor Co. pension and savings to pay the $8,000 monthly costs for nursing home care for himself and his wife, Loretta. He receives roughly $1,700 a month from his pension and Social Security benefits.

Gurk's son hopes the Veterans Administration will help his father, a Navy veteran who served in World War II. But the wheels are turning slowly. He contacted the VA last July and spent months gathering the necessary documents, including doctor bills and financial information.

If his father's application is not approved, Gurk hopes his dad's depleted assets would allow him to qualify for Medicaid, though he doesn't understand why his dad has to lose everything -- and risk eviction -- before he can get help.

"The system is not confusing. It's baffling," said the younger Gurk, who has decided to put his father on the waiting list at the Saline home and hope for an opening.

The four Long-Term Care Connections centers were funded with $4.5 million from Michigan's Medicaid budget and $4.5 million in matching federal money. Experts say the state could save millions by helping residents find alternatives that cost as much as 80% less than nursing home care.

"We're talking about taking a teeny bit of that Medicaid budget with the expectation that nursing home care will drop off enough to cover costs," said Head. "In the longer run, we are concerned about the availability for long-term care. Ten to 15 years out, we know there's going to be pressure on it."

The Detroit center, in Brewery Park on the east side, serves the city, Highland Park and the Grosse Pointes but plans in late September to include all of Wayne County.

Customized care plan

Clients are assigned a counselor, who offers care and housing options, referrals and nursing home admission screenings. The counselors work with hospitals, nursing facilities, home health providers and other community-based organizations to come up with a plan for each client, said Helen Love, director of the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, which runs the center and its 30 employees.

"We're talking about customized, one-on-one care," said Love, who said counselors travel to meet with clients in their homes if needed.

The Detroit center recently helped Arthur Rucker, who was discharged last year from Sinai-Grace Hospital to the Eastwood Nursing Home in Detroit after having a toe on his left foot amputated because of diabetes complications. Other options were never discussed, the 57-year-old said.

He lived there one year -- with the state footing the bill through Medicaid -- though he believes he was well enough to live in a less-costly setting. A social worker at the nursing home put Rucker in touch with a state long-term care counselor in April. He moved in early May to a Detroit apartment.

Mary Henderson's search for options is beginning. After colon surgery in early April, she had to move in with her daughter, Helen Phillips, in White Lake Township.

Henderson, 91, hopes one day to get back to her condo but figures she'll need help with shopping, driving, cooking and cleaning. She's hoping her income from rental units she owns and her small Social Security benefit will cover the costs.

"Having to go this route is new to me," she said, "but it just seems like it shouldn't be this hard."

Contact RUBY L. BAILEY at 313- 222-6651 or rbailey@freepress.com.

Labels: InTheNews, Research

Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
By: Pat Kinney
Published: Sunday, June 10, 2007 6:11 AM CDT

WATERLOO -- A new proposed cultural center in Detroit is being named for a Waterloo native who led local United Way efforts there for more than a decade.

The Arts League of Michigan has proposed a cultural arts center named for Waterloo native Virgil H. Carr who died in 2003. In 1993, Carr became the first African American chief executive officer of United Way Community Services of Detroit and served in that capacity until his death at age 63.

Carr also served as president and CEO of United Way of Chicago, and prior to that, as CEO of Detroit and Wayne County Community Family Services. Carr also had chaired the board of trustees of the Arts League of Michigan from 1997 until his death.

The center "will be recognized as the hub for African and African-American cultural arts," according to Arts League of Michigan promotional information for the project. The proposed 47,000 square foot center is envisioned as a "clubhouse" for the neighborhood in which it would be located.

Carr is being singled out for the recognition as a "trend setter" in the delivery of human services in his United Way work, and also because of his role in the arts, his affinity for young people and his belief in "the necessity of providing direction, encouragement and opportunity for youth," according to Arts League of Michigan information on the project.

Carr was a graduate of East High School and Iowa State University. He was part of a state championship wrestling team for the Trojans in the late 1950s and a two-time individual state champion. He achieved All-America status wrestling for the Cyclones at Iowa State in the early 1960s under Coach Harold Nichols. He also received a master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

In 1979, he was honored as metropolitan Detroit's Executive of the Year for his work in the nonprofit sector.

In 1993, ISU's College of Education honored him with its Alumni Achievement Award, the college's highest honor for outstanding leadership and service in education, health, business and industry.

The Virgil H. Carr Society, a leadership program within the United Way of Southeastern Michigan recognizing major contributions by African-American business people and community leaders, is named for him.

Carr also was a featured speaker at multiple Cedar Valley United Way functions during previous campaigns here.

More information about the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center, including how to donate, may be obtained by contacting Michigan Arts Council president Oliver Ragsdale Jr. at (313) 870-1680.

Contact Pat Kinney at (319) 291-1484 or Pat.Kinney@wcfcourier.com

Labels: InTheNews

One D largely unknown to Southeast Michigan execs

Source: Crain's Detroit Business
By: Sheena Harrison
Published: 6:00 am, June 11, 2007

Most Southeast Michigan business executives polled in the EPIC/MRA survey conducted for Crain's Detroit Business and Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn L.L.P. say they've never heard of One D, but believe the initiative will be effective.

According to the survey, 73 percent said they had never heard of One D, which is a group of six organizations working together on priorities for the region: the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance, New Detroit, United Way for Southeastern Michigan and the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan.

Its five priorities are economic prosperity, educational preparedness, regional transit, race relations and quality of life.

Once the goals and partners of One D were explained to survey respondents, 60 percent said they expected One D to be effective in achieving its goals.


A third of respondents said they expect One D will be only slightly effective or not effective at all.

Marcie Brogan, CEO of Brogan & Partners Convergence Marketing in Birmingham, said she's surprised more people aren't aware of One D since she said local media outlets have been reporting about the initiative.

She believes interactive marketing, such as Web sites and blogs, may help spread the word.

— Sheena Harrison

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

As I entered the small room that local civic leaders were gathering in at Blackwell Institute, I was greeted by an eager Detroit Public School student.

“How do you do young man,” I said to the boy dressed in a blue sport coat and a tie dotted with pins of honor.

He responded with pride and confidence,“fine, thank you sir. Welcome to Blackwell Insititute. The meeting is taking place inside this room.”

“My name is Mike Brennan. What is your name?” I asked.

“Raheam Young.”

“Raheam, what grade are you in?”

“Seventh Grade, sir.”

“That pin on your collar….what does that stand for?”

“I am the Vice President of the Seventh Grade class.”

“Is that an office you run for.”

“Oh, yes. You are elected by your classmates. I love to campaign!”

“Really?”

With genuine conviction, he said, “And I love to give speeches.”

“Well you know, that is the number one fear in the world. Death is number three on the list. People would rather die than get up and give a speech to others.”

“Not me. I don’t get nervous.”

“Raheam, that is a gift. If you had an audience of 300, what would you like to give a speech on?”

Raheam paused and then said, “I would like to talk about the War in Iraq and about Global Warming.”

“Iraq and Global Warming?”

“Yes, that is what I would like to give a speech about.”

Think what you may about Detroit, Detroit Public Schools, and the range of issues facing all of us. But at that moment with that young man, I thought there isn’t a parent in the world who wouldn’t be proud. And it didn’t end with Raheam…..you saw excellence throughout the school of 700 students.

To a person, they all mentioned that excellence began at the top. And at the top of this school is Wilma Taylor - Costen, the principal. To learn more or to visit Blackwell, just click here. http://www.detroit.k12.mi.us/schools/index.php?schoolID=316

To learn more about other Good Schools in Detroit, go to: www.goodschoolsdetroit.org

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Labels: Window on Community

“I made the decision to quit the basketball team, so I could dedicate more of my life to service.” As I listened to the story of Adam Harris, I couldn’t help but feel the world was a better place because he was in it.

This high achieving student/ athlete attends University of Michigan – Dearborn and had recently returned from participating in United Way’s Alternative Spring Break (ASB). Over 400 college students from across America went to the gulf coast for their spring break to help in the never ending recovery.

I wanted to take some time with them to learn more about their experience and explore “what’s next?”

About half way through our discussion, Adam began to tell his journey. He told me that on his i-pod he has most of Martin Luther King’s speeches. From Adam's perspective, Martin Luther King's life, the vision he shared, and the depth of thinking he possessed was as defining as any great thinker/doer/leader the world has known.

When he was in the gulf coast volunteering he kept calling his mom to talk with her about what he was experiencing. More importantly, Adam was listening to what the voice deep inside of him was saying. He realized that while he loved basketball, the time required to do that well was something he no longer could do. He wanted to see that significant amount of time dedicated to service. To others. To community.

This is a man who at a very early age has his compass set on a true north. The power, strength and courage of his decision to dedicate his life to service will be felt by many. His example provides a teachable moment for others.

How will we make progress in this region? Through decisions like Adams. The Power of One.

To get of sense of the ASB and Adam, click here. http://uwsemasb.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading. Pass it on.

Labels: civic engagement, Window on Community

United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Success by 6 initiative has been recognized by Governor Granholm's Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) and Michigan Great Start with the Early Childhood Champion award for outstanding service in Oakland County.

Success by 6, which is convened and managed by UWSEM, and implemented by a number of key community partners, was acknowledged as the county's leader in early childhood efforts by a membership vote of the Oakland County Great Start Collaborative. Senator Mike Bishop served as the local advocate.

Accepting the award at the Capitol (clockwise l-r): Chandra Jones, Hubert Price (Success by 6 co-chair), Joscelyn Andrews, Susan Allen, Victoria Martinez and Carol Burr (Success by Six co-chair)

Labels: Educational_Preparedness, programs and initiatives

United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Research Department has been awarded an $18,500 contract by Wayne County to develop a 2007-2010 Community Needs Assessment report for Wayne County Head Start.

For more information, please contact Kurt Metzger at 313-226-9270.

Labels: Educational_Preparedness, Research

Source: Crain's Detroit Business
By: Bill Shea and Jennette Smith
Published: June 04, 2007

MACKINAC ISLAND — An opening session for the Mackinac Policy Conference served as a rallying cry for the One D collaborative effort with participants urging more business and government leaders to join in.

In his opening remarks Wednesday, One D champion Edsel Ford asked for audience members to make regionalism a way of life. Afterward, a panel of members from the participating groups in One D discussed progress and challenges.

“Parts working together in harmony is an apt description of the communities of the Detroit region, when we are at our very best,” Ford said. “The way we pulled together for last year's Super Bowl is just one recent example. But that was an effort built around an occasion. For the communities of regional Detroit to shine their brightest, we need more than an occasional effort ... we need to embrace regionalism. We need to make it a way of life.”

For One D, a group of six regional civic groups that are working together on five priorities for the region, to succeed, each organization needs to exhibit organizational selflessness, Ford said. The groups behind One D are the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance, New Detroit, United Way for Southeastern Michigan and the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan.

The five priorities are economic prosperity, educational preparedness, regional transit, race relations and quality of life, with regional collaboration as an umbrella over all.

Maud Lyon, founding director of the Cultural Alliance, said “One D is about eliminating duplication of efforts.”

And, by laying regionalism over the top with Ford as “the guru of regional collaboration” Richard Blouse, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, said the inter-related priorities can move along faster.

Doug Rothwell, president of Detroit Renaissance, said the five priorities are at different stages of evolution and some will require more change. And Michael Brennan, president and CEO of the United Way, compared the region's movement to a One D framework to a technology upgrade.

“We've operated for a long time on DOS,” he said. “We're trying to move to Windows.”


Ford, when interviewed after the panel discussion, said One D next needs to get more corporate leaders, nonprofit leaders and elected officials behind the effort. County executives, for example, would be a great addition. Ideally, Ford said, even after progress is made on priorities, the One D work plan can be updated and continue instead of disbanding.

“The theory is: This is a process,” he said.

For now, until more specifics about business support are announced, supporters can speak positively about the region and find ways to collaborate more often, panelists said.

One element has already been made public is the “Road To Renaissance” regional economic revitalization plan from Detroit Renaissance, the CEO council representing the region's largest employers. That effort, which has a $75 million-$80 million price tag, was rolled out in November. It identified six economic revitalization goals for the region, and 11 strategies to accomplish those objectives were made public on May 1. (See story, Page M65.)

One D has what it calls numerous supporting organizations involved in its specific efforts, said Christina Lovio-George, president and CEO of Lovio George Inc., which was hired to handle media relations for One D. Those include Ann Arbor Spark, Automation Alley and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, and is in talks with others, such as the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition.

Paul Tait, executive director of SEMCOG and president of MAC, said talks remain under way to get MAC involved in the One D effort. MAC is a regional public-private partnership that promotes quality of life and economic issues in the region.

“There needs to be a way for the other organizations to engage with One D,” Tait said. “All of those organizations need to make sure we're all working from a complimentary playbook.”

The notion of regional collaboration is driving force for all of One D's efforts, said Dick Blouse, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber

“One D is built on two pretty simply pinnacles — it's essential the region stands above any one municipality; the region has to be what's looked at as what is best for the region,” he said. “Secondly, all of us will learn to think that way. That's a huge change. It's saying, "How does what I do affect the region?' ”

The Michigan Minority Business Development Council is participating in One D's regional transit objective, said Louis Green, the council's president and CEO who said the importance of regional collaboration can't be stressed enough.

“Regionalism is a necessity if we are going to quickly emerge from the business malaise we're experiencing. We are only going to be successful as a region,” he said. “I don't see it yet, and what I'm hoping to see is people acting, speaking regionally.”

Green said his 2,500-member organization is happy to be involved because minority-owned businesses are an overlooked force in the region.

“We're not often part of these conversations,” he said.

One D is “deliberate in effort to not try to plan for everyone in the region,” Rothwell said. By limiting things, that helps eliminate the main criticism of regional plans in the past — money from the suburbs being siphoned to fix Detroit.

“Work in the past on regionalism has tended to gravitate toward win-lose scenarios: One community benefits at the expense of another,” he said. “That is a reason why this initiative can work so well — all priorities benefit the entire region; they certainly don't hurt anyone.”

What's next is “taking it to the next level” Rothwell said. In other words, finding additional outside organizations that can collaborate with the six charter organizations.

“Mackinac is the vehicle for allowing that to happen,” Rothwell said.

The Road To Renaissance plan, which includes significant elements from the chamber's study, is the major contribution to One D from Detroit Renaissance, Rothwell said, so he'll be on the island to tout the overall effort, network and answer questions.

“Right now, what we're trying to get across is, we haven't had anything like this before. This is a big first step for the region,” he said.

Bill Shea: (313) 446-1626, bshea@ crain.com

Jennette Smith: (313) 446-0414, jhsmith@crain.com

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: Detroit Free Press
By: RON DZWONKOWSKI, FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
Published: June 3, 2007

Strategy must bring meaning to regional cooperation

MACKINAC ISLAND -- If you did not spend the past few days in meeting rooms at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, you have probably never heard of something called One D: Transforming Regional Detroit. And maybe you never will.

You're supposed to feel it.

"This is a movement we are trying to create," said Doug Rothwell, president of Detroit Renaissance, one of the six founding organizations of One D.

"This is like going from a DOS operating system to Windows," said Mike Brennan, president of United Way for Southeastern Michigan, another founder.

"It might be five years before you see the needle move on some of these issues, but it's going to happen," promised Maud Lyon, founding director of the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan.

What, exactly?

That's a fair question, since this One D thing hardly marks the first effort to pull the Detroit region together, nor the first to be rolled out in a big way at the annual Mackinac conference of the Detroit Regional Chamber, another of the founding organizations. Why is this one going to be different?

The leaders of the organizations involved -- the others are New Detroit and the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau -- understand the question and the skepticism they face. But they appeared undaunted at meeting after meeting during the conference, insisting they have achieved a new level of cooperation and that now, in these tough times, is when change must begin.

That may be the best case they can make even if they can't say it too loudly because it sounds threatening. But we are threatened. We're in bad shape, in danger of becoming an economic backwater, and nothing in the current power structure can fix it. Something's got to give, and it might as well be all those old barriers that have impeded progress for so many decades.

Even if you don't know what One D is, you know where those barriers are: between city and suburb, black and white, Republican and Democrat, have and have-not, plus along county lines, city and township borders, and between the Detroit region and the rest of Michigan. Those barriers generate suspicion, closed-mindedness and a me-first instead of we-first attitude that has blocked movement on such basic things as a coordinated, comprehensive bus system.

Dick Blouse, CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, noted that the Chamber first adopted a resolution 40 years ago in support of regional mass transit. That's four decades. And today, more people than ever drive themselves to work every day and grumble about the traffic while those who take the bus have a harder time than ever getting where they need to go. That's progress?

One D: Transforming Regional Detroit has staked out six areas for measurable progress, with "measurable" being a key word. After all, if nothing changes, nothing changes, so this group needs to be all about results.

The areas are economic prosperity, with goals including job growth in the upper fourth of the nation's 50 largest metro areas; educational preparedness, with goals including high school graduation rates in the top half of the nation's 20 largest metro areas; quality of life, with goals including "fully sustainable arts, cultural and social service organizations"; and race relations, with one goal of increasing positive media coverage of the region's diversity; and the aforementioned regional transit. On that last, the goal isn't this specific, but the first thing needed is an end to the ability of communities to opt out of the SMART system. Bus service is never going to be regional if buses have to keep going around the likes of Livonia and Novi.

One D deliberately kept government agencies out of its structure because it intends to be a one-voice advocate for public policies that are consistent with economic development in the region. And government tends to start from what you can't do instead of what you can.

Edsel Ford II has been named to lead a Champions Council that is charged with evaluating One D's progress on each of its priorities and issuing an annual report. Here's hoping he issues more than one, because this region ran out of excuses for not changing a long time ago and now is running out of options.

"Regionalism is the only way we will be able to compete in a global economy," Ford said in a speech to the conference. "That is the essence of our motivation to act and think differently."

That, and a healthy measure of fear.

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

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: Crain's Detroit Business
By: Sheena Harrison
Published: June 01, 2007 5:28PM

MACKINAC ISLAND — Detroit has had a long history of racism and segregation that will continue to burden the region’s future if business and community leaders don’t step up to promote understanding between communities, said Kevin Boyle, a Detroit native and author of Arc of Justice.

The book, which was distributed to all Mackinac Policy Conference attendees, details the history of racial divisions in Detroit based on the murder trial of Ossian Sweet, a black physician who faced murder charges in 1925 for defending his Detroit home against a mob intent on keeping a neighborhood all white.

During a speech at the conference Friday afternoon, Boyle said Detroit’s early segregation history led up to the Detroit riots of 1967 — an event he said still plays into the region’s race relations.

Promoting racial understanding in metro Detroit means people must make a conscious effort to move forward from the past, Boyle said.

“We Detroiters continue to carry the heavy weight of our segregationist past, and it is an awesome burden,” he said. “We can shrug it off, but only if we’re willing to try.”

A panel of business leaders agreed that area leaders need to follow through on race-relations discussions by taking action in their community.

“We need to get beyond some of the rhetoric and break down barriers,” said Reginald Turner, member of law firm Clark Hill plc in Detroit.

“It is every one of our responsibilities to contribute to having a healthy community,” said Sandra Pierce, president and CEO of Charter One Bank in Michigan and Indiana.

Anthony Earley Jr., CEO of DTE Energy Co., said he believes the One D initiative is a step in the right direction because it includes multiple partners and aims to improve race relations as one of its goals.

“This integration of various factors is one of the reasons I believe One D has it right,” Earley said.

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: Crain's Detroit Business
By: Amy Lane
Published: June 01, 2007 5:18PM

MACKINAC ISLAND — The traditional Big Five session at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference generated few sparks but covered issues shared by leaders of the Detroit region, including collaboration, workforce development and transportation.

The topics included:

* The One D collaborative effort and regionalism. Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Macomb County Commission Chairman William Crouchman, Wayne County Exeutive Robert Ficano and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick expressed support, and Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis said he applauds the effort. “You’ve achieved something that is remarkable, and that is bringing everybody together to speak with one voice for the region.”
“Investors abroad look at us as one region. When I’m out there promoting, I’m promoting the Detroit-Windsor area.”

Said Ficano: “It’s only when we really consolidate our resources as a region, that we’re going to be able to compete.”

*On the state’s moves to shore up its fiscal problems, and the possibility of future revenue-sharing cuts, Kilpatrick said the city has endured past losses in revenue sharing by looking for “creative ways” that include government reforms, cutting expenses and raising fees. Even so, he said, “I think everybody here has sustained their bond rating, while the state has not. I want them to leave me alone; it’s their problem.”

* On the role of the news media in shaping the region’s image, Kilpatrick said electronic media focuses on crime in Detroit and then “balloon day” in St. Clair Shores. He also criticized media decisions that dispatched reporters to follow his every move while Ficano could freely travel to Europe or Asia on trade missions. “It’s tied to that race thing we have to work on in the region,” Kilpatrick said, referring to an earlier conference session.

Ficano said the image shaped by news media affects young adults’ decisions on whether to live and work in the region.

* On preparing future workforces. Crouchman said Macomb County has dipped into its own general fund to replace the elimination of federal funds for retraining auto workers, and while the auto industry continues to be an important part of the county’s structure, “we realize that we’ve got to diversify. It’s absolutely essential.” For example, the county has added many new jobs in medical and service industries, he said.

Patterson highlighted his efforts to identify and attract emerging business sectors. He also said Oakland County school districts are teaching Mandarin, and “I think long term, and we stay with that program and the kids learn the basics of the society, culture…the kids will be in a position to compete.”

While some of the themes discussed during the Big 5 and other conference sessions were repetitive about regional collaboration, workforce development and other issues, some attendees said they felt the idea-sharing was productive.

“You never know what’s really going to work,” said Tom Shields, president of Lansing-based Marketing Resource Group Inc. “Sharing your best ideas is good…non of them (the panelists) are immune to the negative economic forces that have taken place in the state.”

* On the state budget. Patterson and Kilpatrick agreed that radical changes to state employee benefit packages needed to happen. And Kilpatrick even suggested health savings accounts rather than conventional medical coverage for state employees.

Jennette Smith contributed to this story.

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: Mackinac Policy Conference Coverage blog

By: WWJ and the Great Lakes IT Report
Published: May 31, 2007

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: The Detroit News
By: David Josar
Published: Thursday, May 31, 2007

MACKINAC ISLAND -- Leaders of One D made their last effort Friday at the Mackinac Policy Conference to rally support for the newest effort to spur success in Metro Detroit.

"We have to behave as a region and constantly do that and monitor each other," said Maud Lyon, counsel for Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan, one of the six major civic groups steering One D.

One D will now look for other organizations to partner with as they start putting their plan into motion.

Lyon said One D wants ideas that span the region and address One D's mission of improving economic prosperity, educational preparation, quality of life, race relations and regional transit. Goals include increasing per capita income, making sure every child reads at grade-level and implementing a regional transportation system.

"We're going to see some critical mass of people who want to contribute," said Michael J. Brennan, president of United Way of Southeastern Michigan, another of the founding One D members.

One D has a steep road to reach success because their path before has been littered with failure. The issues the group wants to address have for decades been targeted for improvement, often by the same organizations now leading One D, and are still problems. On that list of chronic failures is regional transportation and improved race relations.

For now, about 500 people at a Friday breakfast meeting on the final day of the Mackinac Policy Conference were solicited to contact One D with their ideas.

Four public sessions are to be announced in the next two months to inform more people about One D in Metro Detroit.

Those at the breakfast meeting were also told to begin thinking how they can integrate a new marketing drive and "brand" identity started by the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitor Bureau to attract 21-34 year olds.

The logo for the brand is an English-style "D" that floats above the words "cars," "culture," "gaming," "music," and "sports."

TV spots will start this summer in Grand Rapids and Cleveland touting the city as a place for young people to visit.

Lyon said tourism is akin to cleaning up your house for visitors. Not only do you have to spiff it up, she said, but you also have to promote the good and not focus on the bad.

The other groups working on One D include Detroit Renaissance, Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Detroit Regional Chamber and New Detroit.

You can reach David Josar at (313) 222-2073 or djosar@detnews.com.

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: The Detroit News
By: David Josar
Published: Thursday, May 31, 2007

Group of six Metro organizations plan to gather feedback as they work to improve region.

MACKINAC ISLAND -- Promising that One D, a consortium of six powerful Metro Detroit civic organizations, would succeed in improving the region in areas where other groups have failed, Edsel B. Ford II vowed there would be annual public report cards of progress.

"We need to make cooperation an ongoing way of life," said Ford, the point person for One D, whose members include the Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan, The Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance, New Detroit and the United Way of Southeastern Michigan.

The group's goals would be steered by already-completed surveys of roughly 10,000 area residents, he said. The surveys, administered by the individual groups, found five areas residents agreed are important: economic prosperity, educational preparation, quality of life, race relations and regional transit.

"This vision is not by us, but it's by the community," said Maud Lyon, counsel for the Cultural Alliance. "It's about elimination of duplication -- when we go to Washington, it's together."

One D will be a major focus of this year's Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference with sessions daily on what the group can do to execute its goals.

By working together, One D hopes to have the region's private sector speak as one voice, whether in Lansing or Detroit; get private-sector funding to back their plans; and foster foundations, businesses and other groups to work together.

Being willing to share the group's successes and failures with the region is one way to ensure progress is made, Ford said.

Ford said the group's members looked at how regions in Charlotte, Denver, Philadelphia and Houston worked together successfully.

"If they can do it, the region that put the world on wheels surely can do it," he said.

Roughly 1,700 business, union, civic and political leaders kicked off the annual Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference on Wednesday.

In the past, the three-day session held at the posh Grand Hotel, had come up with exciting ideas but leaders were criticized for not following through.

In previous years leaders had touted expanded mass transit, such as large, multi-unit buses that would help commuters in the region, to Cobo Center expansion plans.

The group addressed that concern head-on.

"We want a public, transparent scorecard," said Michael J. Brennan, president of United Way of Southeastern Michigan.

That way, he explained, One D is under more pressure to perform.

"One D is all about removing roadblocks and leveraging our champions to do that," Ford said.

Last year, Ford and others used the conference as a forum to tout why a group like One D is needed and this year will use the conference as a forum to address how they will operate.

Detroit Renaissance President Doug Rothwell said progress is being made in all five areas.

"All (the) different priorities are in different stages of evolution, but all have equal weight," he said.

"But some are further along in terms of being resolved."

You can reach David Josar at (313) 222-2073 or djosar@detnews.com.

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: The Detroit News
By: David Josar
Published: Friday, June 01, 2007

Group hopes to build transit system by 2015, wants all kids to be literate.

MACKINAC ISLAND -- All children in Metro Detroit will read at grade level and a true regional transit system will be in place by 2015, according to specific goals listed Thursday by the fledgling One D group.

The people driving One D, a consortium of six powerful Metro Detroit civic organizations, gave details for the first time here of what they wanted to accomplish in their initiative to bolster southeast Michigan.

"We don't want young people leaving and no one coming here," said Richard Blouse Jr., president of the Detroit Regional Chamber, one of the groups behind One D.

The group has promised solid benchmarks that will measure the group's success or failure.

Among those goals for Metro Detroit:

# Job growth would be in the top 25 percent of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in America.

# Per capita income growth would be in the top 25 percent of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in America.

# Increase the percentage of residents who are self-sufficient.

# By 2010 improve by 20 percent how the region is viewed nationally.

# Move into the top 10 of largest metropolitan areas in terms of the number of individuals with post-secondary education.

# By December 2008, have support for regional transit and the supporting legislation in all communities to establish a regional transportation authority.

The goals may seem lofty, but the group said it believes that focus and mobilization make the benchmarks achievable.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan President Michael J. Brennan noted that 8,000 people volunteered during Super Bowl XL last year to guide visitors along the streets of Detroit toward Ford Field. That total is the same as the number of third-graders in the region who can't read at grade level, he said.

"If you can get those same volunteers working with those children you can have change," Brennan said.

One D, spearheaded by Edsel Ford II, involves the Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Renaissance, New Detroit, the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Cultural Alliance ofSoutheastern Michigan and the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

Leaders promised to issue annual report cards on progress in five areas residents agreed are important: economic prosperity, educational preparation, quality of life, race relations and regional transit.

Despite the gripes area residents may have, the region has many assets, such as a low cost of living and top-notch health care, said Larry Alexander, president of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"There are things we have in our region that other places would love to have," he said.

And while Metro Detroit remains one of the most segregated areas of the United States, One D leaders touted the racial diversity as an asset.

"Young people don't want to live in a place where everyone looks like them," said Shirley Stancato, president of New Detroit.

Stancato said the area needs to attract and keep adults between the ages of 21 and 34. "Racial diversity is a key," she said.

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism

Source: Mackinac Policy Conference Coverage blog
By: Matt Roush, WWJ and the Great Lakes IT Report
Published: June 1, 2007

Labels: InTheNews, One D, regionalism