Leadership Next develops strategic plan

The Leadership Next executive team has officially begun to craft a strategic plan for the group's future community work.

During an Oct. 27 strategy session, leaders of the civic engagement initiative considered ways its members will be able to maximize their impact on various issues across the region and agreed upon a new mission statement that will guide their efforts going forward.

Leadership Next is a program that connects talented young professionals in the region to a network of volunteer and civic leadership opportunities. Developing a culture of inclusive leadership across the region is also important to the group, and as a result Leadership Next is committed to having all its members participate actively and to keeping them connected both to the community and its mission. Members will have opportunities to dive deep into community issues and to create meaningful change.

The initiative aims to make the regional climate more attractive to other young professionals considering locating here and ultimately strengthening the local talent pool. The organization's mission will be to "engage emerging leaders to create vibrant and caring community in the Detroit region." The team is developing action steps for moving the mission forward, in smaller working groups.

Individuals interested in participating in the process are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming community work sessions, which are open to all people interested in the development of Leadership Next. These sessions are held Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m., at the Paris Cafe, 1533 E. Lafayette near downtown Detroit. E-mail julie.updyke@uwsem.org for additional information.

Not yet a member of Leadership Next? Go to www.uwsem.org/leadershipnext to learn more and to register today!

United Way stands $58 million strong

United Way for Southeastern Michigan raised more than $58 million so far during this year's annual fund drive, and continues to collect contributions.

The announcement came during a Nov.15 celebration, from Troy A. Clarke, president of GM North America and GM group vice president, and 2007 campaign chair. Approximately 200 volunteers and contributors representing labor, nonprofits, individuals and workplace campaigns attended the event.

"We are proud to celebrate this remarkable accomplishment," said Clarke. "The millions of dollars raised during this campaign make it possible for United Way to bring about long-lasting, positive change in our community; and that commitment continues. In an unprecedented show of support, several companies have come forward and asked United Way to leave the door open for them to continue running campaigns already in progress," he added.

United Way CEO and President Michael Brennan added, "We are going to continue to seek contributions toward $59 million. I am encouraged by the fact that even in this challenging economic climate, people still want to contribute to United Way. Our response to that resolve is: We will never quit; the work before us is just too important to the future of this region. United Way and our partner agencies remain committed to working against our Agenda for Change, and providing the best programs that are able to deliver the most impact in our communities."

Clarke noted the highlights of the 2007 campaign, including United Way's continued broadening of its support base beyond the manufacturing industry. As campaign chair, he welcomed AT&T as the newest member of the "million-dollar club." AT&T's employee campaign and corporate gift totaled $1.015 million. Clarke also offered a special thank you to financial services companies that stepped up their support. Five firms --Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Plante & Moran and PricewaterhouseCoopers -- increased their combined giving 13 percent from last year to over $1.1 million.

Dura Automotive joined those receiving special recognition. A long-time campaign participant, Dura dropped out last year as it went through bankruptcy. Having now emerged from that ordeal, the company renewed its participation in the United Way Campaign and, contributed $33,600 toward this year's goal.

"In all of my time with United Ways across the nation, this has been the most challenging climate in which to run a campaign," said Brennan. "With that in mind, we owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the generous commitment of thousands of volunteers, the Campaign Cabinet, and of course, the staunch leadership of Troy Clarke. Troy cheerfully dedicated his expertise, commitment and resolve for the benefit of the people of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties."

Other event highlights included:

• 96 companies ran a Torch Drive campaign or gave a corporate gift for the first time.
• Leadership Giving initiatives, like the Virgil H. Carr Society and the Women's Initiative, foster philanthropic participation, encouraging new and increased leadership gifts of $1,000 and above. Currently, leadership gifts make up 25 percent of the overall campaign total.
• The Tocqueville Society's Automotive Matching Gift program maximizes new leadership gifts by providing a dollar-for-dollar match for new or increased Tocqueville Society gifts of $10,000. There are currently 300 Tocqueville Society members.
• Leadership Next, a new initiative to engage the next generation of leaders, began in June. This dynamic group of individuals is committed to increasing financial security and educational preparedness in our region.

Elizabeth Bunn, secretary/treasurer, International Union, UAW, expressed her gratitude to the men and women of organized labor.

"Members of organized labor are so proud to work with United Way and its member agencies to assist those in need," said Bunn. "We've been a part of the United Way family for more than 60 years, and truly value our long-standing relationship."

Clarke also passed the torch to the 2008 campaign chair Dave Hunke, CEO of Detroit Media Partnership.

Contributions for the 2007 United Way Campaign will still be accepted at www.unitedwaysem.org, or by dialing 2-1-1.

Volunteer Spotlight
Expo volunteer gets passionate

If all goes according to plan, Louis Smith hopes to watch the new All American Football League Michigan team kick off its inaugural season on April 12, but odds are he won't be relaxing.

Smith handles marketing, operations and special events for the yet-to-be named team, and still finds time to volunteer, which he did recently at the Southeast Michigan Employment, Training and Family Resource Expo.

Smith joined about 250 other Expo volunteers, and spent the day helping job seekers prepare and polish up resumes. He also doled out plenty of advice about what it takes to keep a steady job and to succeed in the workplace -- to anyone who would listen. His plan was to teach the job seekers he assisted that landing steady employment takes more than a resume.

"My passion is for helping youth, particularly young men, avoid the traps in their environments and become successful," Smith said.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan was a partner in the Expo, held Oct. 10 at the Michigan State Fairgrounds. About 6,000 individuals attended the event.

As an Expo volunteer, Smith said he personally helped about 30 job seekers who filtered through the technology center for help creating resumes and searching for work online through the Michigan Talent Bank. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, which oversees the MTB, made the technology center possible, for the third straight Expo.

Smith spent part of his career working for the U.S. Department of Labo's Job Corps, a workforce preparedness program that helps young people get jobs they can use to build productive lives. He said he enjoyed helping the youths explore vocational options and an effort to zone in on the ideal career.

His mantra was a simple one… "Find a job you like and you'll never dread going to work." It's an adage that he still preaches today.

"It's not about getting a job or preparing a resume. It's about selling yourself and your passion (for a particular vocation) to companies," Smith said.

Although the players are still to be scouted, those who eventually sign with the Michigan AAFL team will be actively involved in community service. That's Smith's plan anyway. He looks at the relationship between the National Football League and United Way of America, as something he would like to replicate with United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

"Giving back is something I want to make sure our guys are involved with. They will be giving back to the community, and I think it is important to lead by example," Smith said.

Upcoming Events
CEO's Off the Record

Meet the CEO
Leadership Next is proud to present the first installment of CEO's: Off the Record, an opportunity for a small group of members to get together with chief executive officers of local organizations for dialogue and discussion on a broad range of topics.

Anthony F. Earley Jr., chairman and CEO, DTE Energy, and David Hunke, CEO of the Detroit Media Partnership, are among the most recent participants in the series. Earley is the immediate past chairman of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan board of directors, and Hunke is a member of the organization's campaign cabinet.

Other dynamic executives are being lined up for December and January sessions, so stay tuned. You can keep tabs on the latest developments by registering with Leadership Next online.

Breakfast club

Join other young professionals interested in making the region a better place to live and work by attending an upcoming Leadership Next community work session -- held every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. -- at Paris Cafe, 1533 E. Lafayette in Detroit. Learn more about Leadership Next and the group's strategic plan currently under development.

Kurt's Corner
National picture of homelessness

To assess the status of hunger and homelessness in America during 2006, the U.S. Conference of Mayors surveyed 23 major cities - including Detroit - with members on its task force on hunger and homelessness^{1 2} and what they found could help planners across the country make much-needed progress on the issue.

City officials were asked for data and estimates on demand for emergency food assistance, emergency shelter and the capacity of local agencies to meet that demand. They were also polled on the causes of hunger and homelessness in their cities, along with the demographics of those populations, the existence of exemplary programs or efforts to respond to hunger and homelessness, the availability of affordable housing for low income individuals, and the impact of the economy on hunger and homelessness as well as their future outlook.

Major findings

During the past year, requests for emergency shelter increased in the survey cities by an average of 9 percent, with 68 percent of the cities registering an increase. Requests for shelter by homeless families alone increased by 5 percent, with 59 percent of the cities reporting an increase.

An average of 23 percent of the requests for emergency shelter by homeless people overall -- and 29 percent of the requests by homeless families alone -- are estimated to have gone unmet during the last year. In 86 percent of the cities, emergency shelters may have to turn away homeless families due to lack of resources. In 77 percent of cases they may also have to turn away other homeless individuals

People remain homeless an average of eight months in the survey cities. Thirty-two percent of the cities said that the length of time people were homeless increased during the last year.

In 55 percent of the cities, families may have to break up in order to secure space in a shelter. In 54 percent of the cities families may have to spend daytime hours outside of the shelter they use at night.

Mental illness and the lack of necessary services lead the list of causes of homelessness identified by city officials. Other causes cited, in order of frequency, include lack of affordable housing, substance abuse and the lack of needed services, low-paying jobs, domestic violence, prisoner reentry, unemployment and poverty.

Officials estimate that, on average, single men comprise 51 percent of the homeless population, families with children 30 percent, single women 17 percent, and unaccompanied youth 2 percent.

The homeless population is estimated to be 42 percent African-American, 39 percent white, 13 percent Hispanic, 4 percent Native-American and 2 percent Asian-American. An average of 16 percent of homeless people are considered mentally ill; 26 percent are substance abusers. Thirteen percent are employed; 9 percent are veterans.

The average percentage of homeless families headed by single parents in the survey cities is 71 percent. On average, children represent 24 percent of the cities' entire emergency shelter population. Eighty-seven percent of the cities indicated an increase in homeless children in the emergency shelter system.

Ninety-five percent of the cities have developed plans to end chronic homelessness, 25 percent of those cities say their plans have led to a reduction in the number of people living on the streets. While the outlook seems promising, most cities say it is too early to say what impact their plans will have on ending chronic homelessness especially with regard to cost savings spent on a chronically homeless person.

Requests from low-income families and individuals for assisted housing increased in 86 percent of the cities during the last year.

Three out of four cities anticipated increases in both emergency food assistance and emergency shelter requests to increase in 2007.

An average of 23 percent of the demand for emergency food assistance is estimated to have gone unmet in the survey cities over the last year.

Causes of hunger
Officials in the cities surveyed attribute hunger to a number of factors -- many interrelated. Those most frequently identified were unemployment and other employment-related issues, high housing costs, poverty or lack of income, medical or health costs, substance abuse, utility costs, mental health problems, transportation costs and lack of education.

Causes of homelessness
A number of diverse and complex factors (many interrelated) were reported to have contributed to the problems of homelessness in the cities surveyed. Listed in order of frequency were the following causes: mental illness and the lack of needed services, lack of affordable housing, substance abuse and the lack of needed services, low-paying jobs, domestic violence, prisoner re-entry, unemployment and poverty.

Twenty-five of the cities say their plans to reduce chronic homelessness have led to a reduction in the number of people living on the streets. Detroit was unable to report results as its 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness was finalized in October 2006 and the implementation phase has just begun. A summary of Detroit's plan, as well as those for Macomb, Oakland and Out-Wayne counties, can be reviewed by clicking here.

¹ The data was collected from the cities for the period of November 1, 2005 to October 31, 2006 during November and December 2006. It was supplemented with data on population, poverty and unemployment available from the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Take action now
Laptops to improve learning

Preparing every child across the region to succeed in school and beyond is a priority at United Way for Southeastern Michigan, and by using technology, we hope to connect more young people to the quality educational resources they need to thrive.

United Way's Leadership Next is raising funds to buy low-cost computers through the One Laptop Per Child initiative. For every $400 raised, one computer will go to a child in southeast Michigan and a second computer will go to a child in a developing country.

Almost 20 percent of children across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties live in poverty, and disadvantaged social-economic status is one of the strongest predictors of a lower rate of school readiness. Every child who fails to enter kindergarten ready to learn or is not able to keep pace early on in school is more likely to drop out, or fail to reach his or her potential. About 33,000 3rd through 6th graders in the tri-county region failed to read at grade level in 2006, according to MEAP reading test results.

You can help United Way help these young people by making a contribution today. No matter how small your gift may be, you can make a difference. Take this chance to change not one, but two lives, while positively impacting the quality of life in the region. Click here to donate towards a computer or to learn more about this initiative.