Audioconference to Highlight City Partnerships With United Way and Chambers of Commerce
by Katie Meade
City partnerships with local United Way networks and Chambers of Commerce that benefit children, youth and families will be the topic of a free, hour-long NLC audioconference for municipal officials. Sponsored by NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute), the call will take place on Thursday, September 20 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Strategic Partners
Local United Way networks and Chambers of Commerce can be valuable allies to cities in efforts to strengthen families. Partnerships with these local institutions bring key stakeholders to the table, offer new sources of expertise and strategically leverage a community’s resources to maximize impact.
These partnerships take on different forms in each community. Several cities that participated in the YEF Institute’s City Leaders Engaged in Afterschool Reform technical assistance project have collaborated with local United Way networks and Chambers of Commerce to convene community partners and business leaders, develop a strategic plan, access new funding streams and recruit volunteers for afterschool programs.
Many other cities have worked with their local United Way to assist low-income families in claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and to promote school readiness for young children through efforts such as the “Success by 6” initiative. The YEF Institute has formed a partnership with United Way of America (UWA) to strengthen collaborative approaches among municipal and local United Way leaders in each of these two areas. The institute and UWA sponsored a very successful EITC Summit in San Francisco in July and have hosted school readiness showcase events in Atlanta and Seattle for municipal officials and United Way executives from cities across the country.
Call Content and Speakers
The audioconference, titled “Natural Allies: Partnerships with Local United Ways and Chambers of Commerce,” will feature a discussion among municipal, United Way and Chamber of Commerce representatives about how cities can form these important alliances to make them more effective in achieving better outcomes for young people and their families.
Speakers will include:
• Nina Sazer O’Donnell, director of national strategies, Success By 6, United Way of America;
• Daniel Dodd, project director, Step Up Savannah, Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Savannah, Ga.; and
• Tammy Papa, director, Lighthouse Afterschool Program, City of Bridgeport, Conn.
How to Register
While the call is free, it is available only to a limited number of participants. Advance registration is required by close of business on Tuesday, September 18. A separate registration is needed for each phone line that will be used to listen to the call.
One day prior to the event, each registrant will receive an e-mail or fax message providing a toll-free, dial-in number to use in joining the audioconference.
To register for the audioconference, e-mail or fax the participant's name, title, organization, mailing address (including street, city, state, and Zip code), telephone number, fax number and e-mail address to iyef@nlc.org, or send a fax to (202) 626-3043. No telephone registrations can be accepted.
Details: If there are any questions about the audioconference, leave a detailed message on the YEF Institute information line at (202) 626-3014. For more information on the institute’s school readiness and family economic success programs, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Abby Hughes Holsclaw at (202) 626-3107 or holsclaw@nlc.org.
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