The United Way, Homelessness & Leadership
posted: November 16, 2007 | category: homelessness
tags: homeless news, Ten Year Plan
In a publication entitled, “Employee Campaign Manager Guide 2007,” (go to pg. 6 of the PDF) the United Way of Greater Greensboro says:
In 2006, United Way demonstrated leadership and caring by…
Leading county-wide efforts to develop a plan to end homelessness…
In 2007, United Way will continue to provide leadership and caring by…
Leading the effort to end chronic homelessness…
At a November 14, 2007 meeting of the Guilford County Task Force to End Homelessness, Task Force leaders, including United Way of Greater Greensboro President Neil Belenky, proposed that the Guilford County Planning Department, rather than the United Way, take responsibility for the implementation of the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness. This has both surprised and disappointed a number of people involved with serving and advocating for the homeless in our community.
There are still about six weeks left in the year 2007. But it appears to some of the folks I’ve talked to that the United Way is no longer committed to “leading the effort to end chronic homelessness.” I hope that’s not true. And I still hope they’ll reconsider their role in the implementation of the plan. After all, the whole point of “implementing the plan” is to get our homeless friends off the street. I’m ready.
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Absolutely great post. I think you have hit the nail smack dab on the head. I hope that more people will express their disappointment with the United Ways. Especially since they are still using the 10 Year Plan as a means to raise money. If they are so dedicated to the “Plan” and to helping the homeless then they should step up, move the plan forward and take on the leadership role that they have been so quick to talk about in their campaign(s).