[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] we have 430 million Americans who were
we have 430 million Americans who were
we have 430 million Americans who were uh nor under heard we have over 40
uh nor under heard we have over 40
uh nor under heard we have over 40 million Americans who are living at or
million Americans who are living at or
million Americans who are living at or below the federal poverty line the
below the federal poverty line the
below the federal poverty line the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment
average cost of a one-bedroom apartment
average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in the u.s. $1,200 per month we have
in the u.s. $1,200 per month we have
in the u.s. $1,200 per month we have cities that have new industries and
cities that have new industries and
cities that have new industries and businesses moving in new people moving
businesses moving in new people moving
businesses moving in new people moving and in fact and the community members
and in fact and the community members
and in fact and the community members that have lived in these neighborhoods
that have lived in these neighborhoods
that have lived in these neighborhoods for generations can no longer afford to
for generations can no longer afford to
for generations can no longer afford to stay or maybe it’s the rural community
stay or maybe it’s the rural community
stay or maybe it’s the rural community and the industry that’s been at the
and the industry that’s been at the
and the industry that’s been at the economic center for that region for as
economic center for that region for as
economic center for that region for as long as anyone can remember closes with
long as anyone can remember closes with
long as anyone can remember closes with little warning
little warning
little warning what are those folks supposed to do what
what are those folks supposed to do what
what are those folks supposed to do what if you’re a 75 year old who’s living on
if you’re a 75 year old who’s living on
if you’re a 75 year old who’s living on the outskirts of town and you have
the outskirts of town and you have
the outskirts of town and you have limited resources you don’t live near
limited resources you don’t live near
limited resources you don’t live near accessible public transportation and you
accessible public transportation and you
accessible public transportation and you need a shower bench why because you’ve
need a shower bench why because you’ve
need a shower bench why because you’ve had several Falls and now you have
had several Falls and now you have
had several Falls and now you have hospital bills you can’t afford who is
hospital bills you can’t afford who is
hospital bills you can’t afford who is she supposed to call or what about
she supposed to call or what about
she supposed to call or what about you’re a 30 year old single mom and you
you’re a 30 year old single mom and you
you’re a 30 year old single mom and you are low on diapers and formula and
are low on diapers and formula and
are low on diapers and formula and payday isn’t for two more days you have
payday isn’t for two more days you have
payday isn’t for two more days you have a promising job interview coming up but
a promising job interview coming up but
a promising job interview coming up but you can’t afford the child care so who’s
you can’t afford the child care so who’s
you can’t afford the child care so who’s she supposed to call so I want you now
she supposed to call so I want you now
she supposed to call so I want you now just to close your eyes for one second I
just to close your eyes for one second I
just to close your eyes for one second I want you to imagine the last or think
want you to imagine the last or think
want you to imagine the last or think about the last natural disaster you
about the last natural disaster you
about the last natural disaster you remember maybe it’s Puerto Rico maybe
remember maybe it’s Puerto Rico maybe
remember maybe it’s Puerto Rico maybe it’s Haiti
and what did you do likely your first
and what did you do likely your first response was I have to do something
response was I have to do something
response was I have to do something right now I’m gonna get on social media
right now I’m gonna get on social media
right now I’m gonna get on social media I’m gonna connect with my peers publics
I’m gonna connect with my peers publics
I’m gonna connect with my peers publics what if your organization maybe you guys
what if your organization maybe you guys
what if your organization maybe you guys partnered with another organization that
partnered with another organization that
partnered with another organization that was raising funds or holding a drive so
was raising funds or holding a drive so
was raising funds or holding a drive so you did that with a sense of urgency and
you did that with a sense of urgency and
you did that with a sense of urgency and why was that you saw basic human needs
why was that you saw basic human needs
why was that you saw basic human needs going unmet on a large scale and you
going unmet on a large scale and you
going unmet on a large scale and you felt called to act to respond so when
felt called to act to respond so when
felt called to act to respond so when you think about your community members
you think about your community members
you think about your community members do you have that same feeling when their
do you have that same feeling when their
do you have that same feeling when their needs are going on met so who do they
needs are going on met so who do they
needs are going on met so who do they call they likely will call a government
call they likely will call a government
call they likely will call a government agency I worked as a service coordinator
agency I worked as a service coordinator
agency I worked as a service coordinator I took those calls from our community
I took those calls from our community
I took those calls from our community members and I heard the desperation and
members and I heard the desperation and
members and I heard the desperation and their voice when they would cry out for
their voice when they would cry out for
their voice when they would cry out for some help somebody to pull them back
some help somebody to pull them back
some help somebody to pull them back from the edge and sometimes I was able
from the edge and sometimes I was able
from the edge and sometimes I was able to refer them somewhere sometimes there
to refer them somewhere sometimes there
to refer them somewhere sometimes there was a program that fit their needs
was a program that fit their needs
was a program that fit their needs sometimes not have you ever had to tell
sometimes not have you ever had to tell
sometimes not have you ever had to tell somebody they weren’t home enough not
somebody they weren’t home enough not
somebody they weren’t home enough not poor enough I have and so I was left
poor enough I have and so I was left
poor enough I have and so I was left with well I got to look for some
with well I got to look for some
with well I got to look for some organization that may be able to fill
organization that may be able to fill
organization that may be able to fill that need and so I would look to the
that need and so I would look to the
that need and so I would look to the nonprofit community in our local area
nonprofit community in our local area
nonprofit community in our local area who could best serve their need and so I
who could best serve their need and so I
who could best serve their need and so I would pull up a map and I would find an
would pull up a map and I would find an
would pull up a map and I would find an organization that was in that area and I
organization that was in that area and I
organization that was in that area and I would refer them and on the map it
would refer them and on the map it
would refer them and on the map it looked like their house wasn’t very far
looked like their house wasn’t very far
looked like their house wasn’t very far from that resource what we couldn’t see
from that resource what we couldn’t see
from that resource what we couldn’t see on the map was that their apartment was
on the map was that their apartment was
on the map was that their apartment was on the other side of a highway
on the other side of a highway
on the other side of a highway from the bus stop they need to take to
from the bus stop they need to take to
from the bus stop they need to take to get to that resource I couldn’t see what
get to that resource I couldn’t see what
get to that resource I couldn’t see what their barriers were sometimes the
their barriers were sometimes the
their barriers were sometimes the barriers aren’t captured with data with
barriers aren’t captured with data with
barriers aren’t captured with data with numbers you have to talk to the
numbers you have to talk to the
numbers you have to talk to the community members so I want to talk to
community members so I want to talk to
community members so I want to talk to you about what I’m doing now I work for
you about what I’m doing now I work for
you about what I’m doing now I work for an organization called global links
an organization called global links
an organization called global links there a medical surplus recovery
there a medical surplus recovery
there a medical surplus recovery organization it’s a non-profit they
organization it’s a non-profit they
organization it’s a non-profit they capture medical surplus from the
capture medical surplus from the
capture medical surplus from the hospital sector as well as the community
hospital sector as well as the community
hospital sector as well as the community they’ve been working through over 25
they’ve been working through over 25
they’ve been working through over 25 years improving health outcomes and
years improving health outcomes and
years improving health outcomes and resource for communities they’ve been
resource for communities they’ve been
resource for communities they’ve been working in Latin America in the
working in Latin America in the
working in Latin America in the Caribbean and they had the brilliant
Caribbean and they had the brilliant
Caribbean and they had the brilliant idea is there some way we could help our
idea is there some way we could help our
idea is there some way we could help our local residents with that same surplus
local residents with that same surplus
local residents with that same surplus or maybe some other items local folks
or maybe some other items local folks
or maybe some other items local folks might need and so I came in as the first
might need and so I came in as the first
might need and so I came in as the first time program manager full-time working
time program manager full-time working
time program manager full-time working for the community partners program and I
for the community partners program and I
for the community partners program and I wanted to take all of my frustration all
wanted to take all of my frustration all
wanted to take all of my frustration all of the sadness I heard day after day and
of the sadness I heard day after day and
of the sadness I heard day after day and do something about it so my strategy
do something about it so my strategy
do something about it so my strategy that I came up with was I’m gonna map
that I came up with was I’m gonna map
that I came up with was I’m gonna map our community I’m gonna look at all of
our community I’m gonna look at all of
our community I’m gonna look at all of those neighborhoods that I got all those
those neighborhoods that I got all those
those neighborhoods that I got all those calls from how can I get those supplies
calls from how can I get those supplies
calls from how can I get those supplies into where the people need them not make
into where the people need them not make
into where the people need them not make them take two transfers on a bus they
them take two transfers on a bus they
them take two transfers on a bus they can’t afford in hopes that maybe they
can’t afford in hopes that maybe they
can’t afford in hopes that maybe they can get some assistance so I looked out
can get some assistance so I looked out
can get some assistance so I looked out into the community I talked to community
into the community I talked to community
into the community I talked to community members that’s who can tell me what the
members that’s who can tell me what the
members that’s who can tell me what the need is
need is
need is I know what the data says so I had
I know what the data says so I had
I know what the data says so I had meetings with community members I had
meetings with community members I had
meetings with community members I had meetings with not just the big
meetings with not just the big
meetings with not just the big nonprofits but the little guys the
nonprofits but the little guys the
nonprofits but the little guys the community-based organizations to here
community-based organizations to here
community-based organizations to here how are they struggling to provide
how are they struggling to provide
how are they struggling to provide services
services
services and so we started some distributions
and so we started some distributions
and so we started some distributions going to those areas and it was a
going to those areas and it was a
going to those areas and it was a targeted approach because poverty
targeted approach because poverty
targeted approach because poverty doesn’t look the same everywhere what
doesn’t look the same everywhere what
doesn’t look the same everywhere what works on the north side doesn’t work for
works on the north side doesn’t work for
works on the north side doesn’t work for Homewood what works in north you heights
Homewood what works in north you heights
Homewood what works in north you heights on the north side doesn’t work for
on the north side doesn’t work for
on the north side doesn’t work for Manchester which is also on the north
Manchester which is also on the north
Manchester which is also on the north side we have to have targeted approaches
side we have to have targeted approaches
side we have to have targeted approaches so the partners were willing to grab my
so the partners were willing to grab my
so the partners were willing to grab my hand
hand
hand to figure out how can we work together
to figure out how can we work together
to figure out how can we work together to serve our community members so you
to serve our community members so you
to serve our community members so you know what if you’re you know remember
know what if you’re you know remember
know what if you’re you know remember that 75 year old woman who needed that
that 75 year old woman who needed that
that 75 year old woman who needed that shower chair well that wasn’t a made up
shower chair well that wasn’t a made up
shower chair well that wasn’t a made up story that was a real person and we got
story that was a real person and we got
story that was a real person and we got her that shower chair and how did we do
her that shower chair and how did we do
her that shower chair and how did we do it through collaboration they’re not
it through collaboration they’re not
it through collaboration they’re not looking at each other as competitors
looking at each other as competitors
looking at each other as competitors we’re a team what if we changed how we
we’re a team what if we changed how we
we’re a team what if we changed how we look at the nonprofit sector what if we
look at the nonprofit sector what if we
look at the nonprofit sector what if we change the order in which people call
change the order in which people call
change the order in which people call for help what if they were able to just
for help what if they were able to just
for help what if they were able to just walk down the street to the local safety
walk down the street to the local safety
walk down the street to the local safety net organization that’s there that knows
net organization that’s there that knows
net organization that’s there that knows them were there comfortable receiving
them were there comfortable receiving
them were there comfortable receiving services wouldn’t it be great if
services wouldn’t it be great if
services wouldn’t it be great if nonprofits in one neighborhood knew what
nonprofits in one neighborhood knew what
nonprofits in one neighborhood knew what everybody else is doing or what programs
everybody else is doing or what programs
everybody else is doing or what programs they had to offer what if there was
they had to offer what if there was
they had to offer what if there was overlap what if there was a better way a
overlap what if there was a better way a
overlap what if there was a better way a targeted approach for that neighborhood
targeted approach for that neighborhood
targeted approach for that neighborhood not our whole city start small work our
not our whole city start small work our
not our whole city start small work our way to larger systems and so my hope is
way to larger systems and so my hope is
way to larger systems and so my hope is because we are partnering I have 25
because we are partnering I have 25
because we are partnering I have 25 partners that have reached out and
partners that have reached out and
partners that have reached out and grabbed my hand 25 of them and we’re
grabbed my hand 25 of them and we’re
grabbed my hand 25 of them and we’re going to keep growing but what did you
going to keep growing but what did you
going to keep growing but what did you all have to offer
all have to offer
all have to offer how can you collaborate what are your
how can you collaborate what are your
how can you collaborate what are your skills and talents what does your
skills and talents what does your
skills and talents what does your organization do have you called your
organization do have you called your
organization do have you called your other partners in the area what if we
other partners in the area what if we
other partners in the area what if we had more funding opportunities to
had more funding opportunities to
had more funding opportunities to encourage us to collaborate to make it
encourage us to collaborate to make it
encourage us to collaborate to make it easier to collaborate our job as
easier to collaborate our job as
easier to collaborate our job as nonprofit leaders is to clear a path for
nonprofit leaders is to clear a path for
nonprofit leaders is to clear a path for the voices of our community members it’s
the voices of our community members it’s
the voices of our community members it’s not what I think the need is it’s not
not what I think the need is it’s not
not what I think the need is it’s not what everybody in this room thinks the
what everybody in this room thinks the
what everybody in this room thinks the needs is what what are the people in
needs is what what are the people in
needs is what what are the people in need actually need
need actually need
need actually need what are these neighborhoods what are
what are these neighborhoods what are
what are these neighborhoods what are the programming that they need we can’t
the programming that they need we can’t
the programming that they need we can’t work in silos anymore we can’t do it
work in silos anymore we can’t do it
work in silos anymore we can’t do it these community members are in a crisis
these community members are in a crisis
these community members are in a crisis right now this is our disaster we have
right now this is our disaster we have
right now this is our disaster we have to step up and be the first responders
to step up and be the first responders
to step up and be the first responders so I’m asking you all today look to the
so I’m asking you all today look to the
so I’m asking you all today look to the person to the left and right of you
person to the left and right of you
person to the left and right of you network talk about what you do where are
network talk about what you do where are
network talk about what you do where are you from and how can we join as a team
you from and how can we join as a team
you from and how can we join as a team to tighten the safety net thank you
to tighten the safety net thank you
to tighten the safety net thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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