COMMUNITY IMPACT DECISION 2008:

1350 HOMELESS SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN IN MARION COUNTY

On June 9th, 2008, United Way unveiled the culmination of a large research project to the community. In front of nearly 70 community leaders, media representives and interested citizens, United Way's Community Impact Committee shared their conclusions that homelessness among school age children should be the focus of community resources and energies.  Core committee members for Community Impact, Dr. Cheryl Fante, Doug Day and Tom Dewey, as well as Suzanne McGuire, Elizabeth Sukys, Board Chair Mark Imes, all presented the findings of the research. The committee announced that 1350 school age children were homeless in Marion County and that the number of homeless children had increased by 72% since the inception of the study. More than three  years of research and 500 volunteers worked on the Community Impact Decision. Community Impact's purpose is to identify a core community issue and create a vision council, a consortium of resources and an action plan to move the needle in a positive direction over time. At the current time, helping the public understand this decision and making the community aware of the problem is foremost. Over the next months, a Vision Council will be formed. As new developements occur, United Way will inform the public through our website, newsletter and press releases. If you would like to help eliminate the problem of homelessness among school age children, please contact United Way Community Impact VP, Barbara Bombara at 732-9696.