LET'S DO IT TOGETHER! UNITED TO END POVERTY.
10 | COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT 2024 | UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT
"I sat on the team looking at health issues and represented the
North Hartford Triple Aim Collaborative and the community.
It was an intense experience; it took a couple of months of
meeting periodically. The unique part was to look at it from
a point of view from someone who we are actually serving
in the community–that really allowed us to zoom in on some
critical needs and things not to forget when we're looking at
the broader community. That was very productive. [From] all the
different groups that brought ideas [to the table], when we came
back together, we actually were in alignment… It was amazing
how it all fit together and we have, what I think, is a pretty good
game plan for moving forward collectively," comments Angela
Harris, North Hartford Promise Zone Appointed Resident Liaison;
and Chair, Phillips Health Ministry, Phillips Metropolitan CME
Church, on her experience participating in the life expectancy
and quality food access design workgroup.
United Way's next step was to continue to bring together residents,
partners, philanthropists and advocates for strategic design
sessions to go deeper into each of these focus areas, co-creating
transformational solutions that will help end poverty. This process
was rooted in empathy and focusing on the lived experience of
those with the greatest need.
Design sessions were held bi-weekly over the course of three
months. Moderated by consultants who specialize in community-
centric strategic planning, each of the four design workgroups
– one focused on child literacy and child care, one focused on
housing and homelessness, one focused on wages and young
adult transportation, and one focused on life expectancy and
quality food access – were tasked with co-creating solutions to
design challenges that relate to ending poverty.
CLICK HERE to hear more from Angela about
the challenges people experiencing poverty
in our region are facing.
