HUNTINGTON, WV – United Way of the River Cities (UWRC) hosted its second annual Community Leaders Congress, on April 28, 2026, St. Mary’s Center for Education Conference Center.
The Leaders Congress brought about 140 community leaders, policymakers, business owners, nonprofit organizations, and anchor institutions in launching the next phase of the Community Opportunity Plan (COP), a transformative initiative to expand economic mobility for below-FPL (Federal Poverty Line) and ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households.
The Community Opportunity Plan is UWRC’s strategic roadmap to address systemic challenges faced by working families across Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, and Wayne counties in West Virginia, and Gallia and Lawrence counties in Ohio. This year’s gathering premiered action steps that three task forces have compiled over the past year to address the COP’s mission of addressing barriers to people entering the workforce.
More than 168 individuals joined taskforces to help shape this plan. Together, they developed practical, collaborative solutions designed to reduce duplication and build on existing programs.
These priorities and goals are:
AFFORDABLE & ACCESSIBLE CHILDCARE
We will work with businesses, childcare providers, advocates, and policymakers to increase access to childcare, support legislative solutions, and build stronger systems for working families.
RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION
We will map existing transportation routes, identify key hub points, and develop partnerships to create a more reliable employee transportation system across the region.
WORKFORCE READINESS
We will develop a navigator system in schools, daycares, and community centers to help young people build communication, teamwork, and other workplace skills before and after graduation.
Highlights of this year’s congress included a keynote address by Brandon Dennison, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development for the Office of General Counsel at Marshall University. There was also a panel discussion about overcoming workforce barriers, with Josiah Hannah, Director of Workforce Development at Coalfield Development; Julia Fletcher, President of JH Fletcher and Co.; and Deb Harris, Manager, Jobs and Hope WV.
Other speakers were:
- Toney Stroud, Board of Directors President, United Way of the River Cities
- Lisa Chamberlin Stump, Marshall Health Network
- Jedd Flowers, Executive Director, United Way of the River Cities
- RaShad Sanders, J.P. Morgan Chase, to announce NeighborWorks opportunity
- Steve Cline, Senior Director of Community Impact & Opportunity, United Way of the River Cities
- Margaret Mary Layne, Layne Consulting, LLC
- Randall Saunders, Board of Directors President, Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce, to announce formation of a Business Roundtable
This year’s COP sponsors are Marathon Petroleum, Foundation for the Tri-State, Huntington Foundation, Marshall Health Network, Moses Auto Mall and the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington.
