HUNTINGTON, WV – United Way of the River Cities (UWRC) is gearing up to host its second annual Community Leaders Congress, a regional summit designed to unite 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 event will take place on Tuesday, April 28, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at St. Mary’s Center for Education Conference Center.
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 will premiere 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. These priorities are increasing access to affordable childcare, availability to reliable transportation to work and soft skills of youth leaving high school.
“Our Community Leaders Congress is about more than conversation. It’s about action,” said Jedd Flowers, Executive Director and CEO of United Way of the River Cities. “Over the past year, partners from across our region have come together to identify real solutions to the challenges ALICE families face every day. This year, we’re excited to move those ideas forward with concrete steps that expand access to childcare, transportation and workforce readiness. When we align our efforts, we can create meaningful pathways to economic mobility for the people who keep our communities running.”
Highlights of this year’s congress will include a keynote address by Brandon Dennison, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development for the Office of General Counsel at Marshall University. There will also be a panel discussion about overcoming 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.
The congress will also include special announcements about new partnerships and resources designed to forward the economic mobility work already underway.
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.
