Erie Community Foundation

COLLABORATING FOR THE GREATER GOOD

On November 30, 2007, The Erie Community Foundation and The United Way of Erie County co-hosted a Policy Forum to discuss and understand economic realities in Erie and to promote family self-sufficiency. During the meeting, PathwaysPA and Keystone Research Center representatives presented their research of state policy and local trends. Carol Goertzel, president/CEO and Marianne Bellesotre, senior policy analyst of PathwaysPA addressed the economic realities in Erie and Northwest Pennsylvania. Stephen Herzenberg, Ph.D., senior economist with the Keystone Research Center presented a power point on poverty and promoting self sufficiency in today’s economy.

The panel included: Mary Bula, executive director, Erie Growth Partnership; Kim Green, director of Economic and Community Development; Danny Jones, board chair of GECAC; Bill Jackson, COO, United Way and Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio.

Over 100 community residents, leaders, politicians and educators attended the event at the Bayfront Convention Center.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL IN ERIE

In 2008, The Foundation and the United Way plan to host a Community Forum to further elevate community dialogue on the issues affecting the quality of life in Erie County.

TOP 10 LIST
Suggestions from Stephen Herzenberg at the Erie Community Foundation-United Way of Erie County Forum on Investing in Erie Families: Economic Opportunity for All Held at the Bayfront Convention Center on November 30, 2007

10. Create a community college

9. Learn about and support the Erie Community Foundation pilot project to link low-income families to family-supporting careers in Erie/NW PA industry partnerships

8. Support the push for a state Earned Income Tax Credit

7. Define and advocate for a multi-pronged state education and skills agenda for working families

6. Support business subsidy accountability that would encourage investment of public economic development subsidies in and near low-income communities

5. Learn about and collaborate with the new union of home-based early childhood educators to improve the education quality and promote self-sufficiency for providers

4. Engage in a deep and broad study and consensus-building process to define a regional economic strategy that promotes prosperity and equity

3. Create local Erie-based research and policy capacity that can network with Keystone Research Center and other think tanks and support the development and implementation of a regional economic strategy that promotes prosperity and equity

2. Collaborate for the greater good

1. Make Erie and Northwest Pennsylvania a model for going from band-aids to structural solutions to the problems of concentrated poverty and too many low-income families

Publications of interest from the Policy Forum:
Investing in Pennsylvania's Families:Economic Opportunity for All
Investing in Families
Powerpoint Presentation