The Uniters cohort features ideological, racial, educational, and generational diversity:
“I’m inspired by these 28 change-makers who have committed to work across their ideological, racial, and generational differences to prevent targeted violence,” said Joseph Bubman, UPTV Co-Director. “By taking action in their backyards on an issue of paramount importance, these Uniters will be modeling what our country requires from all of us.” The 28 Uniters have been assigned to four project teams, each of which will work with a community organization to design and implement a project that reduces risks of targeted violence in their county: CONTACT Helpline (Franklin), Just for Today Recovery & Veteran’s Support Services (Dauphin), Mediation Services of Adams County (Adams), and Suicide Prevention of York (York). A budget of $10,000 will support each project. “A community’s safety depends on the level of its community members’ proactivity,” said Kierstan Belle, UPTV Team Advisor in Adams County. “I can’t wait to see how the Uniters work together with their community partners to prevent targeted violence in south-central Pennsylvania.” The two-step application process involved a written questionnaire about prospective participants’ interest in the program and a 30-minute interview with two program organizers. UPTV is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships under the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2022. TVTP works to help prevent incidents of domestic violent extremism, as well as to bolster efforts to counter online radicalization and mobilization to violence. |
Uniting for Action on the Oregon Economy to Launch in November
Non-partisan, grassroots initiative aims to build relationships across divides and tackle economic challenges in northwest Oregon ![]() [Portland, OR] – October 11, 2022 – Civic and business organizations are teaming up this fall to launch Uniting for Action on the Oregon Economy, a seven-month program to build new community relationships across divides and collaboratively address economic challenges in northwest Oregon. The program will be implemented collectively by Community Outreach, Inc, Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce, Financial Beginnings Oregon, and the national non-profit Urban Rural Action.
Uniting for Action on the Oregon Economy aims to achieve several goals: build new connections among Oregonians across divides, strengthen individual collaboration skills, increase understanding of economic issues in Oregon, and take action to address those challenges. ![]() "We're excited to bring together Oregonians to do the hard but necessary work of engaging across our differences to build relationships and solve problems," said Ted Volchok, UR Action’s Oregon Program Director. “We're thrilled to implement this program with our local partners."
Interested Oregonians must apply to participate by October 28 by completing an application on UR Action’s website. Organizers expect to select into the cohort 20-30 Oregonians who live in Benton, Multnomah, Washington, and Tillamook counties. ![]() “Community Outreach Inc. is eager to come together with rural and urban stakeholders to improve economic opportunity for our clients and other individuals and families who are experiencing houselessness,” said Emily Barton, Development Director at Community Outreach. “Uniting for Action on the Oregon Economy is a unique opportunity to build trust and community and strengthen the networks that serve us all.”
The broader cohort will consist of three Oregon Uniters hubs, geographic-based teams that will partner with a local organization to design and implement an economic project. The Benton County hub will work with Community Outreach, Inc. to address economic issues and houselessness. Participants in Multnomah and Washington Counties will work with the Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) to support entrepreneurship. Tillamook County participants will work with Financial Beginnings to enhance the financial capacity of youth and adults. ![]() “The Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to be working with UR Action on Uniting for Action on the Oregon Economy,” said Alicia Bermes, CEO of BACC. “BACC has a long history of working with and supporting businesses in and around Beaverton. This is a great chance to collaborate beyond our borders and help address economic challenges in Oregon.”
Starting with a kick off-workshop on November 19, 2022 in Portland, participants will practice skills that help them understand the views of Oregonians different from themselves. Over the following seven months, they will gather three more times in person (in Tillamook, Beaverton, and Corvallis) and several times online to analyze and address economic challenges. "Financial Beginnings Oregon is thrilled to be partnering with UR Action to empower Oregonians to take control of their financial futures,” said Alex Manoogian, Program Director at Financial Beginnings Oregon. “Financial empowerment is critical to building the resilience of communities, families, and individuals. By partnering with UR Action, we can bring together a diversity of experiences and perspectives that can strengthen everyone's journey to managing their finances in pursuit of their dreams." In-person gatherings will include a workshop, a walking tour, visits with community leaders, shared meals, and activities to enable all participants to gain a deeper understanding of the community they are visiting and the challenges they face. Media Contact: Ted Volchok, Oregon Program Lead UR Action, ted@uraction.org Community Outreach, Inc has helped people help themselves lead healthy and productive lives since 1971. Financial Beginnings is a statewide nonprofit that provides accessible and unbiased financial education programming to youth and adults in schools and community-based organizations. Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce promotes a vibrant community and business environment by leading business development and retention, advocating sound public policy and providing strategic member services. UR Action is a national grassroots movement that brings Americans together across divides to tackle our country’s most urgent challenges. |
[Los Angeles] – August 25, 2020 – Five U.S. nonprofits will launch Uniting for Action: America, an innovative program beginning September 9 that aims to build new relationships and promote collaboration across political, racial, geographic, generational, and other divides. The program will be implemented collectively by Urban Rural Action, Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation, News Literacy Project, BridgeUSA, and BridgePeople.
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[Concord, NH] – July 15, 2020 – New Hampshire Listens and Urban Rural Action announced Wednesday that they have been awarded a New Hampshire Humanities (NHH) grant to implement a new 12-month program, “Deepening Connection and Understanding Across New Hampshire's Urban/Rural Divide.” This non-partisan initiative aims to respond to increased tensions that many community members experience with family members, neighbors, and work colleagues amid social crises and hyper-partisanship.
This grant was made available through New Hampshire Humanities’ Community Projects Grants program, which enables nonprofits and educational institutions to design and carry out multi-faceted projects. The "Deepening Connection and Understanding" program will use the humanities to build connections, strengthen collaboration skills, and promote understanding across distance and difference in New Hampshire. |