| Let's work together. LEAP and Amistad America, are working on a voyage for young people to Halifax, |
|
| Written by Ben Johnson, New Haven Independent | |
| Monday, 30 March 2009 | |
|
Two New Haven agencies are planning a maiden voyage to a new era of nonprofit budget-sharing — a route they described to state legislators as one way to stay afloat during the recession.
The two agencies, LEAP and Amistad America, are working on a voyage for young people to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Their plan emerged as one hopeful sign during a public session New Haven’s state legislators held at City Hall Saturday to explain the gravity of the Connecticut’s budget crisis. The state faces a projected $7 billion deficit over the next two years. So the proposed budget working its way through the legislature contains deep cuts to not-for-profits.
As nonprofits hit hard by the recession look for ways to keep afloat, LEAP and Amistad America are among those finding ways to work together to make resources stretch further. LEAP Executive Director Eric Clemons said the test voyage of that partnership is already underway. LEAP is a youth program based on Jefferson Street. Amistad America runs educational trips on a replica of the schooner that carried the slaves led by Singbe Pieh who revolted and won their freedom in New Haven.
“We’re looking at having our LEAP kids create a critical mass of young people to go to Amistad and learn about aquatics and boating, and then from those kids Amistad will choose who they want to take on a journey to Halifax, Nova Scotia,” Clemons said. Clemons and Amistad America President Gregory Belanger (pictured above) discussed their joint venture at a town hall forum that brought together representatives of local nonprofits and members of New Haven’s legislative delegation, including Senate Appropriations Committee chairwoman Toni Harp and Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney. Also attending were State Reps. Cameron Staples, Toni Walker, Patricia Dillon, Juan Candelaria, Robert Megna and Gary Holder-Winfield.
Cooperation with Amistad America, Clemons said, was “just one example of things we’re doing to leverage not just money but relationships.” Though times are tough, he said, the motivation for organizations to work together more closely could have lasting benefits even after the recession.
“These forums are very important to us,” said Amistad’s Belanger, who covered the state legislator 20 years ago as a reporter for the New Haven Register. “But this is more like inside baseball. What the public is going to hear is each of these nonprofits asking for their little piece and not seeing how we work together and how there’s a synergy.” Sen. Harp said she was encouraged by the efforts made by nonprofits to cooperate and adapt in the face of budget cuts.
“I’ve never heard that before,” she said. “I think it’s a really good thing, and I really like the fact that they can develop synergies and maybe provide a richer environment for the people they serve by coming together.” Read entire original article published in New Haven Independent on March 30th, 2009 Share on Facebook
Comments
(0)
This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment.
|
|
| Last Updated ( Monday, 18 May 2009 ) |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
