The United Way of Greater Fall River and People, Incorporated called a meeting on October 18, 2007, to launch a citywide initiative to  get a variety of entities working together with families. Entitled "United Partnerships" this project would be a collaboration between a variety of agencies, many of them under the United Way. The first collaborations are being developed with the Fall River schools and include leadership training for students and anti-substance abuse programs. The new  effort would also attack the dropout rate in city schools. "We’ve been talking with government entities, with the schools and with human service agencies," said People Inc.'s President and CEO Robert Canuel. "We’ve met with the District Attorney and the Chief of Police about bringing a youth court to the city," he added.  Mayor Edward M. Lambert Jr. noted that there are already clear goals to get agencies to work together. "We’re all doing things for families, but we’re all doing it by ourselves," said People Incorporated's Director of Communications Melissa Reilly. The new initiative will begin in January. Click here for the Herald News article about the project. Click here for the People Ink newsletter with a description of the initiative on page four. For more information, contact Ms. Reilly at 508-679-5233.
 

(Top row, left and right) People, Incorporated Board Chairman David Bedard, Jenny Diblasio of United Neighbors, Karen Fischer of the B.O.L.D. Coalition, Susan Jenkinson of the Homeless Coalition, Robert Canuel of People Inc., Senator Joan Menard, Dennis Read and Jason Rua, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Greater Fall River, meet following a press conference at the Abby Grill. (Top row, center) United Way Communications Director Jessica Fernandes listens as Jason Rua brings up a point about youth employment. (Middle row) Senator Joan Menard leads some of the discussion about the value of collaboration. (Bottom row, left) Bob Horne, Executive Director of the United Way of Greater Fall River, helped to lead the discussion that resulted in the United Partnership project. (Bottom row, right) Bob Horne, People, Inc. Director of Development Melissa Reilly, Jason Rua and Robert Canuel, President and CEO of People, Incorporated pose at the October 18th press conference.