26 January 2010
Humanitarian Resource Institute
Phone: (203) 668-0282
Url: www.humanitarian.net
United Nations Arts Initiative
Arts Integration Into Education
Url: www.unarts.org
Twitter: unarts
U.S. Needs Analysis Critical for Strategic Planning and
Relief
Our debt crisis on the grass roots level continues
to spiral
out of control, with each passing day. In a landscape with 17.3 %
real unemployment [1], 7-9 million victims of predatory lending,
mortgage and appraisal fraud, [2] have been denied mortgage
modifications, though
eligible according to the HopeNow program. [3] Crippling
hyperinflation
of food and energy, have intensified the crisis on the grassroots
level,
two years into this economic emergency.
The size and scope of this economic crisis has prompted the Humanitarian
Resource Institute Arts Integration Into Education Initiative to
set forward a 50 state, county/municipal appeal for Unmet Needs
Reports
that outline (1) the size and scope of the needs landscape in a
demographic
area, (2) the capacity of existent front line programs to address those needs and
(3) gaps.
The focus of this initiative is to acquire written, photo and video reports
[4] that articulate the scope of unmet needs on the corporate,
small business, nonprofit organization and household level to assist
with strategic planning and development of relief
efforts. Communication network development in each city/county
area will assist advocacy education initiatives and unmet needs
appeals. These networks (direct mail, fax, email) target the
household level, corporate, municipal, state and federal government,
community action, interfaith
organizations and the media.
HRI/UNArts Founder Stephen Michael Apatow has offered to be the
national contact point to assist with strategic planning, appeals, press
conferences and logistical support.
In 1990, under his direction, connections in Washington, DC with a
liaison for the U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services, led to
the development of the NCADI National Youth Leadership Initiative.
[5] The focus of this project was to open the first toll free
hotline for the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
(NCADI) and Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP). This
project was recognized as the largest touch outreach initiative ever
coordinated through these federal agencies.
In 1990-91, efforts were made to optimize grassroots communication
networks to the household level in a target area. Utilization of
utilities companies, school districts, the interfaith community and
media
provided at least five pathways that could be utilized to reach every
household. The target focus was access to substance abuse
educational materials and programs and was coordinated in cooperation
with the New York State Division
of Substance Abuse Services.
In 1993, the doors opened to develop the Run Across America for
Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty Initiative, [6] coordinated
in
cooperation with the US House Select Committee on Hunger. This
project
focused on the unmet needs of frontline service programs in 133 cities
along Route 50 from Washington DC to San Francisco, California.
Following the completion of these two national
projects, the nonprofit organization Humanitarian Resource Institute
was founded in 1994. The focus of this organization was to
respond to the serious unmet needs identified during the 1990/1993
projects with a primary mission to serve as "a Bridge for Unmet
Needs to Untapped Resources." The pathway was via
optimization of communications capability: prioritization of
a focus issues, engagement of the world top reference points,
compilation of peer reviewed supportive materials and direct
communications to
the decision making level in a target demographic.
United States needs analysis, strategic planning and relief operational
discussions are now a focus point for UN member countries through the HRI:
UNArts - Haiti - Hope For Humanity Global Campaign [7] with the
scope of the global economic emergency a focus at the World Economic
Forum in
Davos, Switzerland [8] as World Leaders focus on a Call for
Emergency
Action. [9]
References:
1. Broader U-6 Unemployment Rate Increases to 17.3% in December, Wall
Street Journal Blog. 8 January 2010. Url: http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/01/08/broader-u-6-unemployment-rate-increases-to-173-in-december/
2. ARM Resets - Predatory Lending/Fraud: Criminal Prosecution vs.
Negotiation: Humanitarian Resource Institute, 17 January 2010. Url: http://www.unarts.org/news/armresets_1172010.html
3. HopeNow. Url: www.hopenow.com
4. Citizen Journalism: The world cannot respond, if it does not know:
Humanitarian Resource Institute, Url: http://www.humanitarian.net/university/arts/news/citizenjournalism_632009.html
5. National Clearinghouse for Drug and Alcohol Information Campaign.
Url: http://www.cycleacrossamerica.org
6. Run Across America for Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty. Url: http://www.runacrossamerica.org
7. HRI: UNArts - Haiti - Hope For Humanity Global Campaign:
Humanitarian Resource Institute. Url: http://www.unarts.org/news/hopeforhumanity_1202010.html
8. World Economic Forum: Davos, Switzerland. Url: http://www.weforum.org
9. Davos: World Leaders Called to Emergency Action: Humanitarian
Resource Institute, Url: http://www.unarts.org/news/gsteagall_152010.html
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