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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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