United Way of Morris County Events
Past Events
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| From left: Finn Wentworth, Attorney General Peter Harvey, and John Franklin. |
Public Officials Forum
September 14, 2004
United Way of Morris County hosted its first in a series of public forums on September 14, 2004 at Wyeth in Madison, N.J. The event, which attracted more than 75 business leaders and key elected and appointed public officials, was the first step in bringing community and political leaders together to make connections, generate ideas, and accomplish community priorities.
Finn Wentworth, founder and managing principal of Normandy Real Estate Partners, was the first speaker to address the audience, which included business leaders from Novartis, Pfizer Inc, Wyeth and Atlantic Health Systems, and elected and appointed public officials, such as New Jersey Attorney General Peter Harvey, First Assistant Attorney General Mariellen Dugan, Freeholder John Murphy and Assemblyman Alex DeCroce.
Wentworth offered brief remarks about the state of Morris County. He applauded Morris County corporations and individuals for their generous support of and commitment to the community, and also recognized the great amount of wealth and prosperity that Morris County enjoys. He noted that there are also many Morris County residents who struggle to make ends meet each and every day. For example, according to the latest census, 3.9 percent of Morris County's population lives below the poverty level and 21 percent of households earn less than $40,000 a year.
While the forum acknowledged that United Way truly makes a difference in combating many issues-helping one in five people in Morris County, either through funded programs or initiatives-the group agreed that more can and should be done.
John Franklin outlined United Way's priorities for the future, stating that United Way is committed to addressing large-scale issues, such as affordable housing, quality child care, transportation and financial stability for all families in Morris County.
Attorney General Peter Harvey also addressed the group about the importance of protecting the youth of New Jersey from the threat of gangs, guns and drugs. The initiative he spoke about, Project Vision, seeks to protect children and teens by providing them with positive alternatives to the negative influences prevalent in today's society. Harvey invited politicians and business executives alike to join his efforts in protecting New Jersey's youth.
United Way of Morris County leaders considered the event to be a success and only the beginning of a massive undertaking of these high level concerns. "Our goal for this event was to have the opportunity to share our community agenda with other key leaders and lay the groundwork for tackling the issues that impact Morris County and its residents," he said. "We understand that with the support of local business leaders and public officials, we can get the results that none of us can accomplish alone-making Morris County a better place to live."
As a follow-up to the forum, United Way of Morris County will provide elected and appointed officials and corporate executives with a report outlining a comprehensive Morris County community agenda, which identifies the most pressing community issues. The report will address how United Way is addressing each issue currently and plans for the near and long-term future.
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