Local Executive Selected for International Conference on Homelessness

BRIDGEPORT, CT - (November 13, 2006) Merle Berke-Schlessel, Esq., President and CEO of United Way of Eastern Fairfield County, has been named one of eight delegates to represent the United States at an international conference on homelessness. Delegations from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe will convene in London on November 21 and 22 to address this worldwide crisis. Philip Mangano, Executive Director of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, invited Berke-Schlessel to join the American delegation based on her “personal leadership in Bridgeport and her ability to engage private sector partners in the development and implementation of the Bridgeport 10-year plan,” which he deemed as being among the very best in the country.

Throughout 2005, Berke-Schlessel, along with Bridgeport Mayor John M. Fabrizi, co-chaired Bridgeport’s Leadership Group on Ending Homelessness, composed of representatives from a variety of institutions, agencies, service providers, homeless clients and others. Their work resulted in The Greater Bridgeport Area Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness, a document with specific strategies to eradicate this problem by 2015. RBS National Bank provided funding to help in the development and implementation of the plan, which not only provides access to safe, decent affordable housing but also offers needed support services to prevent the problem from reoccurring. United Way of Eastern Fairfield County, through The Greater Bridgeport Area Continuum of Care, continues to oversee the execution of the plan and to support other activities through “Destination Home,” their community impact initiative to ensure that all local residents have appropriate housing.

Berke-Schlessel is optimistic about the Conference’s potential to end the far-reaching epidemic of homelessness. She commented, “At United Way, we emphasize the importance of the entire community working together to accomplish our goals. The international conference in London allows us the opportunity to be a part of the global community. The input of professionals and experts from various nations affords us a better chance of identifying what is working in actualizing long-term results. We can adapt their solutions to the situations in our own regions.”

Upon returning from the conference, Berke-Schlessel, will share her findings with the Destination Home impact committee and other groups. Together, they will work to refine and enhance strategies already in place to help realize their goal of ending homelessness within the next nine years.

United Way of Eastern Fairfield County’s mission is to mobilize a stronger, more caring community across Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull. Our focus is on what matters. We are bringing people together from all across the community - people from government, business, faith groups, nonprofits, and ordinary citizens - to tackle the issues that matter most. United Way is committed to the bottom line results: the lives we change and the communities we shape. Find out more at www.thewaytocare.org