The National Fund Celebrates a Decade of Changing Lives

Business, Community and Philanthropic Leaders Gathered to Celebrate a Decade of Changing Lives

“There’s dignity in opportunity,” said Peter Scher, Head of Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan Chase & Co., “…The National Fund works. It changes people’s lives and it changes people’s communities.”

Dignity. Opportunity. Collaboration. Job Quality. Community Prosperity.  

These were the themes that emanated from the stately halls of the National Press Club in Washington, DC, to celebrate the National Fund’s 10th anniversary.  The festivities included awards presentations, two thought leader panels and an announcement on the National Fund’s latest investment from Boeing.

The theme of the night was “a Decade of Changing Lives” and a celebration of the collaboratives and investments that have helped more than 92,000 workers and job seekers. The event specifically recognized the more than 30 backbone organizations that have hosted and supported workforce development collaboratives within their communities. Ranging from United Ways, Workforce Development Boards, community foundations, economic development organizations and independent non-profits, these collaborative hosts provided the critical local infrastructure that facilitated 10 years of impact.

The two panel discussions talked about the National Fund’s local and national model and what the future of workforce development holds. The national panel featured leaders from Walmart Giving, the Prudential Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., United Way Worldwide and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. The local panel featured leaders from community foundations including the Incourage Community Foundation, Foundation for the Mid South and the San Francisco Foundation.

Participants across both panels talked about their experiences with building collaboration and the necessity of public-private partnerships to help move people out of poverty and help them succeed in the workforce.  When answering “what’s next?”, investors and community leaders focused on systems change, employer engagement and ultimately job quality.

“The future for this collaboration is to change the system and turn it upside down,” concluded Kelly Ryan of the Incourage Community Foundation in Wisconsin.

To Learn More About the Event:

View photos from the Program, Reception and Congressional Panel on Flickr.

Watch our videos on the Power of Work and our Event Recording.

Read about Boeing’s $1.5M commitment to the National Fund and what this event meant to our network.

Join the conversation by following the National Fund on Facebook and Twitter or searching #NFMeeting