United Way of Salt Lake Announces 2016 Changemakers
Inaugural United for Change luncheon to recognize individuals and organizations for positively transforming our community
SALT LAKE CITY — Today, United Way of Salt Lake announced its United for Change award honorees for 2016. United Way will honor Intermountain Healthcare, Woodrow Wilson Elementary Principal Jadee Talbot, KSL and Deseret Management Corporation, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, City of South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood and the Salt Lake Chamber as the 2016 Changemakers.
“United Way of Salt Lake is privileged to honor the 2016 Changemakers. We are grateful and humbled to receive the continued support of the compassionate individuals and organizations transforming our community for the better,” said Bill Crim, president and CEO of United Way of Salt Lake. “These Changemakers are our community’s visionaries and true leaders. Their passion, generosity and hands-on involvement is imperative to our mission to the advancement of changing the odds for Utah children and families.”
The 2016 Changemaker Awards for Corporate and Civic Leadership are awarded to business and civic leaders, and organizations that have worked with others to create measureable change in the community. Through dedication and teamwork, they create lasting impact, inspire action, and are a transformational force for good.
Each of the following 2016 Changemakers has partnered with United Way of Salt Lake and tirelessly worked on the community’s toughest issues, multiplying the effects of positive change, and making Utah a better place to live.
Intermountain Healthcare
In 2014, Intermountain Healthcare used its leadership and resources to catalyze a partnership among multiple organizations that addressed unmet dental needs among low-income students and their families. This important partnership provided the opportunity for multiple providers to create something entirely new, a temporary after-hours dental clinic is set up within Promise Partner Community Schools. These mobile dental clinics provide dental screening and treatment to low income students and their families, ensuring essential oral health needs are met, missed school and work days are reduced, and trips to the emergency room are prevented.
Jadee Talbot, Principal, Woodrow Wilson Elementary
Jadee Talbot is principal of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Granite District, located in South Salt Lake. While relatively new to the concept of a community school, Principal Talbot immediately saw the potential of collaboration and has been a proactive leader in making the most of the community school partnership. Going beyond simply allowing nonprofit partners to provide services in the school, he has used his convening power and leadership skills to bring those partners together and created an environment of alignment and shared accountability for student outcomes. Jadee is the epitome of a leader with “yes in his heart” and a fierce dedication to student success, despite the many challenges his students face. His positive and energetic leadership is an example throughout our network and an inspiration to all of us.
KSL and Deseret Management Corporation
KSL has made a significant commitment to advancing literacy in our state. Through its Read Today initiative, KSL has worked with dozens of partners to serve thousands of students in more than 120 schools. By partnering with Read Graduate Succeed, an Americorps Literacy Initiative and United Way, Read Today multiplies its impact by engaging hundreds of volunteers to support struggling readers. Read Today also promotes literacy by EDUCATING, MOTIVATING, and CELEBRATING Utah’s families through challenges and summer reading programs that help create a lifelong love of reading. KSL and Deseret Management Corporation are committed to making Utah a better place for all students and families and it continuously demonstrates strong community involvement through its commitment to literacy.
Mayor Ben McAdams, Salt Lake County
In 2014, Mayor Ben McAdams became the first government official in Utah to embrace pay-for-success financing, joining United Way of Salt Lake in the nation’s first social impact bond, focused on educational outcomes. Mayor McAdams built upon this early vision and is working to develop two additional pay-for-success initiatives. In the process, he became a national leader among local government officials in using data to drive results. His commitment to collective impact partnerships is also a national model. This is seen in Kearns where a data-driven collaborative approach to community transformation is being implemented, and through the convening of a cross-sector, cross-community partnership to develop long-term strategies that are resulting in improved outcomes within the homeless service system. It is an honor to recognize Mayor Ben McAdams, as a 2016 Changemaker, for his exceptional commitment to creative positive change in our community.
Mayor Cherie Wood, City of South Salt Lake
Mayor Cherie Wood was the first civic leader to recognize the power of collective impact partnerships in Utah, committing her administration to implementing and developing the Promise South Salt Lake Partnership with Granite School District, United Way of Salt Lake, and dozens of business and nonprofit partners. Under Mayor Wood’s leadership, the Promise Initiative has become a department within city government, focused on aligning resources to assure that every child has the opportunity to succeed
Salt Lake Chamber
Since 2011, the Salt Lake Chamber has worked tirelessly to organize the business community as a voice for education with the Utah Legislature. Through its support of Prosperity2020 and EducationFirst, the Chamber provided critical leadership and increased resources for Utah’s public and higher education system. Working with Alan Hall and Prosperity2020, the Chamber helped initiate the Roy Cone project, a public-private partnership in Weber School District similar to United Way of Salt Lake’s Promise Partnerships, working to achieve improved outcomes for every student in the Roy High School feeder pattern. Together, with the Salt Lake Chamber’s collaboration, leadership, commitment, and resources - we can create lasting change.
United Way of Salt Lake will honor these outstanding organizations and individuals at the first ever United for Change luncheon on May 18, 2016. For event and RSVP information please visit unitedforchange.uw.org.
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United Way of Salt Lake is working to advance the education, income, and health of our neighborhoods and communities to ensure that every child succeeds, every step of the way, from cradle to career. We invite everyone to LIVE UNITED and be a part of the change. You can give, you can advocate, and you can volunteer. Join the conversation by visiting our blog at uwslhub.org, or find out more at uw.org.
