Politics & Government
Greenwich United Way Looks to Transition Youth Services Program to Town
The Board of Estimate and Taxation is reviewing a proposal to transfer operations from a partnership to a town program.
There is a push to make transition the youth services coordinator position from the Greenwich United Way to the Town of Greenwich.
Earlier this month, the Greenwich United Way publicly supported the transition of select youth services to the Town of Greenwich at the Board of Estimate & Taxation budget committee (BET) meeting.
First Selectman Peter Tesei was joined by Greenwich United Way Board Chair Karen Keegan and Police Chief James Heavey in the BET budget hearings regarding the proposed town budget for youth services. The hearing centered on the proposed transition of youth services from the Greenwich United Way to the Town of Greenwich with a new consultant to directly work with Tesei on advancing youth development in the community. The $42,000 cost of the program would in part be funded by a state grant.
The youth services included in the proposal are Juvenile Review Board, Inter-Agency Team, and the First Selectman’s Youth Commission. The Greenwich United Way will have a temporary replacement to shepherd its flagship Reading Champions program through the end of the current school year in June, and plans are underway to improve the program next year.
For decades, the Town of Greenwich and local human service providers have relied on the Greenwich United Way for informed insights regarding unmet needs. In 2002, the Greenwich United Way Needs Assessment identified the need for coordination among local youth services and the Greenwich United Way established a task force to develop a solution. Following the task force’s recommendations, the Greenwich United Way approached the town to create a central point for youth services which resulted in the partnership to share and supplement available state grants to fund the position of a “Youth Services Coordinator.”
“This is an opportunity to celebrate the successful fulfillment of the 10-year shared vision between the Greenwich United Way and the Town of Greenwich to better serve our youth. The Greenwich United Way takes great pride in identifying local needs for human services and mobilizing the community to deliver lasting solutions,” Keegan said.
The budget committee will make its final vote at its consolidation day meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
