Responding to Shrinking Manufacturing Industry and Automotive Plant Closings Focus of United Way Summit, April 5

More than 100 participants from the United States and Canada, including public, private and nonprofit representatives, will attend a summit, Responding Locally in a Global Economy, Wednesday, April 5. The summit's purpose is to discuss and work toward developing proactive strategies that will ultimately help communities critically impacted by continual reductions and restructuring of the manufacturing industry.

The summit will be hosted by United Way for Southeastern Michigan (Detroit, MI), and United Way of the Greater Dayton Area (Dayton, OH) -- two communities deeply affected by the loss of manufacturing jobs in a challenged economy. Economists and industry experts will also participate in the summit.

According to Marc Levy, president, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, "When there are apartment fires, gas main explosions, tornados or other events that put people in need, we have defined systems in place to respond. This is not the case when we have economic problems in a community, region or nation." Levy added, "The summit is an exciting opportunity to begin a conversation essential to the challenges we are facing, in order to establish ways we can help people and communities during difficult times."

Detroit was ranked the poorest big city in the United States according to the Census Bureau. This, coupled with the downsized manufacturing industry, poses an even greater strain on families and the human service providers they rely on for help.

"We know that the critical change taking place in the manufacturing industry enormously impacts our communities and challenges our businesses and human service providers," said Michael J. Brennan, president & CEO, United Way for Southeastern Michigan. "If we as a United Way system truly want to make progress on key social issues affecting individuals, families, communities, regions and our nation, then we must work collectively, as well as with our partners from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. This summit will start that process."

Job losses throughout the manufacturing industry also severely impact communities and residents on both sides of the U.S./Canadian border.

"Windsor and Essex County have approximately 500 plants directly or indirectly related to the automotive industry," said Sheila Wisdom, CEO, United Way/Centraide of Windsor-Essex County. "In fact, according to the Windsor-Essex County Development Commission, approximately 125 million people, 90 percent of assembly plants and 60 percent of both U.S. and Canadian manufacturing, can be reached within one day's trucking time of Windsor, Detroit or southeast Michigan. It makes sense that we look at the issues we face."

  WHAT:  Responding Locally in a Global Economy
         Hosted by United Way for Southeastern Michigan and United Way of
         the Greater Dayton Area

  WHEN:  Wednesday, April 5, Best time for media 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
         9 a.m. Doors open
         9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Welcome and panel discussion
         11:45 a.m. Lunch
         12:15 - 1 p.m. Keynote Speaker, Daniel Howes, columnist, The
         Detroit News
         Participants will work in group discussions following lunch.

  WHERE: Hyatt Regency Hotel
         600 Town Center Drive, Dearborn, MI

WHO: More than 100 representatives from the United States and Canada will attend. The summit is hosted by Michael J. Brennan, president & CEO, United Way for Southeastern Michigan (Detroit, MI); and Marc R. Levy president, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, (Dayton, OH). Presenters include Lou Glazer, president, Michigan Future, Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI); Kim Hill, director, Automotive Communities, Center for Automotive Research (Ann Arbor, MI); Dana Johnson, chief economist, Comerica Incorporated (Detroit, MI); Louis Theriault, director, Economic Forecasting, Conference Board of Canada (Ottawa); Eva Kmiecic, senior vice president, Strategic Management, United Way of Canada; and Sheila Wisdom, CEO, United Way/Centraide of Windsor- Essex County. Daniel Howes, business columnist and associate business editor, The Detroit News, will be the luncheon keynote speaker.

WHY: To assess the social impact on communities as a result of the changes in the manufacturing industry; to develop proactive strategies to best respond to current and future needs; and to work collectively with public, private and nonprofit sectors in order to strengthen the delivery of service to meet the current and future needs of our communities.

Media representatives are invited to attend the April 5 summit between 9 - 11:30 a.m. Please contact Patricia Ellis at 313-226-9484 or Megan Bracket at 313-226-9409 to confirm your attendance.

PRNewswire -- April 3