(FLINT, Mich. – October 13, 2016) Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, with pro-bono support from Deloitte, announced today the recent launch of Flint Sprint, an innovative initiative that aims to help improve the quality of life for Flint citizens within 60 days.
Michigan businesses will provide ‘on-the-ground’, pro-bono support to Flint community organizations. These businesses and educators will be paired with community organizations based on the needs of the project and their respective experience. Projects are identified as “sprints” as they are expected to be completed quickly, from approximately Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, 2016.
To date, a number of businesses have committed to pro bono support of the projects including: AT&T, Rush Trucking, Consumers Energy, Downtown Detroit Partnership, Quest4, and ChoiceTel, among others.
“Flint Sprint will have a great impact on the well-being of our community from improved customer service delivery to better access to health and wellness, more resources for small businesses and increased literacy among toddlers,” said Tim Herman, CEO, Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. “It will also show the powerful role that public-private collaborations can play in solving problems.”
The concept for Flint Sprint builds on the momentum from the Moving Flint Forward Leadership Summit, sponsored by Deloitte, Flint & Genesee Chamber, Detroit Regional Chamber, Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, held June 14, 2016.
The Summit, a business and community development initiative, was launched to address the negative impact of the Flint water emergency and position the Flint-area as a viable place to conduct business, live, work and play.
Since the Summit, the Flint & Genesee Chamber has met with key civic, nonprofit and community organizations to identify high-impact projects that align with Flint Sprint’s objectives; and with Deloitte have sought out corporate collaborators who are interested in sponsoring one of the projects.
“Flint Sprint exemplifies the core values of Deloitte’s Corporate Citizenship program,” explained Mark Davidoff, Michigan Managing Partner, Deloitte LLP. “At Deloitte, we work to promote a stronger economy and society by serving the public interest, driving measurable change in our communities, and inspiring leadership in others. It’s an honor to work with the Flint & Genesee Chamber and with Mayor Weaver to help move Flint further along in its recovery.”
“We are excited about the official launch of the Flint Sprint project and how this partnership can help us as we work towards recovering from the devastating effects of the man-made water disaster,” said Mayor Weaver. “The success of this unique effort will enable us to see significant change and progress in several key areas in a relatively short amount of time. We want to thank Deloitte and the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce for joining us in this effort to make a positive impact and helping move Flint forward on the road to recovery.”
Core focus areas for the initiatives include public safety, infrastructure, health and wellness, education, awareness and communication, transportation, and talent development.
Sample projects supported by various corporate organizations include:
- AT&T/City of Flint – IT Improvement. Perform needs analysis to determine specific requirements around enterprise Wi-Fi for City Hall (number of access points, wiring, etc.)
- Consumers Energy/City of Flint – Public Lighting. Provide financial analysis to determine city-wide pricing for light conversion, recommendations on funding sources, and begin the conversion process.
- Rush Trucking/Hamilton Health Clinic – Hispanic Community Outreach and Marketing. Translate Hamilton Health outreach materials and marketing plan for the Spanish-speaking community.
- Epic.org/Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) – Rides to Wellness – IT Coordination. Develop a systematic process for identifying, purchasing and implementing software/hardware solutions for Rides to Wellness.
- Downtown Detroit Partnership/City of Flint – Conduct a needs assessment to pursue funding for a high definition camera program for police monitoring.
Click here to view all Flint Sprint projects.
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