Dear Friends,

Thank you for your support and partnership! This year, the Springfield Urban League, Inc. commemorates 82 years of investment toward the uplift of humanity.  We honor this occasion by saluting the unequivocal support of socially-responsive organizations and individuals who have joined us over the years in making this great community a better place for all of its citizenry!  On this occasion, we honor the synergistic efforts of many and have been reminded through successes and challenges that when we stand united, we empower communities and change lives.” 

As the world evolves and as the United States of America strengthens its resolve and commitment to “promote general welfare,” so, too, we must solidify our devotion to ensure that not one is left behind for “United We Stand.”  Whether fueled by the wise counsel of the late Whitney M. Young, former National Urban League CEO, who affirmed that we all hurt when one hurts; or motivated by Dr. King’s compassionate philosophy on the “inescapable network of mutuality,” the message remains the same, “United We Stand.”  As we celebrate the amazing accomplishments and lives we have touched together during the past 82 years, we look forward to our collective future.

Just as “it takes a village to raise a child,” it takes collective efforts to serve a community.  It takes a village to ensure the strength, health, and vitality of all its members.  Just as members of the devastated communities struggled in the hurricane crisis, we have families in our community who struggle to persevere with lives of daily crisis.   And just as all community members were needed to respond to the crisis created by Hurricane Katrina, we must all respond to the crisis creating homelessness, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, inadequate healthcare, and hunger in our community.  As we endeavor to continue to empower communities and change lives, let us embrace the gift of stewardship with excitement, courage, humility and hope … “United We Stand!”

Nina M. Harris