United Way Project Blueprint Graduation
On October 15, United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA) celebrated the Project Blueprint (PBP) graduation of the Class of 2021. This year, seventeen participants from Mobile and Washington Counties completed the twenty-one hour comprehensive curriculum that covered the detailed workings of UWSWA, the responsibilities and functions of volunteer boards, time management, leadership training and team building. The graduates are well equipped to serve as strong and active voices for the agencies they choose to represent.
Project Blueprint Class of 2021
- Georgia Baker – Dearborn YMCA Child Development
- Maya Carey – University of South Alabama
- LaNetta Davis – State of Alabama – Department of Labor
- Alysandria Embergale – SSAB
- Ginger Ferniany – Lifelines Family Counseling
- Bryan Fuenmayor – AMVAC Chemical Corporation
- Cara Green – BASF
- Kristin Hegji – United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile
- Robert Hewston – Trustmark Bank
- Courtney Leythan – City of Mobile
- Ashley Mabry – Trustmark Bank
- Chandra Motley – The First, A National Banking Association
- Monica Oakley – Southwest Alabama Partnership for Training & Employment (SWAPTE)
- Jessica Odom – The Arc of Southwest Alabama
- Caryn Scott – Mobile Area Education Foundation
- Leonard Stewart, Jr – Molnlycke
- Rachel Webb – Fostering Together Gulf Coast
Thank you to the contributors
- Anitra Henderson
- Commissioner Merceria Ludgood
- Everage Thomas
- Joy Washington
- Justine Bixler
- Leavie King
- Ramona Hill
- Raoul Richardson
- Sydney Raine
- Tim Wills
This year’s class facilitators were Lifelines Counseling Services Executive Director Chandra Brown, http://www.lifelinesmobile.org/ and The First, A National Banking Association Vice President of Community Development Officer Ira Bates, https://www.thefirstbank.com/. AARP Mobile generously provided Robert’s Rules of Order to all participants, https://local.aarp.org/mobile-al/about-aarp/.
Program Sponsors
- AARP
- Commissioner Merceria Ludgood
- The First, A National Banking Association
- Mrs. Chandra Brown Stewart
As a way to work toward more inclusive United Way systems and communities across the country, United Way of America first initiated the PBP program in 1988. That year twenty-three communities across the country were selected from nearly 100 applicants to conduct demonstration projects that are now used as models by other United Way’s nationwide. Two founders of Mobile’s Project Blueprint program are Walter Bell, retired, and Sydney Raine, President of Southwest Alabama Partners for Training and Employment (SWAPTE). As active participants in the Mobile and surrounding communities, Mr. Bell and Mr. Raine continue to provide vision and leadership to inspire others.
Each year, participants are recruited in a variety of ways ranging from the formal process when CEOs are asked to nominate a candidate, word of mouth from PBP graduates themselves or by responding to a call for applicants published on social media outlets.
PBP graduates currently serve at all levels of UWSWA such as Board of Trustees, the Community Investment Committee, Admissions and special projects like Day of Caring. Local businesses and nonprofit agencies benefit from these volunteers, as do a majority of the United Way of Southwest Alabama agencies.
For more information on how to participate in the next Project Blueprint class, or a list of the participants, contact United Way of Southwest Alabama at 251.433.3624 or kpitman@uwswa.org.