Want more information? Please see our recent news release.
Why are United Way of Summit & Medina and Heart to Heart Leadership merging?
Both organizations are focused on developing engaged servant leaders and offer complementary, not overlapping, programming, especially in the areas of corporate leadership/engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion.
United Way and Heart to Heart are committed in their missions to bring leadership and development to our most critical community needs. Developing leaders are a key and critical part of our effective long-term strategy to make our communities better.
How will things change with this merger?
Following the merger, United Way will establish a new initiative combining the expertise, strengths and leadership for the betterment of the communities each organization serves. This new initiative under United Way, led by Jeremy Lile, currently executive director of Heart to Heart Leadership, will leverage the best parts of each organization and our programming to help expand our impact and innovation now and in the future. Heart to Heart’s current purposeful leadership and development services will continue under the new initiative.
The new initiative will have an advisory committee comprised of some current Heart to Heart board members as well as current United Way board members. It will also have as many as five seats on the United Way board and one seat on the United Way executive committee.
Will this affect other organizations that receive funding from United Way of Summit & Medina or services from Heart to Heart Leadership?
Our goal is to advance synergy and collaboration – both within a future merged organization and externally, throughout our communities. We expect even greater collaboration as we leverage our combined strengths, leading to better support for other organizations and individuals as we continue to invest in their growth and development.
The opportunity to create a more sustainable financial model for both organizations by cross-marketing programs and services allows focus and energy to be spent on fundraising that could be spent on program development.
When will this merger take place? Why then?
The boards of United Way and Heart to Heart have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with an intent to merge on June 1, 2024. Our organizations are now working closely together as part of a due diligence process in anticipation of the merger. June 1 was chosen, in part, to match Heart to Heart’s fiscal year, which runs from June to May. This will greatly simplify the merger process from a fiscal standpoint.
What about Heart to Heart’s Annual Breakfast? Is it still happening?
Yes – and please join us on May 6! The merger will not be finalized until June 1 and so we are continuing with all normal operations until things are official.
This will be Heart to Heart’s 31st annual breakfast and we are expecting another great turnout with amazing guest presenters who will help make it the inspirational morning that it always is. All funds raised through this event will still be used for Heart to Heart program and services under the new leadership center model.