HIRED | September Newsletter

September 2008 eNews

HIRED Aims to Register 355 New Voters for November Election

As our nation nears the historic election of 2008, HIRED continues its tradition of civic engagement through nonpartisan voter registration and education. A recent statement by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits argues that nonprofits are the “sleeping giants of the democratic process,” having the potential to dramatically increase voter participation among the people they serve. As a result, nonprofits throughout the state – including HIRED – are mobilizing their organizations and communities through voter registration, voter education and get-out-the-vote activities.

Under a movement that began in 2004, HIRED’s Government Relations Committee – made up of 13 HIRED staff from across the organization’s 14 locations – is spearheading a campaign to increase citizen engagement in the democratic process. This year, the committee aims to register 355 new voters – a nearly 20% increase from 2004. To help achieve this goal HIRED has implemented a new online voter registration tool, powered in partnership with Rock the Vote.

Maureen Ramirez, coordinator of the Minnesota Participation Project at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, recently stated that “HIRED is a textbook example of effective nonprofit voter engagement efforts.” She points to the emphasis HIRED places on seeing that at least one trained voter-registration expert is available at each office location.

In addition to encouraging clients and HIRED supporters to register to vote, staff members have volunteered to call clients prior to Election Day to remind them to vote, help them locate their polling place, secure transportation to the polls and answer any questions they might have.

For more information about HIRED’s efforts to register voters or to complete an online voter registration form, visit our website.

Spread the Word! HIRED Works Offered October 10 & 16

Help us spread the word about the amazing work HIRED is doing in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area! HIRED Works – a one-hour “get to know us” event for potential partners and supporters – will be held on Friday, October 10, at our St. Paul office and Thursday, October 16, at our main office in Minneapolis.

If you have friends, colleagues or family members who you think would enjoy learning more about HIRED’s important mission to help people find work, please contact Nadine Sehnert by e-mail.

40 Years Ago

The cover of Time in early September 1968 featured a pensive-looking Hubert H. Humphrey (along with his VP candidate Edmund Muskie) after wrapping up a volatile convention in Chicago and looking toward making a run for the presidency. Minnesota’s Humphrey narrowly lost his bid for the White House to Richard Nixon after an extraordinarily tight race. Many believe Humphrey’s association with Lyndon Johnson cost him the election.

HIRED was in its very first days as the 1968 election appeared on the horizon. Originally focused on serving ex-offenders, HIRED has now grown to serve more than 8,000 people each year – that’s more than 150,000 over the course of its 40-year history.

September 2008 sees the country on the verge of another tight presidential race, and sees HIRED perfectly positioned to provide workforce solutions for the emerging workforce and economy. For more about HIRED’s impressive 40-year history, visit www.HIRED.org/40years.

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