Newsletter

Thank you for your on-going support of and interest in United Professionals. I am pleased to take this opportunity to fill you in on our progress to date and announce the first issue of the UP Newsletter. Our primary intention is to keep you up to date on what UP is doing and to let you know about news and resources that you can use.

At the invitation of Barbara Ehrenreich, a few of us got together last August to discuss giving life to her idea of an advocacy group for the shrinking middle class. Since that inaugural meeting less than one year ago, we have:

• Formally launched as a not-for profit
• Elected a Board of Directors
• Held our first press conference call
• Established UP’s website
• Established an advisory board
• Established strong partnerships with Americans for Fairness in Lending, National Employment Lawyers Association, and the National Alliance of Professional Psychology Providers
• Held a meeting in Washington, DC for Board and Advisory Board members
• Conducted a poll of our membership
• Began a search for additional funding

In the few months of our existence we have already attracted a healthy membership. We anticipate that UP will grow exponentially as we reach out and become more visible to more people.

We will continue to build additional service capacity by strengthening our legal advice referral process and providing referrals to financial counseling services throughout the country.

Meanwhile, our poll results were loud and clear: Half of our members wanted UP to focus on advocacy. In response we are undertaking a number of initiatives including launching a healthcare advocacy campaign, a directors’ blog, and a forum.

I look forward to building United Professionals with you into a strong defender of our shrinking middle class.

Sincerely,

Bill Holland
UP Board Chair