Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Future of the Long Island Works Coalition

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LI Works will close its doors by May 2009 without your support!

 

Dear
 

I am writing on behalf of the Long Island Works Coalition (LI Works), a non-profit that prepares today’s students for Long Island’s workforce. Due to funding issues, they are in jeopardy of closing. This cannot happen. We understand that funding is challenging at this time, yet the cost of students leaving our region or being in failing schools is immeasurable. Without a skilled and educated workforce, businesses will leave. According to the 2009 Long Island Index, "Long Island's future depends on rebuilding its economic engine. Education is a critical component of that equation. We need to use this data to find more opportunities to seed change rather than accept what has always been." LI Works Coalition addresses both issues by:
  • Stemming the ‘brain drain’ by connecting students at a young age to Long Island companies.
  • Planning and implementing  region-wide Internship Fairs, seminars and a free database affecting tens of thousands of students and thousands of businesses
  • Creating systemic change in education through rigorous academics for all students, relevancy in learning and relationships with local businesses. This systemic change in education will connect students at a younger age to our high growth industries, increasing employment opportunities and is especially effective in increasing graduation rates
  • Creating Career Academies, an innovative and highly successful way of teaching basic academics (math, science, English, social studies) by using the context of real world career examples across our region
  • Working on a national initiative to align economic development, workforce development and education, kindergarten through graduate school.

LI Work’s programs affect everyone on Long Island: all level of students, schools, colleges, businesses, government, community and parents.   Without them, all workforce readiness efforts will end.  Given the economic realities that Long Island faces, there could be few public purposes more appropriate for funding than the work of LI Works.

Please act quickly.  If LI Works should close, it would end the remarkable progress this small, efficient organization has made for the past 10 years.  We look forward to your continued influence in supporting this issue, critical to Long Island’s future.


Sincerely,
____________________

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INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Copy the above text into a new email, or document.
2.  Either e-mail to or fax to specific individual listed below.
3.  Phone numbers are the preferred method of communication as far as priority notifcation.
4.  Faxes and e-mails will also be appreciated.


Governor David Patterson -Governors.Office@chamber.state.ny.us or fax - 212-681-4648, 
phone -518-474-8390
Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi - tsuozzi@nassaucountyny.gov or fax - 516-571-3136, phone - 516-571-3131
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy- teamlevyinfo@gmail.com or 631-853-4818, 
phone - 631-853-4000
RegentTilles - RegentTilles@mail.nysed.gov 
Regent Tish - RegentTisch@mail.nysed.gov
Patricia Smith, NYS DOL - nysdol@labor.state.ny.us or 888-4-NYSDOL
Sen. Charles Schumer - fax - 631-753-0997, phone - 631-753-0978
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand - fax -631-249-2847, phone - 631-249-2825