Dear Friends, Colleagues and Stakeholders –
As 2020 comes to a close, the leadership of Smart Policy Works is excited to share news about a transition we will be making at the end of this year. After almost three decades of making an impact both locally and nationally, the Board of Directors decided that it was time to honor the policy-advocacy contributions that SPW has made on so many fronts and to wind down operations so projects could be transitioned to other organizations.
I am certain that some veteran supporters of the work may recall that Smart Policy Works was founded as the “Chicagoland SSI Coalition” 28 years ago as a temporary project to help people apply for the Supplemental Security Income program. This “temporary” project became a center for advocacy and education on topics related to healthcare access, human services, and social justice and equity, not just in Chicago but throughout the U.S. With the support of people like all of you, Health & Disability Advocates grew and transitioned to become SPW and is now concluding, having made a mark on the communities we have served.
This doesn’t mean that things will end, but rather that the core of the current work that continues to be needed is getting transitioned to longtime community partners. It is gratifying to see SPW’s mission continue through these transitions, and as leaders in this space we will continue to support our partners any way we can. One of our important new assets, the Smart Training Works online training center, will continue with our partners at the Safer Foundation. We also look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of SPW’s “alumni” and other former colleagues whom we see uniquely situated across the health and social sectors. We are encouraged by this emerging new, diverse generation of nonprofit leaders who are stepping forward to represent their own communities. It is our hope that SPW’s body of work – the extensive research, resources, and materials – will provide a helpful resource for their efforts.
As we get close to the finish line, the Board of Directors and I want to convey our profound gratitude to the dedicated staff team, the individual donors and volunteers, as well as the local and national funders who invested time, money, and passion in our work. Together, we were able to do some big things to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. To make sure you get the full scope of the return on your investment, we put together a timeline of the organization’s history with a list of notable accomplishments. We hope you are proud too, as these are YOUR accomplishments!
The SPW team hopes to celebrate Smart Policy Works’ many accomplishments and successes at an event as soon as we can all gather safely – so stay tuned!
In the meantime, as we enter this holiday season, please know how much we value you and your contributions to making our communities healthier and safer places to learn, live, work, and play. We wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
With warm regards,
Barbara Otto