A Partnership for Kids, Vegas Style

Andrea Dempsey (center with cap) Community Connection Representative for Arizona Charlie's Hotel and Casino. Next to Andrea, Phyllis Hargrove, HUD Senior Management Analyst, Dollicia Partridge, Dog Catchers Youth Foundation, Duana Malone, TechQueen Systems (center). From left to right Henry Thorn, Dog Catchers Youth Foundation, Robert Lewis, NUFF SED Youth Foundation, Maxwell Lewis, NUFF SED Youth Foundation, Mario Lewis, NUFF SED Youth Foundation, Elijah Robertson , NUFF SED Youth Foundation, Ahmad Ade, Al Maun, and Toiyaun Pierre Forte, NUFF SED Youth Foundation.

Dr. Tiffany Tyler of Nevada Partners and coordinator for the Las Vegas My Brother's Keeper Initiative.

The Partnership for Kids collaboration team.

What do a casino, a police officer and a mental health counselor have in common? Well, in Las Vegas they are all their brother's keeper and great community partners. On August 16, 2014 over 150 people gathered to celebrate the Partnership for Kids Healthy and Happy Back to School Fair.

Children and their parents were able to enjoy a free Zumba class, design their own computer games and speak to a mental health professional about having good self-esteem and the right attitude for success in school. There were also police cars, jumpers, basketball, a fire truck, free lunch and yes free school supplies.

Phyllis Hargrove, HUD Senior Management Analyst worked as a facilitator to help four nonprofits and two for profit organizations collaborative exercise. It started when Robert Lewis of NUFF SED Youth Foundation, a Las Vegas nonprofit stated to Phyllis "... I want to do something for at least a few kids that include exercise and self-esteem".

Robert had few resources but was willing to work with other groups serving kids. Ms. Hargrove brought together NUFF SED with, Henry Thorn and Dollicia Partridge of Dog Catchers Youth Foundation, Rosalind Brooks of Vegas Roots, Ahmad Ade of Al Maun, Agatha Lambey of Agape Behavioral Health, and Duana Malone of Tech Queen Systems.

This new collaborative took on the name Partnership for Kids. They were all a part of a larger group that attended a Las Vegas My Brother's Keeper Capacity Building training conducted by Ms. Hargrove.

Las Vegas Metro Police Officer Captain William Scott of Bolden Area Command lead an inspirational talk about the importance of the police and the community working together peacefully to make the community a better place.

This event showed the power of an idea matched with the power of partnership. This exercise in collaboration gets an A!

Contact Phyllis Hargrove (phyllis.a.hargrove@hud.gov).

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