With UCAN’s 150th anniversary approaching in 2019, preparing to serve more youth and families was among the drivers in developing a new five-year Strategic Plan; a blueprint that UCAN President/CEO Zack Schrantz says is ambitious and attainable.
As Zack explained to UCAN staff at multiple all-agency addresses, the fiscal year 2018-22 Strategic Plan was approved by the UCAN Governing Board in mid-June, and is anchored by three Strategic Commitments. The road map propels UCAN forward to serve a growing number of youth and families citywide who need and depend on our continuum of care to become future leaders. Those Strategic Commitments:
- A Holistic and Lifelong Relationship – UCAN commits to developing a holistic and lifelong relationship that helps sustain the success of the youth and families we serve, offering opportunities for mutual growth and ongoing support of our mission.
- A Deep and Lasting Community Impact – UCAN commits to deepening our impact in North Lawndale to help develop the community as a safe and quality place to live, work and play by expanding the scope and scale of core services, becoming an integral member of the community and economic development with the goal of replicating these efforts in other communities.
- A Strong and Sustainable UCAN – UCAN commits to developing continuous quality improvement efforts related to the human, financial and technological resources needed to keep UCAN strong and sustainable and achieve our ambitious plans.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work by our Governing Board, senior leadership, UCAN employees, our youth, community stakeholders, and others who contributed with an eye on the future and a focus on thinking big. Our goals and the annual metrics and sequencing in the plan to measure our progress are the most detailed compared to previous strategic plans,” explains Zack. “We’re entering a new, growth-oriented phase in programming and services that will speak to UCAN’s impact in the Chicago area.”
He adds: “Our capacity to serve even more youth and families is so greatly dependent on our hardworking, committed staff that is already respected for their commitment and compassion. We want to ensure we’re all rowing in the same direction, which means following the plan, answering questions and staff discussing how their team fits in.
“We will continue to share progress updates with our partners, funders, the communities we serve and others about how we’re progressing. This is an incredibly exciting time at UCAN, and I’m proud to work with such a dedicated team as we charge forward to expand the scope and scale of our work. Together we will embrace and shape our future.”