United Way asks Panama City for consistent letters of support for resilience‑hub grants

Amy Harris, a United Way representative, told a Panama City town-hall audience that United Way Worldwide is piloting a "community resilience" effort that would turn a local facility into a resilience center and create neighborhood "mini resilience hubs." "We have about $6,000,000 in grants out right now," Harris said, adding that the work would bring federal and philanthropic dollars into Panama City and reduce future demands on municipal services.

Harris said the organization is seeking a procedural change: instead of repeatedly asking individual elected officials for letters, she requested permission to work with the city manager's office so the city can provide consistent letters of support for grant applications. "So that you can thank me, 1st of all, because that's amazing," Harris said in the meeting's light tone, but she emphasized the practical purpose of the ask: "So every time we write a proposal, the focus may be slightly different... but we would just like permission to work with the city manager's office to get those letters of support."

Commissioners and other participants voiced support for the concept so long as the city was not committed to providing funds or staff time. A committee member noted the request "sounds like exactly what I would support" while adding a caveat that the city should not be signed up for ongoing resource commitments. Harris repeatedly emphasized the nonprofit was not asking for city funding: "We are not asking for money... We don't need staff time from the city. We are trying to bring that to the city. We just want support."

Officials asked Harris to provide a brief summary of the proposals and suggested the city circulate that text ahead of any signature so commissioners and staff know what is being endorsed. The chair agreed: if letters are circulated in advance, the manager could exercise discretion and, when warranted, bring controversial requests to the full commission for confirmation. Harris said she would send a short outline of the work and the specific grant requirements to the city manager's office.

Next steps: Harris will provide written summaries of the grant proposals to the city manager for circulation, and the commission signaled support for a streamlined process so the manager can provide consistent letters of support when the request does not obligate city resources.