The goal of the event:
To develop an omni-sector (all sectors) regional infrastructure for identifying and more effectively responding to emerging human needs. The goal of the day was to bring focus and intent to the mission of the Alliance in the form of a Strategic Plan. Specific outcomes sought are:

• Acknowledgment and embracing of common values.
• Igniting a passion for filling gaps in the continuum of care.
• Building consensus and getting alignment of all participants
• Fostering city and county partnership and ownership
• Identifying, sorting & prioritizing key needs
• establishing action plans to address the selected needs

The retreat activities engaged participants in a process that allowed for:

• creative expression and insights from each participant and
• group interaction to synthesize the best from all perspectives. The morning process focused on individual and group vision. The afternoon process focused on group assessment of community needs and concommitant organization development requirements to meet those needs. View Event Record

In April of 2007, Suzanne Pohlman, Executive Director of Interfaith Community Services, convened a group of non-profit executives to explore the idea of reviving the North County Executive Director's Council that had been active a decade earlier but had since disbanded. She pointed out that in the absence of such a group, the non-profit sector had lacked a cohesive voice and had been less effective in contributing to community solutions. It was proposed by the group that it call itself the Alliance for Regional Solutions with the mission "to work collaboratively advocating changes to ensure emerging human needs are justly met." On May 8, 2007, representatives of 16 North County non-profits gathered at Green Oaks Ranch and established the Alliance for Regional Solutions (ARS). Learn more