United Way of Southeastern Connecticut hosted author and renowned civic thought leader Rich Harwood for a community partner roundtable on June 9, 2025. The event featured an open roundtable dialogue, led by Rich Harwood of The Harwood Institute, that explored how we can come together in our local communities to forge a new path, united in our ability to move forward together so that all can thrive. United Way Board Members, nonprofit leaders, and other volunteers attended the event.
“There has been a lot of uncertainty in the nonprofit sector lately, but United Way has remained steadfast in its commitment to New London County. Having Rich Harwood talk with us is an honor and we look forward to the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about our aspirations for our community and be reinvigorated to continue the work we are doing," said Dina Sears-Graves, President & CEO of United Way of Southeastern Connecticut.
The event is part of Harwood’s Campaign For the New Civic Path—anchored by Harwood’s latest book, The New 
Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and Our Nation—which is crisscrossing the nation this year to prove that the change we need in this country will start locally. And that the way to address the central issues we face today is by forging a new civic path, not more divisive politics. The campaign also aims to demonstrate and assert the value of civic institutions like food distribution programs like the Food Center, United Ways, and libraries, even as they come under attack in society today.
About Rich Harwood
As President and Founder of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, Rich Harwood has devoted his nearly 40-year career to revitalizing the nation’s hardest hit communities, transforming the world's largest organizations, and reconnecting institutions like newsrooms and schools to society. His Turning Outward approach to catalyzing change has spread to all 50 states and 40 countries worldwide. He is the author of nine books (two of which are Amazon Bestsellers), scores of articles, and numerous groundbreaking reports. He has appeared in various national media, including NPR, MSNBC, CNN, the PBS NewsHour, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and elsewhere. He is also a regular contributor to The Fulcrum and The Christian Citizen.
The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Bethesda, Maryland, that equips people, organizations, communities, and networks with the tools to bridge divides, build capacity, and tackle shared challenges.
