Business and Nonprofit Organizations Join tpt to Produce Series on Region's Socio-Economic Disparities.

"Close the Gap" will air on Channel 2 and Channel 17 beginning April 6

MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Itasca Project, a business-led coalition that supports initiatives that advance the Twin Cities region's economic competitiveness and quality of life, has joined with the McKnight Foundation, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Minneapolis Foundation, Best Buy Children's Foundation and Twin Cities Public Television to produce a six-part series that examines the region's growing disparities.

The series, called Close the Gap, was inspired by a Brookings Institution study that Itasca Project participants released in late 2005. The study dove deep into race, income and place disparities, and presented a case for closing the gaps based on the retirement of more than 750,000 baby boomers beginning in 2011 and the need for a skilled replacement work force.

"Itasca members have reached thousands of people in the community over the past few years to share the information on the Brookings Institution report and Itasca's business response to the findings," said Mary Brainerd, president and CEO of HealthPartners and chair of Itasca Project. "When tpt approached us with the idea of not only presenting the data but telling the stories of how those findings are playing out in our community, we gave the idea our enthusiastic support."

A one-hour summary, Close the Gap - The Case for Change, will air on tpt 2 Sunday, April 6, from 6-7 p.m. Five 30-minute documentaries will air over the following five weeks on tpt 17:

Close the Gap: Making the Case - Saturday, April 12, from 8-8:30 p.m.

Close the Gap: Race Disparities - Saturday, April 19, from 8-8:30 p.m.

Close the Gap: Class Disparities - Saturday, April 26, from 8-8:30 p.m.

Close the Gap: Place Disparities - Saturday, May 3, from 8-8:30 p.m.

Close the Gap: Making Change - Saturday, May 10, from 8-8:30 p.m.

The Wilder Foundation is also supporting the project. The complete documentary, along with discussion guides for schools, community groups, and companies will be available at www.tccompass.org.

"Stories that make the disparities real, not only to our communities' leaders but to each citizen as well, have the ability to create awareness, change attitudes and influence behavior," said Close the Gap producer Daniel Bergin. "Compelling television programs can touch the 'head,' the 'heart' and motivate action. In other words, Close the Gap is the undeniable 'Inconvenient Truth'' of our metro area's future."