News from United Way of SLO County

United Way of San Luis Obispo County

January 2012 eNewsletter Banner

Twitter Logo United Way is now on Twitter--follow us to stay in touch with all the latest happenings, information and upcoming special events. And don't forget, you can still find us on Facebook where you can check out event photos and see breaking news regularly.

Workplace Giving Program Breeds Volunteerism

Over fifteen workplaces provided volunteers for United Way sponsored programs and events in 2011. Here are some volunteer highlights:

Community Impact Fund

Every year United Way of San Luis Obispo County offers grants for nonprofit programs in the county. Volunteers play an important role in the grant process. Panel members have the responsibility to make funding recommendations based on their assessment of each program. In 2011 volunteers from AT&T, Bank of America, Cal Poly Corporation, City of Paso Robles, and San Luis Coastal Unified School District participated in our grant process.

Stuff the Bus

Stuff the Bus is an annual donation drive for new school supplies that are distributed throughout San Luis Obispo County. Employees from Bank of America, KSBY, and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust worked closely with employees from Office Max to ensure that those buses were stuffed.

KidSpree

KidSpree, an annual shopping event, provides low-income children with back-to-school clothing. Participating children are nominated by local nonprofit agencies and are paired with a community volunteer to help them shop for the items they most need. Groups of volunteers participated from the The San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce and Zurn Wilkins.

Make a Difference Day

Employee groups from AME Unmanned Air Systems, Bank of America, Best Buy and Zurn Wilkins were among the community members who served for four hours, completing landscaping, painting, senior care and other projects.

To start your own Workplace Giving Program visit our web site or contact Horace Morana at (805) 541-1234 x 15.

Major Changes to Health and Human Services

Peter Manzo, President & CEO of United Ways of California, issued a statement relating to children's health, education and family financial stability in response to Governor Jerry Brown's budget proposal; the recently-released budget contains major changes that will affect children and families throughout the state.

"We understand California's dire fiscal situation, and we appreciate that the Governor's budget does not attempt to reach balance only Children coloring through cuts, but the fact remains that even in the best case, this budget further jeopardizes the future of millions of vulnerable California children and their families by threatening loss of health coverage and care, increasing obstacles to self-sufficiency and shrinking educational pathways," said Manzo. Visit the United Ways of California website to read more.

UWW Celebrates 125 Years!

United Way Logo United Way Worldwide (UWW) is a global leader in 41 countries and territories, including nearly 1,800 independent organizations in the United States. These local United Ways are advancing the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all, by focusing on the three key building blocks of education, income and health. In 2012, UWW will celebrate its 125 year track record of engaging individuals and businesses to address community needs. The United Way movement creates long lasting change by addressing the underlying causes of problems that prevent progress in these areas, and mobilizes millions of people to action--to give, advocate and volunteer--to improve conditions in their communities. LIVE UNITED continues to be the call to action for everyone to become a part of the change. Happy birthday United Way!

Opportunity Exchange

Take a moment to read through the monthly Opportunity Exchange, a list of items needed, volunteer and employment opportunities, upcoming events, items available, and advocacy opportunities. If you would like more information, please contact the agency directly using the information provided in each listing. Click here to view the most recent Opportunity Exchange.