When you LIVE UNITED, you change lives

Thanks to you, United Way is changing the way. Here's the latest information about how United Way and our partners are making a difference in the lives of kids, families and communities in Snohomish County.

United Way

From Dollars to Difference: How your donation creates an impact

MEET ASHTON

Ashton Faller is an enthusiastic five-year-old, all energy and eager for kindergarten.

School officials are confident he can succeed in a regular classroom, despite early indicators of autism. His mother, Lisa, concurs and says Ashton is living testimony to early childhood programs like Little Red School House, an agency funded by United Way that is dedicated to children with disabilities. United Way commits nearly 40 percent of Local Community Fund dollars to programs for children and youth.

It is a commitment, Lisa asserts, that gives kids the opportunity to rise above their unique challenges to reach their full potential. A commitment that means her son, Ashton, will enter kindergarten ready to learn and expected to thrive.

LIVE UNITED rocked!

COMMUNITY CARING CELEBRATION HONORED ORGANIZATIONS WITH AWARDS, APPLAUSE AND AC/DC

Right: Jane Hogland and Lindsay Crow of Rodland Toyota/Scion accepted the President's Award for best campaign from Carl Zapora.

Organizations that ran the best of the best 2007 campaigns were recognized at United Way's annual Community Caring Celebration March 12. Guests rocked the house and enjoyed the show of a lifetime!

Highlights included recognition for the President's Award for best overall campaign, Employee Campaign Managers of the Year, and the Chair Award for leadership involvement (see full list below). Although the campaign is far from over, with 18 companies choosing to run United Way campaigns this spring, 2007 Campaign Chair John Dickson took the opportunity to "pass the buck" to 2008 Chair Buzz Rodland via a "live" satellite feed from Guatemala where Rodland was volunteering.

In addition to the many award presentations came the announcement that The Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound (Boeing ECF) recently surpassed the $500 million mark for total giving since its inception in 1951. Giving United Way of Snohomish County its single largest gift of the entire 2007 campaign-$2,211,700 to the Local Community Fund-Boeing ECF continues to show in incredible measure just how much Boeing employees care about the community.

Thanks to John Dickson, CEO of Frontier Bank, and Tony Ventrella, master of ceremonies for the evening. Thanks also to special guest speakers Joni Pfeiffer, Dennis Schacklin, John Weber and Toraya Miller.

View pictures from the event.

2007 Community Caring Celebration winners

President's Award

Rodland Toyota/Scion

Community Health Center of Snohomish County

Chair Award

Nordstrom - Alderwood

Community Transit

Employee Campaign Manager of the Year Award

Cecilia Johnson & Judy Austin, Cascade Bank

Mayre Ren, Housing Hope

"You Rock!" Award

Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound

The Boeing Company

Tocqueville Award

Matt Reinhard, Tocqueville Chair

Community Impact Partner Award

Fluke

disAbility Resource Connection

Labor Partnership Award

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1576

IAM District Lodge 160

Innovation Award

City of Monroe

Best New Campaign Award

MDS Pharma Services

Henkels & McCoy, Inc.

Best of Industry Winners

AMT, a Division of Senior Operations

AT&T Mobility

Cocoon House

Community Health Center of Snohomish County

Community Transit

Fluke

Frontier Bank

Johnson Controls, Inc.

Mukilteo School District

Nordstrom - Alderwood

Perteet, Inc.

Rodland Toyota/Scion

Royell Manufacturing, Inc.

Stevens Hospital

Tulalip Resort Casino

Time to register for the Volunteer Expo

Organizations and agencies in Snohomish County using volunteers are invited to register for the Volunteer Expo, happening April 26 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Everett Mall.

The Volunteer Expo is a one-of-a-kind event in Snohomish County that gives volunteers "one-stop-shopping" to hundreds of opportunities at more than 60 agencies.

For agencies, the Volunteer Expo offers great visibility and a chance to talk to potential volunteers and donors directly. Attendees can ask questions about programs and determine how their skills and interests can be best utilized to advance the common good in our community.

The registration form is available online by going to www.uwsc.org, clicking "Volunteer" and then "2008 Volunteer Expo".

Volunteer Expo is sponsored by The Volunteer Center at the United Way of Snohomish County, Catholic Community Services RSVP, Boeing Retired Employees, Eagle Wings disAbility Ministries, the Everett Mall and the Daily Herald.

For more information please contact your Volunteer Center at volunteer@uwsc.org or call Karen Schaeffer at 425.374.5534.

Not too late for tax help!

Economic stimulus payment of $600 - $1,200 requires filing-even if you owe no tax.

United Way's free tax preparation sites are open through April 15 to help low- and moderate-income families file taxes for free. Even those who owe no tax have to file a 2007 federal income tax return this year if they want to receive the government's economic stimulus payments of $600 to $1200.

In addition, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is still available to qualified households. Any individual or couple who worked in 2007 should file for the EITC. Thousands of working families in Washington each year fail to apply, missing out on their share of an estimated $60 million in cash tax credits. Depending on their household, taxpayers can get up to $4,700 from the IRS.

United Way sites at North Middle School in Everett and Cedar Valley Community School in Lynnwood are open Tuesday and Thursday from 5 - 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Call 211 for a list of what to bring or for the site nearest you.

The Washington State Nonprofit Conference April 9

This one-day conference in Bellevue is the premier gathering of more than 500 nonprofit community leaders, supporters and board members from around the state, exploring ways to enhance the vitality of the nonprofit sector.

For more information or to register for the April 9 conference, click on the registration button below. Sponsored in part by United Way of Snohomish County.

Snohomish County Agriculture Sustainability Project to hold community meetings

You are invited to attend a community meeting March 27 at Snohomish High School from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. on behalf of the Snohomish County Agriculture Sustainability Project. During this session, residents will be asked to create priorities and a long-term vision for agriculture in our county.

A community-based initiative created to enhance and strengthen the agricultural economy in our area as well as preserve local farmlands, the Snohomish County Agriculture Sustainability Project is looking to engage citizens and discover what is important to them.

For more information, please contact Gregg Flotlin at 206.323.3733.

United Way Alternative Spring Break 2008

United Way's Alternative Spring Break continues during the month of March in south Mississippi and southwest Louisiana. Check out the program and the experiences young people are having with United Way at http://blog.unitedway.org/asb.

Put play in your day with YMCA of Snohomish County

Join the YMCA on April 12 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. for Healthy Kids Day, with games, prizes and information on how to be healthier in all aspects of your life. For more information, visit www.ymca-snoco.org.

We want to keep you in the loop!

Have you moved to a new work or home address? Make sure United Way continues to send the latest materials to your most current address. Please contact Laura Walker at 425.374.5518 or by e-mail at laura.walker@uwsc.org with any changes or updates you may have.