Live United this Summer!

	United Way of Fresno County
	GIVE, ADVOCATE, VOLUNTEER.	ENEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL UNITED WAY

4949 E. KINGS CANYON RD.
FRESNO, CA 93727
T: 559.244-5710 F: 559.228.8159
www.UNITEDWAYFRESNO.org

For 24/7 Health and Human Service Information and Referral- Simply Dial 2-1-1!

	*June 2009*
	*June 2009*

Anthem Bus

Greetings!

Do you know your numbers? Well, 65 more Fresno County residents know theirs as a result of a visit to Anthem Blue Cross' Mobile Screening Unit! As part of the United Way of Fresno County's commitment to health, we partnered with Anthem Blue Cross to provide free health screening. The event took place June 2nd and 3rd and included Blood Pressure, Glucose and Cholesterol Screening. Results are confidential and no insurance coverage is required. Future health screening events will be posted on our website, or you may call 2-1-1 for information about health screening events in your area.

2-1-1 Central Valley, a program of United Way of Fresno County (UWFC) connects our community to essential health and human services through free and confidential information and referral by phone specialists who can assist callers in English, Spanish, Lao, Thai, Khmer and over 140 other languages.

You can simply dial 2-1-1 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year from anywhere in Fresno County and be quickly connected to helpful resources in your community. One call gives you access to health and human resources across the community - whether you need to get help for yourself, a member of your family or friend - or if you want to give help. Someone at 2-1-1 will help connect you to the services or information you need.

VITA/EITC Volunteers get $4.7 million in Returns for Local Taxpayers!

More than 260 VITA/EITC volunteers worked 39,787 volunteer hours preparing taxes for low to moderate income families, retirees, and small business owners, at no cost to the tax payers. Volunteers completed 4758 tax filings totaling more than $4.7 million in total refunds for tax payers. Tax payers received an average return of $1069.81.

The VITA/EITC Volunteer Program had several special events this year. VITA volunteers spent a day at the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians offering no-cost tax filing assistance to the Native American community. Other special events included partnerships with Wal-Mart and the One Economy Organization bringing mobile no-cost tax service to shopping centers, neighborhoods, and rural community centers throughout Fresno County. For the second year, the VITA/EITC Volunteer Program partnered with First Lady Maria Shriver's WE CONNECT YOU event held at Manchester Center, to provide no-cast tax preparation services for low income families. During the WE CONNECT YOU event, volunteers completed 81 tax filings totaling more than $138,000. The WE CONNECT YOU event drew more than 400 people.

Volunteer and help make a difference in our community. To become a VITA volunteer or inquire about financial assistance, call 2-1-1.

Toys for Tots

While it seems as if Christmas is a long way off, the United Way of Fresno County has already begun preparations the 2009 Toys for Tots season! In order for your organization to receive toys, your primary contact person must attend an orientation meeting. Meetings are scheduled for the following dates, only select one to attend.

September 21 - 6:00-7:00pm
September 23 - 1:00-2:00pm
September 29 - 1:00-2:00pm
October 1 - 6:00-7:00pm

For additional information or to get involved with United Way, simply dial 2-1-1



GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. LIVE UNITED.

Joshua and Robert Wyble of Boy Scout Troop #209, St. Paul Newman Center.

United Way of Fresno County Retires Old Glory

Old Glory will with be formally retired with a 21-gun salute at Boy Scout Camp Chawanakee at Shaver Lake this summer. The American Legion and Boy Scouts of America are the only two organizations designated by United States Congress to appropriately retire U.S. flags. Ceremonies are held on Fridays and only four flags may be retired at a time. Unwanted or worn flags may be placed in a drop box located in front of the Clovis Memorial Building or given to any Boy Scout Troop for proper disposal. For more information about flag retirement, visit www.ushistory.org or www.usflag.org.



Did you know that more than 4,000 kids fail to graduate from Fresno County schools each year? High school dropouts are: Unemployed at a rate 3 times that of high school graduates; More likely to be in poor health; Twice as likely to live in poverty and/or be dependent on others; 8 times more likely to be in jail or prison that those who graduate high school; Often disconnected from their communities, representing only 3% of actively engaged citizens in the U.S.

2009 Spirit of Woman Graduation

The United Way of Fresno County would like to congratulate the staff and graduating class of the Spirit of Woman program.

As a component of the United Way of Fresno County's Womens Initiative, the Spirit of Women gives women affected by substance abuse an opportunity to turn their lives around. Participants obtain their high school diploma, along with job readiness and parenting skills.

Spirit of Woman is in constant need of baby and household items, to donate to this worthy cause call (559) 233-4353.

Visit Our Press Room

Click here to visit the United Way of Fresno County's Press Room. Our Press Room is the place to go for Public Service Announcements back issues of the e-newsletter.



IN THIS ISSUE: 65 Residents visit Mobile Screening Unit for Free Health Screening Get Connected to Community Resources with 2-1-1 VITA/EITC Volunteers get $4.7 million for Local Taxpayers Toys for Tots Boy Scouts retire Old Glory 2009 Spirit of Woman Graduation Dates to Remember New Faces!