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Report From the Campaign Trail
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"Communities fail because there is a disconnection in them. The United Way gives organizations like Habitat for Humanity a way to convey the meaning behind the message that community matters" - Lori Keith, UWIV Account Manager"
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Community - it matters. The
way that people within that community take care of one another shows just how
much a community means to those who live and work in it. Two people of note are
Cherita Beard-Mosley and Lori Keith, both account managers with the United Way of the Inland Valleys.
Cherita is a former Beverage industry sales executive, and Lori is an insurance
industry professional. They came to the United Way of the Inland Valleys
to gain a better knowledge of what UWIV does. Over the past few weeks it has
been the personal mission of account managers Lori Keith and Cherita
Beard-Mosley to bring the message that community matters.
The draw to connect with one's community is strong,
especially when there is passion for the cause. Lori Keith is an insurance
industry professional who also has a background working at the YMCA in South
Central Los Angeles. I asked Lori her reason for being with the United Way of the Inland Valleys.
"I came to the United Way
of the Inland Valleys because I wanted to do something
in my community. I believe in the cause for community. People become too disconnected
from where they came from, and where they came from is a large part of who a
person is. Success takes passion, and I am passionate about the success of the
2008 campaign. We have access to a community which truly cares about one
another, and it is up to the campaign managers to bring to the community at
large the knowledge of what it is that the United Way of the Inland Valleys
is all about."
The United
Way of the Inland Valleys
cares about the community which it serves. "I used to make a decent living as a
beverage executive. I made a lot of contacts in that industry, but my
connections and my pay were just not enough on their own," says Cherita Beard-Mosley,
another account manager with the United
Way of the Inland Valleys
. When asked her reasons for becoming an account manager with UWIV, Cherita
says, "I felt like I was missing the bigger picture of my place in the world.
When I came to the United Way,
I found out that I have a purpose that is more than only a paycheck. I wanted
to help those in my community who are not able to help themselves." 
Rita Wuelfing, Lori Keith and Cherita Beard-Mosley
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Agency Spotlight - Habitat for Humanity
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Of the 38 agencies which the United Way of the Inland Valleys supports, of note is Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity builds homes for low income families who would otherwise not be able to own a home. "People are under the impression that our organization gives houses to poor people. This is not true. We build houses for those people who won't qualify for traditional bank loans
because they simply do not make enough money. We have a long list of qualifications. Not everyone who applies for one of our homes qualifies." Rita Wuelfing is an example of passion for cause. Her organization, Habitat for Humanity, is one of the nation's largest home builders. It is the only home builder which sells homes to qualified buyers at a fraction of what traditional home builders do. Much of the land which Habitat homes are built on are either sold to the organization way below market value, or is donated, keeping the cost of the home to mainly the building supplies.
Rita retired from AT&T Riverside after 30 years of service to that company. "I thought I might go out and find a nice little part time job with a deli or something, you know, just to pass the time. When I thought about it for a minute I found that what I wanted to do was not just some simple little job. I wanted to do something for my community. I chose Habitat for Humanity. I started out as a volunteer
and ended up becoming employed by them on a part time basis. We build at least 2 homes a year. Without the support of the United Way of the Inland Valleys, we might not have the successes which we do have. We are supported by them in many more ways than financially. Without their help and their far-reach in the community we would not be able to do the things that we do. Through the United Way of the Inland Valleys, we are able to reach many more people who do not know what it is that
we do at Habitat for Humanity. When I go out with these representatives of the United Way here, it is a privilege because they are helping my cause, and my cause is my community."
Habitat for Humanity's Rita Wuelfing
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Community Matters:
AT&T - Big Business. Bigger Heart
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People like to help, like to
give, but they are sometimes worried that their contributions will not help the
community. People like Cherita, Lori, the employees at AT&T Riverside,
these people have all chosen to make their community their cause of choice.
"I want my money to stay here in Riverside, in my community. I know that if I
give to this local United Way,
it will stay here and do good things here instead of on the other side of the
country. I know that my contributions here in Riverside
help take care of the places where people can go and get help," said David,
an AT&T employee.
There are people whose lives have been touched
personally by the United Way.
One woman known only as Michelle told me about a Habitat for Humanity
ceremony where the recipients were Katrina evacuees. She said "I know what good
the United Way
does. This is the reason why I am so tough on these guys (about supporting
UWIV). They need to know how important it is to take care of one another. Any
more now all we hear about are the bad things that happen. One bad thing was
Hurricane Katrina. Some of those people were sent here to Southern
California. They had no home to go back to. They were stranded for
7 days in the flood water. It was dangerous. People were dying and it seemed
like no one cared. Those people who were relocated to Southern California ended up qualifying for homes which were built by
Habitat for Humanity. I know that Habitat is supported and promoted by the United Way, and
those victims are a large part of why I am such a supporter of the United Way."
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Give.
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Your gift to the United Way of the Inland Valleys is part of a network of giving which makes possible the continuing goal of those services agencies which benefit us all. Talk to your employer about giving to the United Way through the Payroll Pledge Program today!
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Advocate.
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You can make change happen with your voice. United Way needs people who are passionate about education, income and health to make some noise.
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BE AN ADVOCATE
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