Leverage Your Donation
With This Dollar-for-Dollar Match!

New donations, or increases over existing donations, contributed between now and January 31, 2013 will be matched dollar-for-dollar—up to a total of $20,000, thanks to the GENEROSITY of Two Anonymous Donors!

GIVE your dollars (any new or additional contributions), GROW your dollars (with the dollar-for-dollar match), and LIVE knowing your contribution will help change the life of someone in your community!

REMEMBER to designate your contribution toward the Dollar-for-Dollar Match!

To contribute, call the Monadnock United Way office at 603-352-4209, drop off or mail your donation to 23 Center Street, Keene, NH 03431, or click here to donate online!

Benefits of Giving to Monadnock United Way

1. DOLLARS STAY AT HOME
   Contributions stay here in the Monadnock Region to help maintain the quality of life our residents enjoy. The only exceptions are funds specifically designated to charities located outside the area.
2. LOW ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
   Our strong network of volunteers and internal efficiencies, help keep administrative costs remain low, generally running between 11% and 13%—well below the national average of 37% for charities according to a Grey Matter Research & Consulting study.
3. IMPACT
   In 2013, Monadnock United Way will be funding 46 different programs of our 34 nonprofit partner agencies. These programs cover a wide range of needs including healthy meals, dependable daycare, mental health counseling, substance abuse services, and many others. In 2011*, help was provided over 61,000 times to Monadnock Region residents.
4. ACCOUNTABILITY
   A group of volunteers meet in the spring each year to carefully review all agency requests for funding. These volunteers evaluate local services to make sure the agencies are meeting community needs effectively and efficiently, and to prevent unnecessary duplication of services.
5. ONE CAMPAIGN
   One time each year, you make one quick and easy pledge that will help many agencies all year long. This allows our funded agencies to focus their time on helping those in need instead of fundraising all year.
6. PAYROLL DEDUCTION
   Payroll deduction is offered by many companies making it easier to budget your donation by having a small amount taken out of each paycheck throughout the year. No donation is too small, even $1 per week can make a huge difference.
7. PRIDE IN COMMUNITY
   Most of us are proud that we are able to return a little to our community by donating and helping those less fortunate than ourselves. In doing so, we help make our community a better place to live.
8. TAX BENEFITS
   Monadnock United Way is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible. Please check with your tax advisor to determine the proper way to claim your income tax deduction.
9. IT FEELS GOOD
   When you help a neighbor who needs your help, it provides a warm feeling that doesn’t go away.

* Most recent data available.

Yoga Day Keene to Benefit Hospice at HCS

Yoga Day Keene is set for Sunday, January 27, 2013. Yoga Day Keene is an opportunity for those new to yoga as well as the experienced yoga student to try a variety of yoga styles first hand. More than 25 different classes will be available. Classes will start at 9:00 am and the last class will begin at 3:00 pm. Classes are one hour; and people are encouraged to take as many sessions as they would like.

Yoga Day Keene will be held at Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services (HCS), 312 Marlboro Street in Keene. No registration is necessary.

Massage and reiki will be available throughout the day. Breakfast and lunch are available sponsored by the Works Bakery and Café. A silent auction will be held from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

All classes, massage, reiki, and breakfast and lunch are by donation, and goodie bags are available for various donation levels. Proceeds from the day will benefit Hospice at HCS, the local nonprofit hospice serving southwestern New Hampshire. HCS has offices in Charlestown, Keene and Peterborough.

This year’s major sponsors are Yoga with Josephine, Monadnock Radio Group, the Keene Sentinel and the Works.

For more information, call HCS at 352-2253 or visit HCSservices.org/events or KeeneOnYoga.com.

News from Monadnock RSVP Volunteer Center

Monadnock RSVP Volunteer Center is fortunate to work with generous and committed volunteers who work tirelessly to help people through their outcome-based programs, America Reads and the Neighbors-In-Deed. Volunteers help those in need receive the support and assistance to meet their basic human needs, increase their ability to succeed with their personal goals, and have quality of life that will span across future generations.

This past fall, Monadnock RSVP received several grant awards in support of their work. They received a $2,500 grant from the Bishop’s Charitable Assistance Fund for operating support for Neighbors-In-Deed. This program helps low-income elderly people, adults with disabilities, and veterans and military family members stay in their homes as long as possible by matching volunteers one-to-one to provide companionship and assistance with tasks of daily living. The Bishop’s Charitable Assistance Fund makes grants to tax-exempt organizations without regard to religious affiliation for projects that help people in New Hampshire meet their basic needs. The Fund raises money through solicitation of individuals, businesses and philanthropic organizations. An annual accounting of funds raised and disbursements is available at www.catholicnh.org/BCAF.

The Bean Family Foundation awarded Monadnock RSVP a $2,500 grant to enhance their technological infrastructure that is essential for their growth into rural areas and operational effectiveness of their programs. This grant enabled Monadnock RSVP to purchase volunteer management software for their Peterborough office and for website development.

The Jerusalem Lodge #104 Charitable Assistance Fund awarded a $700 grant to purchase books for students in America Reads to reinforce reading and writing concepts learned over the year, promote the love of reading, and decrease learning loss over the summer.

America Reads is a national literacy program that helps children achieve grade level reading proficiency by the end of third grade by matching them one-to-one or in small groups with a volunteer tutor to practice reading and writing.

For more information, or to find out about volunteer opportunities, contact Kathy Baird, Monadnock RSVP Program Director at 603-357-6893.

Monadnock RSVP Volunteer Center is a Monadnock United Way Agency.

A Message from the SCS Energy Services Team

SCS Energy Services is currently scheduling appointments for households wishing to apply for Fuel Assistance, Electric Assistance, and/or Neighbor Helping Neighbor. Households can call 603-352-7512 and ask to schedule an appointment.

The Fuel Assistance Program can assist eligible households who heat with oil, kerosene, propane, wood, wood pellets, and or gas. Renters are welcome to apply as well—there are many households who have their heat included but pay full rent. The only renters who would be ineligible for the program would be those who have subsidized rent and their heat included.

Appointments are scheduled over the phone and then an application packet with the day/time of the appointment as well as a checklist of items needed for the application will be mailed.

Check out the SCS website at: www.scshelps.org. There are income guidelines listed for many programs, as well as program and contact information.

SCS is a Monadnock United Way Agency

MCVP Holiday Families Program

Each Year, Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention collaborates with several community organizations, businesses and individuals to sponsor area families for the holiday season. This season, MCVP was able to sponsor 22 families consisting of 67 moms and children.

Clark-Mortenson Insurance & Financial Services, one of their sponsors (pictured below), had a great time shopping for stocking stuffers for our moms and kids! These families are struggling to break free of domestic and sexual violence and to provide safe and stable homes for themselves and their children.

With the continued support of generous donors, MCVP was able to provide families with holiday gifts, stockings and food so that everyone could have a happy and memorable holiday.

(Photo credit: Clark-Mortenson)

Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention is a Monadnock United Way Agency.

The Winchester Learning Center Welcomes the Winchester School Book Mobile

The Winchester Learning Center (WLC) was so excited to welcome the Winchester School Book Mobile for a visit on December 20 2012. Jeremy Miller the director of the ACCESS program read “Wocket in my Pocket” by Dr. Seuss to all the WLC preschoolers. The children were so engaged the whole time while their teachers Angela Royce, Cyndy Smith & Deb Melendy looked on. After the story was read the children were all given a copy of the book and were allowed to choose another book to take home. It is so much fun to visit the local library but the idea of being a preschooler and owning your very own book really helps to promote a love of reading at a young age. The WLC does all it can to ensure all of our preschoolers are ready for kindergarten and the bookmobile is just one more way we partner with local resources to make this happen.

The Winchester Learning Center is a Monadnock United Way Agency.

Monadnock Family Services Signs On As Vision 2020 Organizational Champion

Cheshire County’s Healthiest Community Initiative, launched by the Council for a Healthier Community in 2006, is pleased to announce that Monadnock Family Services, a Monadnock United Way agency, has signed on as Vision 2020 Organizational Champion. Since joining, Monadnock Family Services has made great strides in modeling healthy behaviors at their workplace. Their newly formed wellness committee, championed by new staff member and Champion, Jen Ireland, has conducted a fitness challenge and have started the strategic planning process for their organization with a large focus on health and wellness.

According to Phil Wyzik, Executive Director of MFS, “Becoming an Organizational Champion is an important step in furthering the efforts MFS has already taken to help promote a healthy workplace. While we’ve felt the obligation to help employees improve their health for some time, being a part of the larger Vision 2020 initiative is a helpful boost. Now we’re part of something bigger than just our enterprise—we’re doing our part for the community. We’re looking forward to taking the CDC’s worksite wellness assessment survey and I know that the data our employees provide will be key to planning our next health action steps at our Champion organization.”

Organizational Champions are organizations, businesses and clubs who pledge to support their members, staff and community to take their next healthy step by offering education and wellness activities, and adopting policies that support healthy eating, active living, and the social factors that affect health, including income and education. Since kicking off the program in March 2012, more than 60 local groups are working together to live in the healthiest community in the nation.

The Healthiest Community Initiative is funded by the Cheshire Health Foundation and is designed to actively engage the citizens of Cheshire County in the journey to become the nation’s healthiest community by 2020.

For more information, to view the current list of Vision 2020 Organizational Champions and to become a Champion, visit, www.healthiestcommunity.org or call 603-354-5454 ext. 2322.

Monadnock Family Services is a Monadnock United Way Affiliate Agency.

Monadnock Family Services 11th Annual Men Who Cook

Monadnock Family Services (MFS) will be hosting its 11th Annual Men Who Cook fundraising dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 6:00 pm in the Keene State College Zorn Dining Hall.

Enjoy the delicious culinary creations of over 100 local cooks in the area. Food will be served buffet style.

Men Who Cook benefits people in need of mental health services who are uninsured or under-insured.

For more information, call 603-283-1558 or email spriest@mfs.org.

Monadnock Family Services is a Monadnock United Way Agency.

New Year’s Resolutions for Fundraisers

By Katie Gardella

It wouldn’t be January without a discussion of New Year’s resolutions, would it?

This year, as fundraisers, let’s focus on the donor—their wants, their needs, and their rights. Here’s a link to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Donor Bill of Rights: http://www.afpnet.org/ethics/enforcementdetail.cfm?itemnumber=3359.

Print it out, read it, hang it up in your office, pass it out at your next board meeting and read it every once in a while.

With the Donor Bill of Rights in mind, here are a few resolutions:

1. Think of new and exciting ways to educate and inspire your donors. Keep them informed through newsletters, events, phone calls and visits. They have a right to know about your organization and how their dollars are being spent.
2. Make this the year that you acknowledge a gift within 24-hours of receiving it.
3. Listen to your donors. And not just when they call you! Create ways to gather donor input: surveys, focus groups, quarterly round table discussions. Find out what they love about you and your programs—and about ways you might better serve the community.
4. Practice good customer service. Make sure everyone in your organization knows how to intelligently and effectively answer questions about your programs and services; and that they can respond appropriately to criticism or complaints.

Katie Gardella is Founder and President of Prosper Fundraising Strategies, a consulting firm specializing in major gifts, board and staff development, and development planning. Please visit www.prosperfundraising.com for more information and free resources.

The Keene Elks Is Hosting a Nonprofit Open House

The Keene Elks is hosting a Nonprofit Open House at their 81 Roxbury Street location in Keene on Saturday, January 27, 2013 from 1:00 pm-4:00 pm. The purpose of this event is to showcase, network, educate and communicate area nonprofit organizations’ purpose and goals with the public and other nonprofits.

The open house will include displays, handouts, literature, flyers, packets, posters, etc. from various nonprofit groups within the community. The event and its participants will be advertised in the Monadnock Shopper News and the Keene Sentinel.

There will be Door Prizes, and refreshments will be available. To sign up and reserve a table for the Nonprofit Open House or for further information please contact Mary Nicholas at 603-209-5000 or nicholas_mary@ymail.com.

Looking for a New and Different Way to Get Your Message Out This Year?

City Express buses now have a limited number of advertising spaces available on the sides of the buses. City Express buses are on the road Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, operating through some of the most traveled parts of the city—downtown, the Riverside Plaza, West Street Plaza, Cheshire Medical Center and Keene State College.

The City Express also has stops at most senior and workforce housing locations and social service agencies. Advertising contracts are available for six months and one year, and rates are reasonable. Get your message out and help to support local public transportation.

For more information and an advertising packet, contact Harry Costick, Transportation Manager at Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services (HCS) at 352-2253.

HCS is a Monadnock United Way Agency.

Agency/Program Wish List

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Western New Hampshire
Digital camera, space heater, laptop computers and a document scanner · 352-9536, ext. 106

Contoocook Valley Transportation Company (CVTC)
Volunteer drivers for the Eastern Monadnock region · 877-428-2882, ext. 5

Keene Day Care Center
Washable markers, balls (any kind)· 352-2129

Keene Senior Center
Volunteers for the reception desk, area rugs · 352-5037

MAPS Counseling Services
10 cu. ft. upright refrigerator—new or used (in good condition) · 355-2244

Monadnock Area Peer Support Agency (MPS)
Digital camera, someone to tune our piano, a cloth to cover the piano keys, twin-sized bed linens, towels, wash cloths, bathmat, twin-sized comforter, Nintendo Wii, jelly stretch elastic for jewelry-making · 352-5093

Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention
Personal hygiene kits: toothbrushes, deodorant, travel-size shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap, lotion, razors and shaving cream · 352-3782

Monadnock Family Services
Baby soaps & lotions, baby food, bottles and toddler cups, teething rings, toilet paper & tissues, blankets, cleaning products, hand sanitizer/antibacterial wipes, utensils, sheets, cereal bowls, sponges, family-oriented DVDs, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, baggies etc., nonperishable food · Stefanie, 355-3040

Desktop and/or laptop computers · 283-1572

Monadnock Volunteer Center/RSVP
Website developer to volunteer or offer in-kind services to redesign website · 357-6893

Phoenix House Keene Center
Bicycle(s)—in good working condition, area rugs, towels, percussion
instruments · Mary, 358-4041

The River Center
Coats, snow pants, hats, mittens, gloves, boots (ALL sizes!!),
a good strong-working vacuum · 924-6800

The Samaritans, Inc.
Individually packaged snacks and/or beverages, crossword and Sudoku puzzle books · 357-5510

Southwestern Community Services
Laundry detergent, dish soap, energy-efficient light bulbs, bleach, toilet paper,
paper towels, 33-gal. trash bags, twin sheets, pillows, bath towels, personal care items · Cathy Thornton, 352-7512, ext. 4295

Winchester Learning Center
Metal Tonka trucks and wagons, large and small · 239-7347