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Our Holiday Gift Room is Open for your Donations!
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Can you believe there are only 33 days till Christmas Day? Our Holiday Gift Room is open to receive your donations -- and we need your help to stock it by Friday, Dec. 5.
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Thanks for all the gifts coming in, including the drive at Eye Level Learning Center of Old Town!
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We have hundreds of families registered for December holiday food (deadline Dec. 12) -- as well as more than 1,200 children ages infant to 14 signed up for holiday gifts. We rely on your generosity to make the season joyful for local families who are struggling this year.
Please drop off your donations at our UCM Main Office at Fordson Rd. from 9am - 5:30pm weekdays. We are grateful to the area retail locations that are hosting UCM Holiday Gift Room collection bins, with convenient Saturday and/or Sunday drop off hours, including:
We appreciate all the area schools, faith communities, retailers, and businesses that are hosting a UCM Holiday Gift Room collection drive or "Giving Tree" -- thanks for being "Part of the Heart" to make a joyful holiday for our kids and families! Click here for our Gift Room photo album.
Too busy to shop for our Dec. 5 deadline? We've got an easy solution: it's fast and easy to shop our UCM Books & Toys Wishlist at Amazon.com! Your donations will ship directly to UCM, typically within 2 days -- and we keep our list there updated with items we still need for particular age groups.
For more info or to schedule a pickup of a large collection, email Laurel, our Holiday Room coordinator: laurel.cunnane@ucmagency.org. 
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"Shop Local" to Support our Community at Back Porch Thrift Store
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New "Shop Local" video, thanks to the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce
UCM's spacious Back Porch Thrift Store at the Sacramento Shopping Center on Richmond Hwy. is a great place for your holiday shopping!
Our store manager, Emma Martin, explains how 100% of the proceeds from the thrift store support UCM's programs to fulfill our mission to equip, educate, and empower people to measurably improve their lives.
Saturday, Nov. 29 is national "Shop Local" day -- and we are grateful to the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce for their promotion to support area businesses. Be sure to "shop local" at the Back Porch Thrift Store!
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Business Community Networking Breakfast - Tuesday, Dec. 9
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Join UCM for a unique free networking event at Burke & Herbert Bank
 Please join us Tues., Dec. 9 for our first in a series of business networking events! We'll be recognizing our business partners, while providing a unique networking opportunity for all businesses in our community. Click here for our flyer.
Breakfast is from 7:30 - 9am at Burke & Herbert Bank, 2604 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria VA 22306. RSVP requested to capri.coleman@ucmagency.org or 571.255.8964. |
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UCM Fall Newsletter Available Online
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Hot off the press! Our
Fall 2014
Community Connections
newsletter is available to read online at our website.
If you did not receive a copy in the US mail, but would like one: email your mailing address to Diane at info@ucmagency.org -- or stop by our main office for a copy!
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Support UCM on #GivingTuesday - Dec. 2!
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Black Friday, Cyber Monday.... Giving Tuesday is Dec. 2!
We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. Now, there is #GivingTuesday -- a global day dedicated to giving back for a new "tradition of generosity." The idea is simple: find a way for your family or group to come together to give something more. Then, spread the good word about how you are giving back this holiday season. How can you "Be Part of the Heart" to support UCM on #GivingTuesday? Here are some ideas:
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Yes, There's Still Time to Help the Homeless...
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Yes, there's still time to Help the Homeless...
 We are grateful for the outpouring of support this Fall! We especially appreciate the many schools and groups that have hosted an event for UCM this Fall, including Browne Academy, Good Shepherd Catholic Church Service Day, Islamic Saudi Academy Girls, St. Aidan's Day School, St. Louis Catholic School, St. Luke's Day School, and Waynewood Elementary. Your enthusiasm to help children and families who have fallen on hard times is so inspiring -- thank you! Click here for our photo album from the walks.
Our Help the Homeless campaign is still open to take your donations to make a difference for families facing financial crises. A donation of $300 can save one of the 300 families facing eviction that UCM counselors assist every year with rental or utilities assistance. It's easy to make your gift online via our "virtual event" called Sleep In To Help Out. To make your donation in any amount, click here. Thanks for being part of the heart with UCM!
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We have so much to be grateful for this month, from so many! Click here to view photos of more of our generous supporters and volunteers.
Scouting for Food Drive Big Success!
 Wow! Thank you to the hundreds of Boy Scouts and troop leaders, family members, scores of volunteers at UCM's pantry, and to everyone who donated food for the annual
Scouting For Food
Drive on Nov. 8! More than 15,000 pounds of food was collected, sorted, and organized for UCM's largest single-day community food drive. Click here for our photo album from the day. Thank you for giving so generously to stock our Pantry for feeding hundreds of hungry families during the coming winter months!
Thanksgiving Holiday Food Donations
Thank you to all our supporters who generously donated funds and food to make a happy Thanksgiving for our families. Turkeys, chickens, and special items for a Thanksgiving feast were handed out to more than 700 families at the UCM Food Pantry this past week.
Thank you to Oliff PLC in Old Town for thier office drive, collecting 738 pounds of food! Writes Kim Lang, publications specialist at Oliff PLC in Old Town:
 "Oliff PLC hosted a Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit United Community Ministries (UCM) in Alexandria. I was in charge of organizing it, but it was our amazing members, associates, managers, and staff who made it so successful. Together we collected hundreds of pounds of food and $300 dollars in cash. UCM will use our donations to help 700 needy families in the Alexandria area. I work with some pretty terrific people! "
Yes, Kim, you sure do -- thanks for joining UCM at the heart of community to help families who are struggling this holiday season!
Local Dentists Help UCM Clients Smile Again
We all know dental procedures are expensive. And dental infections can often lead to more serious infections & deteriorating health overall. At their annual Dental Day on Saturday, Nov. 15, Dr. James Geren and Dr. Zeyad Mady of Mt. Vernon Center for Dentistry and their entire team -- plus Dr. Rolin Henry, oral surgeon -- donated their time and services to care for 19 UCM clients with serious dental emergencies. Thank you to the whole Dental Day team for your care and compassion at the heart of community! Pictured from left are: Dr. Rolin Henry, Anita Haas, Sandra Karvos, Jennifer Brinkley, Ebony Swann (office manager), Dr. Zeyad Mady, Jeremy Smith, and Dr. James Geren.
Gold Party Thank You
Thank you to Friend of UCM Joni Koons, who hosted a Gold Party Sale last week, with 15% of proceeds donated to UCM. We received a check for $450, which will go a long way to help struggling families get back on their feet. Thank you to everyone who participated!
UCM Work Center Job Fair
Thanks to the participation of so many area businesses, our UCM Work Center Job Fair on Nov.13 was a great success! Close to 70 applicants had the opportunity to meet with employers and complete online applications onsite.
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Upcoming Events and Ways to Support UCM
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It's easy to keep up with all of our upcoming events! Check out our Events listing at our website: click here.
Nov. 20 to Jan. 2, 2015: Select UCM at Beyer Subaru for "Share the Love"
Beyer Subaru has named UCM as its "Hometown Charity" for Subaru of America's Share the Love event! Starting Nov. 20, customers who purchase or lease a new Subaru vehicle are able to
select UCM to receive a $250 donation courtesy of Subaru of America, Inc. The UCM display at the Beyer dealership will make a big impact to raise community awareness and ways to help UCM ensure struggling families have a caring place to turn to for assistance.
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Beyer Subaru Team is Part of the Heart with UCM!
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Tues., Dec. 2: UCM Benefit Day at Mamma's Kitchen and Yogurt City!
Join us for good food, drink, dessert, and fellowship in the giving spirit on Tuesday, Dec. 2 -- which is #GivingTuesday! Our Fordson Rd. neighbors, Mamma's Kitchen and Yogurt City, will be donating a percentage of your purchases to UCM, all day long! Just let your server know you're there for UCM. And you can drop off your Holiday Gift Room donations too at the collection bin at either restaurant. We hope to see you there!
Shopping Online? Support UCM with your Purchases!
Did you know you can support UCM with your online purchases for holiday gift giving -- and all year round? Just go to igive.com or GoodShop.com and select "United Community Ministries" as your charity of choice. Donations by the online vendors vary and range from 0.5% to 20% -- and you're still paying the same sales prices. Online stores participating range from Best Buy to Target, and everything in between including QVC, HSN, Home Depot, Lowes, Bed Bath & Beyond, and hundreds more! Enjoy your shopping and Be Part of the Heart supporting UCM too. Click here to get started.
Innisbrook Purchases Benefit UCM!
Thanks to the Friends of UCM, purchase your Innisbrook gift wrap and other gift items for  the holidays, and UCM earns 40% profit on your purchase! Here's how:
- Go to www.innisbrook.com. Select "Friends and Supporters Shop Now."
- Enter our UCM customer number: 126463. Continue.
- Click on "Click here if you do not want to assign credit."
- Shop! And you purchase will be credited to benefit UCM.
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Sun., Jan. 25, 2015: Capitol Steps Benefit for UCM
Save the Date! The Friends of UCM host our annual Capitol Steps Benefit on Sun., Jan. 25, 2015 at 5 pm at Knights of Columbus Hall. This evening of comedy and satire is always a crowd pleaser and a sell-out. 100% of the proceeds support UCM 's assistance programs.
Sat., Mar. 21, 2015: Friends of UCM "The Magic of Giving" Spring Gala 
Save the Date! Please join us on Sat., Mar, 21, 2015 to enjoy an elegant evening of cocktails, dinner, silent and live auctions, with live band and dancing at the US Patent and Trademark Office building in Old Town. Click here to learn more about The Friends of UCM, our extraordinary volunteer membership group that builds community spirit through fundraising and public awareness activities. An amazing $1.8 million has been raised by our dedicated Friends of UCM!
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