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ENEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL UNITED WAY
January 2014 Newsletter

Campaign Updates


Giving Today - Changing Tomorrow   

 

With your help, we've raised 89% of our campaign goal!
Featured below are a few of the employees and companies who are helping create change in our community by giving today!

 

Merrill Technologies Group - United Way is proud to welcome the employees at Merrill Technologies Group to our long list of supporters! In December, United Way made presentations to all four of their local offices as well as phone presentations for their two other offices. In total, the employees donated more than $3,500 to United Way!  Thank you to Merrill Technologies for their support! 

 

City of Saginaw - Employees at the City of Saginaw started the year off with United Way presentations. Beginning on January at City Hall, several presentations have recently been made to each of the various city employees. A special thank you to Debbie Buck for all of her help coordinating and organizing the campaign details! We look forward to celebrating another successful city campaign. 

   

Please remember, it is never too late to make a difference. The more support that United Way receives, the more support great organizations and programs in our community receive and thus, more families and individuals are served. Change starts with each of us. Please help us reach our goal, by making or increasing your gift today! Click here to donate now. 


New Funding Process 

Community Impact Model Announced
For the first time in many years, United Way has announced that beginning with the 2015 funding cycle, we will transform our previous funding process into a new Community Impact Model.

The implementation of a new funding process means changes for the community as well as the organizations served. The biggest change will be implementing an open process, which means that any 501(c)(3), health and human service provider that services Saginaw County residents can now apply for United Way funding.

A donor's investment to the community through UWSC will continue to demonstrate, even more now, how change is impacting the lives of others in our community.

For more information on the Community Impact Model, please visit our website

Community Impact Programs

Free Tax Preparation Available in Saginaw County
Once again this year, free tax preparation will be available to Saginaw County residents who meet the IRS Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) guidelines. Administered through United Way, the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program offers free tax preparation and will be available at six locations throughout Saginaw County. Opening dates and times vary by location. For a full list of dates, times, locations and information needed, please visit the VITA page on our website.
267 Wishes Filled through Holiday Wish List
Thank you to all the individuals, service groups, companies and families who opened their hearts to help others during the holiday season! Community members donated more than $63,000 in food, clothing, toys and personal care items to help 267 families and individuals. The recipients were so grateful for the holiday assistance.

"I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your kindness at this time of year. It is truly nice to know there are people that care about others. I and my family truly thank you and your family." - Wish #1019

"Thank you very much. Without your help me and my family would not have a Christmas. Me and my husband are very appreciative of all the help you guys have done for our family. Thank you from the bottom of our family's heart." - Wish #1026 
Best Practices for Nonprofits - Management Certificate
Are you interested in learning the "best practices" tools and techniques to help you excel in the nonprofit world? If so, the Best Practices for Nonprofit Management program is intended for managers of nonprofits and/or employees who have upper level responsibilities.

Participants have the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with others in the same industry as well as learn and network together in a comfortable, knowledge-building environment.

The certificate curriculum consists of 36 classroom hours, a six-hour grant writing workshop and a six-hour capstone presentation session. Classes begin Friday, February 7 and are held at Saginaw Valley State University. For more information or to sign up, please visit the program website

Disney Raffle Raises $11,575 


On December 20, Shawn LaMere's lucky ticket (#1514) was drawn and his family was named the winners of the Disney World Vacation package! The LaMere's won four, round-trip airline tickets, accommodations for four nights/five days at one of the three premier Disney properties and Park Hopper tickets for the group.

Generously donated by Morley Companies, the trip was valued at $4,500 and help raised more than $11,575 for United Way of Saginaw County!

Thank you to the volunteers and businesses working together to support United Way, this raffle was another successful fundraiser. We cannot say thank you enough to Morley for the donation of the vacation package and to our outstanding volunteers who helped sell the tickets! Congratulations to Shawn and his family. 

Getting to Know You 

5 Minutes with United Way Volunteer

 

Name: Kay Brzak

Role: Office Volunteer, Community Change Team Co-Chair, VITA Volunteer

How/when did you become involved with United Way: I became involved with United Way in 2008. I was looking for a place where I could utilize my talents to volunteer and give back to the community. United Way has been the perfect place for me!

Where did you grow up: Frankenmuth, MI

Education: Frankenmuth High School, Bachelors degree from Michigan State University and Masters degree from Eastern Michigan University

Family: I have two beautiful daughters, two son-in-laws and five grandchildren who I adore (Pictured with Kay is her grandson, Travis, who is United Way's youngest volunteer)

 

Interests/Hobbies: I love to read, go to water aerobics and watch MSU football and both men's and women's basketball

 

Favorite United Way program you volunteer with and why: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program - we serve so many people in Saginaw County and brought back over $3 million in income tax returns to the community last year. It is a pleasure helping the people of Saginaw County.

 

A fun fact about yourself:

When I was at MSU I had the privilege to play women's varsity sports before we received scholarships. It is a joy to see how far the women have come, including being on National TV. Go State!

"The board reasoned that the UWSC has a duty to the community, our donors and consumers to evaluate and support improvement strategies that offer the greatest impact to our community as a whole." ~Larry Sims, United Way Community Impact Chair, in response to the logic behind the newly announced Community Impact Model

Upcoming Events  

Saginaw Spirit Game   

Friday, Feb. 14 - 7:11 p.m. - The Dow Event Center
  • United Way will receive Saginaw Spirit's campaign donation during the 1st intermission of the hockey game   
  • United Way supporters can purchase reduced rate tickets for $8.50 each 
  • To get your tickets, go to Saginaw Spirit and enter user name: UnitedWay2 and password: LIVEUNITED   

Campaign Celebration    

Thursday, February 27 - 7:30 a.m. - Horizons
  • Please plan on joining us for our annual Campaign Celebration  
  • Breakfast, program and awards will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude with the announcement of our campaign total

Event  Recap 

3rd Annual Show Me the Money Day - 1.25.14    

In partnership with Circle of Love, United Way hosted the 3rd Annual Show Me the Money Day event on Saturday, January 25.

More than 50 community members attended the free financial education focused event and received helpful information on topics ranging from the home buying process, to financial management, to the new health care plan.

The event was made possible thanks to a sponsorship from the CRA Bankers Forum and with additional support received from CEDAM and Consumers Energy.


Strengthening Our Communities Initiative
The Harvey Randall Wickes Foundation and United Way recently aligned together to create a new Strengthening Our Community Initiative. The new initiative will focus on youth services and neighborhood development, as well as working together to create a safer community.

Sheilda Braddock has been hired as Advisor to the Wickes Foundation/Community Liaison. Braddock's position will be housed at United Way of Saginaw County and funded through the H.R. Wickes Foundation.

"We are at a special moment in time in Saginaw County and we cannot afford to leave another generation of children behind. This program reflects the urgency of strengthening our community through public safety programs and I am honored to serve our community in this new capacity." - Sheilda Braddock.

For information on the Strengthening Our Community Initiative, please contact Sheilda Braddock at (989) 775-0505, ext. 206.


Volunteer Opportunities

Getting involved is fun! Here are a few highlighted volunteer opportunities in our community: 

Lead the way in a movement to reclaim the future for millions! Volunteers are needed to help with team recruitment, sponsorships, kick-off parties, day of event logistics and more! 

 

Bilingual and sign language proficient volunteers are needed to help a local organization better assist individuals in crisis. If you have the skills needed, please consider giving a few hours of your time each month. 

  

If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities or would like to get involved in the community, please contact Henrietta Watson at (989) 755-0505, ext. 216.


Labor News

Labor members give back to help others in the community during the holiday season

 

Pictured above, more than 20 volunteers from local United Ways and Labor Unions worked hand and hand to unload 15,000 toy trucks that were then distributed to children in need throughout the State of Michigan. The trucks were donated by the Society of Plastics Engineers, Detroit Section (SPE) and American Plastic Toys.

 

Wanigas Credit Union and their OPEIU Local 393 employees hosted a personal goods drive. In total they raised more than $500 worth of personal needs items including socks, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine products, soap and more!

 

UAW Local 668, IAM Local 2839 and GM Powertrain employees raised more than $4,500 to help over 100 families receive food baskets for Christmas.

 

UAW Local 699 raised more than $3,000 from their annual "Pins for People" Bowl-A-Thon. They were able to help 12 families in our community with food and gifts.



Don't Forget 

Stage One - Letter of Intent Due - Feb. 5, 2014 

Any qualifying, nonprofit organizations that are interested in applying for funding through the new Community Impact Model must fill out a Community Impact Award Process - Stage One - Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent can be found online on our website and is due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5. If you have any questions, please contact Marsha Cooley at (989) 755-0505, ext. 203.



GIVE TODAY.

 

Visit www.UnitedWaySaginaw.org to make your online donation. Remember, no gift
is too small to make a BIG difference in the lives of others.

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United Way of Saginaw County 100 S. Jefferson Avenue, 3rd Floor, Saginaw, MI 48607
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