YLS: Spreading Holiday Cheer and Frosting!

YLS: Spreading Holiday Cheer and Frosting!

The holiday season is approaching and many of you are beginning to make plans to celebrate with your family and friends. But, there are many uniformed men and women at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base who won’t be spending the holidays at home with their loved ones. To give them a little taste of being home for the holidays, the United Way Young Leaders Society (YLS) came together to send our troops holiday cookies. This is the third year in a row for this home-baked holiday mission by the YLS, and the gift was made possible thanks to the generosity of so many friends from the Tucson community.

The fun started at Frances Owen Holaway Elementary School on Friday, December 4, which also happened to be National Cookie Day. That afternoon, pounds of cookie dough were transformed into holiday cookies by YLS volunteers and Holaway students. The kids loved getting a little messy for a great cause. They rolled out the dough, cut out the Christmas shapes, and filled up dozens of cookie sheets, all with a smile and flour-dusted cheeks. The students also created festive holiday cards for the servicemen and women at Davis-Monthan.

Julie Wolfe Beadle, Vice President of Resource Development and the Young Leaders Society, believes the project is a good lesson for young students. “I think the kids are reminded of what our troops are doing for us and what they are sacrificing being away from their families,” she said. “They are giving up so much to allow all of us to do the things we do every day. What they do allows us to live free.”

The following Saturday morning, YLS decorated the cookies with the residents of St. Luke’s Home and brightened the day for many senior citizens. YLS members and community volunteers provided the frosting, sprinkles and just about every other cookie decoration imaginable. Conversation and laughter filled the sprucely decorated commons room as the intergenerational groups turned the blank cookies into special holiday treats. The group decorated nearly 60 dozen cookies for our troops at Davis-Monthan.


There is no denying that frosting cookies and preparing them for the troops was a wonderful experience for everyone involved in the activity. Several YLS members brought their families and their children saw that spending time with seniors can truly be a gift. “YLS loves visiting St. Luke’s every year,” Wolfe Beadle said. “The special memories and stories the residents share with us enrich our lives immeasurably.”

YLS is happy to give the residents of St. Luke’s the gift of love and companionship during the holiday season. And with a little help from their friends at Holaway Elementary and St. Luke’s Home, the Young Leaders Society was able to thank our noble servicemen and women at Davis-Monthan and make their Christmas a little bit sweeter.

Happy Holidays from the Young Leaders Society!

VITA Volunteer Kickoff

Less than two weeks ago we started off the 2009/2010 VITA season with our VITA Volunteer Kickoff Event. On a warm sunny Saturday in November volunteers turned out to meet each other, meet their site coordinators and get signed up for classes.

As the smell from the barbecue grill waifed across the courtyard, volunteers shared their excitement about helping the Tucson and Pima County community.

We had 15 brand new volunteers sign up to learn how to prepare taxes, and 8 new asset development or CA$H (Creating Assets Savings and Hope) volunteers.

Returning volunteers were able to pick up their books to begin studying and 50 more signed up for trainings to be held throughout Tucson.

Lots of connections were made and judging from the smiles on the faces of our volunteers all in all it was a successful day!

If you missed the kickoff event and would like to learn more about VITA please visit our website at unitedwaytucson.org


Click here to learn more about VITA.


or contact us at vitavolunteers@unitedwaytucson.org


It's not to late to sign up and be part of something big that gives so much to the Tucson and Pima County Community!




To see more pictures click on the link next to the photo below:



VITA Volunteer Kickoff Event

KICK OFF TIME!

Whether it’s the opening kickoff of football season, the first tip off of basketball season, the sound of the starter’s gun at a marathon race or that official first pitch that signifies spring is here and baseball season is upon us; we, as Americans have gotten use to the hoopla that goes along with beginnings.

Volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) season is no different, we work all year to review, revamp and polish our plans so each tax season we come out bigger, better and ready to help thousands in Tucson and Southern Arizona.


Sure VITA tax season doesn’t officially start until January 20th, but just like in sports there is plenty to do behind the scenes in preparation for our season. Not only do sites need to be located and confirmed, but the cornerstone of the program, you the volunteer needs to be recruited and trained.

Training is coming up fast, so to get us all in the spirit of community service and to acknowledge the tremendous gift that each VITA volunteer gives to our community; we are hosting our second annual VITA Volunteer kickoff Saturday November, 21st at United Way offices.

The volunteer kickoff will give VITA volunteers a chance to meet UW staff, site coordinators and other volunteers who each year come together to give of themselves to help out their neighbors.

Last year VITA volunteers prepared over 8,000 tax returns, resulting in over $9.1 million dollars in federal refunds, of which $4.6 million was in earned income tax credits.

If you’d like to be part of something that allows you to learn a new skill while giving back to the community come join us on November 21st as we gear up for another tax season.


Click here to volunteer.

Late Autumn Days Are Upon Us

It is hard to believe that the calendar now reads November. You know that the late autumn days are upon us when the World Series is over and people start pulling sweaters and corduroy pants out of the closet.

As usual, the UWTSA office has been bustling with activity. Resource Development and our fabulous loaned executives have been working hard to make 2009 a successful campaign season.

A couple of weeks ago, the Young Leaders Society held a leadership lunch at Elle a Wine Country. We were lucky to have a very special guest at the lunch: former University of Arizona and NBA star Sean Elliott. Elliott talked to the YLS members about how important it is for young professionals to be active in their communities and also a positive role model for kids. He also discussed his philanthropic passions, answered questions about his time as a professional athlete and signed plenty of autographs.


Last Saturday was UWTSA’s annual University of Arizona tailgate party. The sun was shining and the weather was perfect for homecoming weekend. Dozens of United Way staff members (and their families), board members, committee members and friends from the community enjoyed catching up, tossing around footballs and being part of the lively college atmosphere. Two University of Arizona students even got engaged on the street in the middle of the tailgate! The icing on the cake was Arizona’s 48-7 victory over the visiting Washington State Cougars. A BIG thank-you goes out to the United Way Inclusion Council for putting the tailgate party together. A BIG thank-you also goes out to our sponsors: Coca-Cola, El Charro Café and the Nimbus Brewing Company.

Yesterday, our Income Strategies team held a tax season kickoff for the UWTSA staff. This was no boring lecture about taxes and the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. They performed skits, danced to a wide variety of songs and even provided the audience with delicious chocolate chip cookies. The highlight of the presentation was the group’s rendition of the “Achy Breaky Heart” line dance. As you can see by the pictures, these wacky characters makes taxes fun.

Get in the Game...

Football season is upon us, as is another very important season in our community. The United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s campaign season started in September and runs until early November. Like a running back sprinting for the end zone, the folks in resource development are going full throttle, making campaign presentations to the many wonderful companies in Tucson who are running internal United Way campaigns.
A big thank you goes out to all the companies and corporations who support UWTSA. Through a combination of corporations and individuals, as well as established and new donors, we are optimistic that we will be able to meet our 2009-10 campaign goals.

We are living during some of the most challenging economic times ever, and the needs in our community are great. Our families need financial stability and seniors need to feel safe and secure. Every youth in our community deserves a chance; a chance to play, to learn, to explore, to be safe and to understand that they can do and be anything.

Time and time again, the people of southern Arizona have risen to the challenge to help others in need, and that is the focus of this campaign. This campaign is everyone’s campaign, and together we have the opportunity to make a positive impact on our community.

Contributions are invested to focus on the United Way’s three community goals: education, income and health, the building blocks of a good life. Funds raised through the campaign go to local programs and services that advance the common good of the community.

Our campaign isn’t just about raising funds to assist nonprofits and agencies in southern Arizona; advocacy and volunteerism are also vital components of the campaign. Anyone can champion UWTSA’s cause, help inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow. An hour or two of one’s time can make a difference in the lives of others. Please contact our office or visit our website to learn how you can give, advocate and volunteer for UWTSA.

Our faith in the people of southern Arizona is strong. Tucsonans support each other… period.

We invite everyone to GET IN THE GAME and help us build a better community. Working together as a team, we can do it!

2009 Days of Caring!

On Saturday, September 12 and Wednesday, September 16, more than 3,200 United Way Days of Caring volunteers became an unstoppable force for good and gathered to strengthen our community. Throughout the region men, women and children dressed in white LIVE UNITED T-shirts were cleaning, painting, building, and hosting events to help local nonprofit agencies.

The United Way Days of Caring program was established to promote the spirit and value of volunteerism, increase the awareness of local human service agencies and schools and demonstrate what people working together for the good of the community can accomplish.

This year’s Days of Caring included 215 different community projects at more than 80 locations across southern Arizona. More than 100 local companies, organizations and federal agencies put together teams of volunteers dedicated to lending a hand.

At one project site, volunteers from the United Way Board of Directors and the United Way Inclusion Council joined forces with senior residents at St. Luke’s Home for maintenance projects that included washing windows, repairing furniture and attending to landscaping needs. While they pruned trees and dug up weeds to get the St. Luke’s grounds in good shape for the coming fall, servicemen and women from Davis Monthan tended to smoky grills and provided mouth-watering barbeque to celebrate Days of Caring volunteerism.

Many other Day of Caring projects were just as meaningful, and the volunteers walked away with a sense of satisfaction knowing they had made a difference or helped brighten someone’s day.

At the “Clean Lot Jack Pot,” the United Way Young Leaders Society with the help of Davis Monthan, University Physicians Healthcare, Stantec, Foothills Rotary Club, Tucson Lions Club and other volunteers, worked tirelessly to clean a large vacant lot on the corner of 36th & Kino, opposite the Quincie Douglas Library. This project was requested by the Kino Youth Advisory who was concerned about the danger the vacant lot filled with crime and debris, and located between the library and a school, presents to local youth.

“It was incredible how much improvement was made in a few short hours,” said volunteer Daniel Schmidt. “I feel like we made a real difference today for the safety of our community’s youth.”

This activity was also family-friendly. In the school across from the lot, children created ornaments for the Ben’s Bell project. Ben's Bells project begun in 2003 by a Tucson couple who wanted to honor their son — who died of croup just before his third birthday — and encourage the kindness shown them in their time of loss.

People all across southern Arizona will see and feel the impact of the thousands of volunteers mobilized through the United Way Days of Caring. In total, Days of Caring volunteers logged 2,632 hours of community service on Saturday and Wednesday for more than 80 local nonprofit organizations. Thank you to all who lent a hand to help us build a better community in southern Arizona!

Congratulations to Juliet Miller, United Way of Tucson's marketing project assistant and our Shining Star for the month of September!

UWTSA simply could not survive without Juliet (J-Dog to her co-workers). She juggles more marketing tasks than there are flavors of ice cream. Her tasks include managing our media relations, tracking all things financial in the marketing department and designing campaign materials for the Employees Combined Appeal Program (ECAP).

She is also the personal assistant for Dan, our trusty Senior Vice President of External Relations, and he keeps her very busy. Juliet serves on the Fest! Committee and was a part of the Constituent Resource Management (CRM) team.

J-Dog is always willing to lend a helping hand. She frequently takes shifts at the front desk and has assisted both the finance and resource department on many projects. Her generosity and warm spirit has made UWTSA a more pleasant place to work and we are all so very grateful to have her on our team.

Congrats, Juliet!

Countdown to United Way Days of Caring

Things are definitely getting busy around the office because we are only three days from the start of 2009 United Way Days of Caring (DOC). By this time next week, southern Arizona will be filled with people wearing our LIVE UNITED t-shirts.

What is Days of Caring?

On Saturday, September 12 and Wednesday, September 16, more than 2,900 volunteers from local businesses and organizations will demonstrate their commitment to our community by taking part in the 2009 DOC program.

During DOC, volunteer teams from more than 100 companies and organizations will work at local nonprofit agencies and public schools to tackle 180 projects that will make a lasting impact on the lives of children, families and seniors in our community. Local companies will showcase their volunteer spirit, completing projects such as painting murals, landscaping a garden and packing emergency food boxes.

These volunteers, like all who support United Way, have a direct positive impact on life in southern Arizona, now and in the future. DOC is at the heart of connecting hundreds of volunteers to local nonprofit organizations. There are so many worthwhile projects that are going to be completed during this year's DOC, here are just a few of them:

SATURDAY, Sept. 12:
8:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. St. Luke's Home (615 E. Adams, Tucson AZ): Volunteers from the UWTSA board of directors, community advisory board and inclusion council will join senior residents at St. Luke’s for volunteer projects including washing windows and attending to landscaping needs such as raking and pruning trees.

12:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m. Jim Click Boys and Girls Club (1935 S. Columbus Blvd, Tucson AZ): Volunteers from Bank of America will be having fun and spending time with the members and staff at the Jim and Vicki Click Boys and Girls Clubhouse. Project was coordinated by the 29th Street Coalition Weed and Seed.

12:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m. Arizona's Children Association (3210 E. Ft. Lowell, Suite 105Tucson, AZ): Volunteers from Tucson Newspapers will be painting the North Central Office.

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16:
9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. Ben's Bells (816 E. University Blvd.): Volunteers from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, IBM and Geico will help craft the pieces for Ben's Bells and assist with other miscellaneous tasks around the Ben's Bells studio.

9:00 a.m. — 3:30 p.m. Community Food Bank (3003 South Country Club Road, Tucson AZ): Volunteers from IBM will be completing numerous projects including food drive sign making, food boxes, painting and much more.

9:30 a.m. — 2:30 p.m. Catalina Council Boy Scouts (Organization Ridge Road, Mount Lemmon, AZ): Volunteers from IBM will be painting outside buildings and doing trail maintenance at Camp Lawton.

Another fun volunteer project is taking place on Wednesday at the 4-H High Ropes Course. Volunteers will be helping to create a natural habitat for kids, wildlife and the community. DOC volunteers will create basins, berms and swales to harvest rainwater. They will also plant native desert trees and wildflowers and construct a kiosk for signage.

If you see a group of volunteers sporting LIVE UNITED t-shirts working hard on DOC projects, be sure to honk your horn and say hello!

School Supply Drive!!!

Back by popular demand, the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s school supply drive for early childhood education is now available all year! Originally a project of United Way’s annual community-wide volunteer event, Days of Caring, the response and generosity of Southern Arizona organizations was so overwhelming that United Way has opened up the drive as an ongoing event. This school supply drive uniquely supports our community’s youngest: children from birth to age five. This developmental period is the time when 90 percent of a child’s brain is formed, but conversely, less than five percent of public investments in education and development occur during the same period. Cuts to Arizona Department of Economic Security, coupled with an unstable economic climate, have further weakened area early child care centers and homes, and many are unable to afford the basic supplies needed to stimulate young children and lay the groundwork for all future learning. By holding a school supply drive, an organization fosters team-building and helps ensure that more local children are entering kindergarten with the tools they need to learn and succeed.

The United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona school supply drive will benefit child care sites that serve low-income children and have made a commitment to quality improvement and transparency by taking part in Quality First, a First Things First funded initiative administered by United Way and Partners. Centers and homes enrolled in Quality First receive coaching services designed to improve the quality of their sites in several areas including their environments, programs and staff qualifications. The centers and homes also agree to be rated on a 5-star quality rating scale that will be made public to help parents make informed decisions about child care.

If interested in partnering with United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona to hold an early education school supply drive, please contact Daniel Schmidt at 520-903-3947 or dschmidt@unitedwaytucson.org.

If interested in learning more about United Way’s programs supporting early education including health, literacy, and family support, please contact Early Education Director Paula Trubisky at 520-903-3944 or ptrubisky@unitedwaytucson.org.

Family Home Child Care Providers in North Pima County

August has been a busy month for North Pima County with the creation of the Early Childhood Partnership of North Pima County and the Family Home Child Care Providers Support Group. Thanks to funding from First Things First North Pima Regional Partnership Council, United Way of Tucson has been able to open a new office in North Pima County and expand its work with child care providers, centers and families by providing information on available child care services and educational resources.

The first Family Home Child Care Provider Support Group meeting was held on August 25, 2009. What a great success! We were able to bring 11 family home child care providers together to talk about their issues and community concerns. All of the providers were able to walk away with information and resources they did not have before and some put the resources to use the very next day.

The Support Group meetings will be held monthly at different locations in North Pima County. If you are interested in the work taking place in North Pima County with United Way of Tucson and First Things First, email Christina Patchett at cpatchett@unitedwaytucson.org.

Days of Caring Kickoff Breakfast

Our Days of Caring (DOC) Kickoff Breakfast took place on Friday, August 21. The excitement was all around and the smell of pancakes and sausage filled the parking lot of Bank of America on Tanque Verde Road. Volunteers, employees, agency partners and the media came together to celebrate the southern Arizona community and to get excited for our Days of Caring on September 12 and 16. As you can see from our online photo album, everyone had a great time dancing to the sounds of the Retro Rockets and eating a hearty breakfast. Food was provided by the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa and the hot coffee was courtesy of Chick-Fil-A El Con.

http://picasaweb.google.com/UWTucson/DOCKickoffBreakfast?authkey=Gv1sRgCN_uzaqw9bHlwQE#

With 229 projects and over 2575 volunteers signed up, we are hoping to have a positive impact on our community for years to come. Thank you to everyone who has signed up to be a Days of Caring volunteer; but there's still a need for volunteers. Projects include painting indoors and outdoors; making general repairs, cleaning garden areas; making food boxes and small construction jobs. You can sign up to be a Days of Caring Volunteer here: https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/uwotasa/volunteer/

Never too soon

It's never to soon to start thinking about taxes. Yes I said taxes. Now I realize that usually the mention of taxes, brings fear and visions of audits to the minds of most, but I'm talking about taxes with a community impact.

VITA, the volunteer income tax assistance program, provides free tax preparation to low to moderate income families, helping them receive all the credits they are entitled to and saving money on paid preparers.

There are two points I want to highlight from that previous paragraph:

1- moderate income - most of us qualify and with continuing lay offs and the rise in unemployment many who may not have qualified in the past will most definitely qualify now for this wonderful program.

2-The key word in this program is volunteer. Yep, we need and we rely on volunteers to bring this program to our community. So it's never to soon to start thinking about ways that each of us can help the community. Of course tax preparers are the cornerstone of our VITA program, but there are many other ways to help out as well, each role playing an important part in our success.

United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona has lead the VITA program through community partnerships and the EITC TaskForce of Southern Arizona for the past 5 tax seasons growing the program from just over 1,100 returns for tax year 2004 to over 8,000 returns for tax year 2008. All of this made possible my community partnerships and volunteers.

One of the reasons for the impressive increase in the number of returns this year was our task force grew and our efforts expanded across Southern Arizona due to our partnership with United Way of Pinal County and Catholic Community Services.

For the first time were were able to offer the self-prep option at a few of our sites. This was made possible by our partnership with Intuit. This option allowed tax payers access to Intuit's Turbo Tax Freedom Edition and Intuit volunteers were on hand to assist with questions.

And if that weren't enough we also were able to bring the Beehive program another self-prep option to some sites courtesy of a grant from WalMart. This program was completely self-prep, although VITA volunteers were on hand to support these tax payers.

By now I'm hoping that you can see the impact that VITA has had to the Tucson, Pima County and Southern Arizona community and why we need to start recruiting our volunteer team now.

There are many ways you can help. All volunteer positions include free training and on site support. For more information email vitavolunteers@unitedwaytucson.org or call 520.903.3949