UnitedWay.Tucson

The Story Behind the 2010 United Way Inclusion Conference

2010-04-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

United Way Inclusion Council

The Story Behind the 2010 United Way Inclusion Conference

The news ticker flashed across the TV screen with a simple statement … “United Way says financial crisis has passed.” Such a complex story summed up in one phrase…

As many Tucsonans know, several nonprofit organizations - including United Way - have struggled to manage the repercussions of the financial storm that has swept our country. The crisis has significantly impacted American spending and giving habits, as well as the viability of thousands of businesses. In spite of the challenges it faced, United Way of Tucson proactively engaged its community, partners and stakeholders as well as painstakingly reorganized its own operations to address this financial crisis. They say, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” However, in this particular situation, the “tough” were able to count on “a little help from their friends,” to borrow from the popular Beatles song. Many of United Way’s partners and supporters are continuing to provide donations and sponsorships that enable United Way to maintain its commitments to educate, enrich, and enable those who depend on United Way’s support.

This dedication is perhaps best illustrated by the effort to execute the 27th Annual United Way Inclusion Conference (formerly the Multi-Cultural Leadership Development Program). Community leaders like Richard Miranda (Deputy City Manager), Daisy Jenkins (Sr. VP for HR at Carondelet Health Services), and Clarence Boykins (President of the Tucson Black Chamber of Commerce), along with more than 600 other alumni, have participated in this event over the years. Through this curriculum, these leaders have developed inclusive and diverse community leadership skills.

This year’s event was faced with the prospect of postponement due to funding challenges. When members of United Way and the United Way Inclusion Council learned of this situation, they decided to take action. They reached out to dedicated sponsors like La Frontera, Raytheon and the Debe Campos-Fleenor Allstate Insurance Agency for a renewal of their financial support. They also asked for in-kind donations from Country Inn & Suites, El Charro, Pizza Hut and the Tucson Urban League to sustain the momentum of this community leadership development conference. These partners, along with volunteer instructors and event coordinators, all have willingly provided their support to enable the continuance of this annual conference. Because of their generosity, 20 or more Tucsonans will receive an opportunity to further develop their diversity and community leadership skills at this year’s event, which will be held May 19 – 21.

The United Way Inclusion Council consists of individuals who represent the broad tapestry of the community where we all live and work. UWIC believes there is tremendous strength in our collective differences and that diversity is a business imperative and an ethical and social responsibility. Their objective to expand inclusive leadership capabilities and to promote inherent feelings of appreciation, fairness, value, respect, accountability and engagement.

Through their signature event, the United Way Inclusion Conference, as well as other social events and volunteer opportunities, UWIC members enjoy the following benefits:

• Instruction on board governance and operations,
• Professional and social networking,
• Awareness of the great value of diversity and inclusion,
• Opportunities to be contributing board members on community organizations.

The UWIC is working at infusing the community with diverse leaders in the hopes of creating a community in southern Arizona where each human gift will find a fitting place. The effort of the UWIC and its community partners to not let this conference fade away is a lesson on how to navigate through these difficult times … a lighthouse to guide us though the financial difficulties that challenge our ability to forge out new frontiers for our communities. The simple phrase delivered by news ticker could use a little more detail to describe the wonder of it all … it could have been better said as… “United Way says financial crisis is passed … and together we are smarter, stronger, and still UNITED.”

Best,

Raul Almazan
Manager, HR Learning & Talent Management at Raytheon Missile Systems
United Way Inclusion Council Communications Advocate

2010 United Way Inclusion Conference is Right Around the Corner!

2010-04-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Are you thinking about attending the 2010 United Way Inclusion Conference, but not quite sure if it is the kind of leadership training you are looking for? Check out some testimonials from last year's conference.

United Way Inclusion Conference Gets Local Nonprofit Going in the Right Direction

As the President/Founder of a new nonprofit, Single Parents Are Not Alone (SPANA), the time to learn was now — not later!

So, when a UWIC steering committee member recommended that I attend the UWIC Conference, I realized this was just what I needed!

As an African-American female with a Japanese first name and a French last name, I thought I knew just about everything there was to know about diversity! After the UWIC Diversity training, I learned I had a LOT to learn still in this area. I realized there are other factors to consider about diversity; including economic classes, power/influential groups and political/religious groups…the list goes on and on. We can end up "struggling" on a daily basis to exist among all of these group and classes of people, if we don't recognize and appreciate those differences.

The UWIC conference was eye-opening to me, simply because I truly realized that it’s not just black or white when it comes to dealing with people. This conference is one of those life-changing experiences that you cherish and value. I cherish it not only because of what I learned, but because of the people I met and the relationships developed from it. Thanks UWIC for influencing my life for the better!

~ Miyoka Broussard

Need Board Members? Get UWIC!

As President of StrengthBuilding Partners (SBP), I know how important it is to have an active and diverse board. Last spring, SBP found itself in need of a few new board members. Wanting to find talented and diverse professionals who would share our passion for “making a difference in the lives of children,” SBP turned to UWIC for assistance. The SBP board believes that graduates of the UWIC conference would make perfect candidates for our board. UWIC contacted all the graduates of the conference and provided information about the duties of an SBP board member. SBP received communication from several prospective board members and we are excited about the quality of these applicants. I am certain that our board will soon grow in size with the needed expertise to help our organization continue to respond to the needs of our clients.

~ Pamela Clark-Raines

2010 United Way Inclusion Council Conference
CULTIVATE * LEADERSHIP * DIVERSITY

Learn about...
*Cultural Diversity
*Board Governance Skills
*Committee Participation
*Robert's Rules of Order
*Fundamentals of Fundraising
*Leadership and more!

The United Way Inclusion Council Conference will cover many topics, including sessions about cultural diversity, board governance skills, committee participation, Robert's Rules of Order, fundamentals of fundraising, leadership and financial skills for board membership.

Cost: $300.00.

The conference fee includes breakfast, lunch and all conference materials.

For more information, contact Candace McIntosh at 520.903.3915 or CMcIntosh@unitedwaytucson.org.

Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics

2010-03-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, February 27, 2010, Special Olympics Arizona and the Arizona Law Enforcement Torch Run hosted Tucson's 2nd Annual Polar Plunge at Breakers Water Park in Marana.

Polar bears from all walks of life (including Special Olympics athletes, families, friends and fans) plunged into the freezing cold water, all to support Special Olympics programs and athletes.

The Breakers pool was filled with 1,000 pounds of ice so the plungers could experience the "thrill of the chill" while raising money for a great cause.

Team LIVE UNITED (Alisa Arce, Holly Bullard, Stephanie Pendrys & Daniel Schmidt) donned their LIVE UNITED shirts and jumped in the icy waters. Team LIVE UNITED secured more than $500.00 in donations for Special Olympics Arizona.

Injuries and ailments were minor; sinus infection for me (Steph) and a scraped knee for Alisa. In total, the polar bears raised $25,778 for Special Olympics Arizona.

The mission of Special Olympics Arizona is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

"Bah Humbug” They Exclaimed…Not at Pima Health System!

2010-02-16T14:35:00.000-08:00

by Lisa-Kay Caswell,
ECAP Steering Committee Secretary and PHS Employee

Pima Health System employees banded together throughout the holiday season not just to bring joy and cheer to all, but also food, diapers and toys. Led by their ECAP co-coordinators Josh Devor and Pam Johnson, employees raised more than $600 in cash and more than 500 pounds of non-perishable food items and diapers that were donated to the Tucson Community Food Bank between September and the end of December.

Josh and Pam organized a fundraiser in October to raise money for the food bank. They sold popcorn, Subway cookies and EEGEES drinks and also held a silent auction of items that Josh solicited from local businesses. In addition to Subway and EEGEES, donations came from Chili's, On the Border, Boston Market, Sweet Tomatoes, Casa del Rio, Macaroni Grill, the Fountain Center, Pottery Blow Out, Red Lobster and Supercuts. Employees brought in other new or gently used items that were added to the auction. All of the funds were directed through ECAP as a direct donation to the food bank.

Employees also worked hard to gather toys for the Marine’s Toys for Tots program. Boxes were placed throughout PHS for employees to donate toys, bikes, books, movies and games. The toys were delivered to our neighborhood Fire Station #10 on Ajo and Park. Jo Ann Siemsen, Business Continuity Planning Coordinator, said “it was a very happy moment to see the reaction of the fire fighters when they saw a truck full of bikes and the PHS Blazer filled with two big boxes of toys and more bikes! They were amazed with everyone’s generosity and shared an enthusiastic thank you!”

PHS employees joined many other county workers to donate gifts for the residents of the Posada del Sol nursing facility. This is an annual tradition where residents create a small personal wish list of very practical items. This giving tradition is a small gesture of love and kindness that brings big smiles to the residents, many of which have no family and would otherwise have no presents under the tree.

Pima Health System’s mission is “To improve the quality of life for the community and the people we serve through an integrated system of health and social services.” PHS employees take this motto very seriously and feel it is important to give to our community and to help those who are struggling in this challenging economy.

Patricia Alvarez Hurley, PHS Director, said, “I am very proud of the efforts and generosity of the staff at Pima Health System. The ECAP, silent auction, raffles, food bank donations, Posada del Sol and the Toys for Tots efforts are all appreciated. All of these donations are voluntary and given the continued economic crisis, it is heartwarming to reflect on how giving many of you are and that you recognize the less fortunate. There were a total of 13 new bicycles in various sizes and boxes full of toys. I want to thank Josh Devor and Pam Johnson, who were generous with their personal time and pocketbooks in making these events successful. Their sincere dedication is outstanding.”

For information about ECAP, visit the ECAP website.

Meet Our AmeriCorps NCCC's!

2010-01-27T14:40:00.000-08:00

Today's featured NCCC team member is Jenna Nystrom.

Jenna Nystrom
Hometown: Hoffman Estates, IL

1. What does LIVE UNITED mean to you?
‘LIVE UNITED’ means that we should all work together to build stronger, more self-sufficient communities.

2. What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about helping people, making a difference in someone’s life and hearing the stories of other people.

3. When did you start volunteering and/or giving back to your community?
I started volunteering when I was 13-14 years old. I did service projects in impoverished communities like community cleanups and serving at a soup kitchen.

4. How are you involved in the community?
I have been volunteering in my community for 8-9 years.

5. What have you learned from volunteering and being a part of your community?
That one person can make a difference, no matter how small.

6. What community issues are you most concerned about?
Shelter, education

7. Why do you think it is important to give back to your community?
Because we are in the community and it’s important to take care of it.

8. Do you have any particular memory from giving back to the community or volunteering?
I have volunteered with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) each summer for nine years and I have met so many new people and touched so many lives by fixing up their homes and spending time with them.

Meet Our AmeriCorps NCCC's!

2010-01-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

Today's featured NCCC team member is Derek Burkhardt.

Derek Burkhardt
Hometown: Manchester, NH

1. What does LIVE UNITED mean to you?
As a community we need to work together to improve our environment, other lives, as well as ourselves.

2. What are you passionate about?
Family, music, sports, teaching, kids, and the environment.

3. When did you start volunteering and/or giving back to your community?
I have been involved in community service since I was little. My parents and my church both encouraged me to volunteer in my community.

4. How are you involved in the community?
Volunteer

5. What have you learned from volunteering and being a part of your community?
I have learned that the preservation of one’s community and one’s environment is in turn the preservation of oneself. Helping others is helping yourself.

6. What community issues are you most concerned about?
Education

7. Why do you think it is important to give back to your community?
Service is the best way to support, liven and keep a community healthy. It encourages others to take the right steps.

8. Do you have any particular memory from giving back to the community or volunteering?
We helped a lady who was a Katrina victim rebuild her house from the ground up. Seeing her press on after losing everything was an example of great strength and perseverance to me.

They’re Back!

2010-01-20T15:41:00.000-08:00

United Way is excited to, once again, be hosting a team of 11 young volunteers from the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). Team Water 4 will be with us for eight weeks (January 11 through March 5), providing a big boost to our local VITA efforts!

AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a full-time, team-based residential program for men and women age 18–24. Team Water 4 is based out of the NCCC Southwest Region Campus in Denver. The teams’ 11 members hail from across the United States, including California, Arizona, New Hampshire, Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York and Texas.

In keeping with their mission of strengthening communities through direct, team-based service, the team will primarily be staffing the mobile VITA site and reaching out to some of the hardest-to-contact populations in Pima County. They will be filing taxes at work sites, residential facilities for the elderly and/or handicapped, refugee centers, as well as remote rural areas of the county. They will also connect families and individuals to other financial stability resources (public benefits, financial education, banking, workforce development opportunities). Last year’s NCCC team prepared more than 500 returns and put $781,829 in federal refunds and credits back in the pockets of Pima County residents.

Welcome to Tucson, Team Water 4!

Meet the NCCC’s!

Each team member was asked to share their thoughts about volunteering and what it means to LIVE UNITED. Meet Ashley!

Ashley (Team Leader)
Hometown: San Diego, CA

1. What does LIVE UNITED mean to you?
I think that LIVE UNITED means working together for the common good.

2. What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about service in all aspects: health, animals, kids and the environment.

3. When did you start volunteering and/or giving back to your community?
I have been volunteering since I was very young. My parents were very involved in service while I was growing up.

4. How are you involved in the community?
I am involved by volunteering with AmeriCorps NCCC for the past year and a half.

5. What have you learned from volunteering and being a part of your community?
I have learned that I want to continue volunteering for the rest of my life.

6. What community issues are you most concerned about?
I am very concerned about the environment, health and education.

7. Why do you think it is important to give back to your community?
“Because if not you, then whom?” ~ Team Water 4 member Dave Zack

8. Do you have any particular memory from giving back to the community or volunteering?
I was recently sent to America Samoa with the Red Cross to help with the disaster efforts there. It was a surreal experience and it will stay with me forever.

Volunteer for Low-Income Families, Earn a Day at Disneyland

2010-01-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

This tax season, United Way's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is teaming up with Mickey Mouse! Through Disney's "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program, VITA volunteers can earn a free ticket good for one day admission to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland® theme park.

Disney is partnering with nonprofits and community organizations across the nation and United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona was fortunate enough to be selected. This partnership means that our VITA program is listed on Disney's website when you search for volunteer opportunities in Tucson. Last year, VITA completed more than 8,000 returns which generated more than $9 million in refunds to the hard-working people of Tucson and Pima County. This year, VITA is looking to help even more families keep more of what they earned.

By signing up on Disney’s "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" website, anyone from the community can help local families build savings and financial security. After someone volunteers with VITA, United Way will verify their service to Disney and they will receive a voucher for the parks. If you do not think you will be able to attend the parks with your voucher, you can also donate your voucher to Boys and Girls Clubs. There's no better time to make a dream come true for others and let Disney make a few come true for you.

Check out http://tr.im/vitadisney for more information.

Yéle Haiti Earthquake Fund

2010-01-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

Some information for folks who are searching for a way to support recovery efforts in Haiti.

In 2005, Haitian-born and Brooklyn-raised musician Wyclef Jean created the grassroots charity organization Yéle Haiti. The former member of the Grammy-winning group The Fugees coined the term Yéle in a song and imbued it with the meaning, "a cry for freedom."

"The objective of Yéle Haiti is to restore pride and a reason to hope, and for the whole country to regain the deep spirit and force that is part of our heritage."

Within two hours of Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake, Jean and Yéle mobilized on social networking sites to raise funds for disaster relief. Two ways that you can help:

• Text "Yéle" to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yéle Haiti Earthquake Fund ($5 will be added to your cell phone bill)

• Donate at http://www.yele.org/

January is National Mentoring Month!

2010-01-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

January was first declared National Mentoring Month in 2002 by the Harvard Mentoring Project and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Since that time, MENTOR, the National Mentoring Partnership, has taken an active role in raising the profile of mentoring throughout the United States each January.

Earlier this month, President Obama signed the National Mentoring Month 2010 Proclamation, click below to read the release:

http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/news_events/pressreleases/proclamation2010/

All children have the potential to succeed in life and contribute to society. However, not all children get the support they need to thrive. Many need more caring adults in their lives to offer guidance and friendship. They need mentors.

The benefits of mentoring include:
• Improving self-esteem;
• Keeping young people in school;
• Helping improve academic skills;
• Leading young people to resources they might not find on their own;
• Providing support for new behaviors, attitudes and ambitions;
• Increasing young people's ability to seek and keep jobs;
• Enhancing parenting skills.

A mentor can also give a child access to a new world of ideas and experiences.

Mentoring is a special kind of caring, supportive relationship or partnership between two people that is based on trust and respect. Mentors share their knowledge and experience with young people to help them define and reach their goals. If you can give just a few hours a month, there is a child that needs you.

The Mentoring Partnership of Arizona at the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona recognizes the importance of National Mentoring Month and is taking an active role in encouraging Arizonans to become mentors and to close the mentoring gap.

They will be hosting a number of events during National Mentoring Month, including:

• MLK Day Film Projét Short Film Festival
• January 18th, 2010
• 5:30-7:30
• The Loft Cinema (3233 E. Speedway, Tucson)

• Thank Your Mentor Day Recognition Event
• Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
• 7:00-9:00
• Beowulf Alley Theatre Company (11 S. 6th Ave., Tucson)

• Mentoring Community Forum
• Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
• 9:00-12:00
• Trinity Presbyterian (4th Avenue and University Blvd., Tucson)

• Southern Arizona Mentoring Conference (An endeavor of Community Renewal and Southern Arizona Mentoring Coalition)
• Friday and Saturday, January 29th-30th, 2010
• The Journey (4700 N. Swan Rd., Tucson)

For more information on National Mentoring Month and how you can become involved, please email mentoring@volunteersoaz.org.

VITA Program Partnership Offers Many “Returns”

2010-01-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

This tax season, students at the Pima Community College West Campus are partnering with United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona and the IRS to expand the reach of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

This semester, Pima students can enroll in the Basic Income Tax Preparation course (ACC160) and learn how to prepare taxes from an IRS representative. Students will learn about tax credits including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families.

The 3-credit class meets on Saturday mornings, 8:00 a.m. to noon, for three weeks. Students must pass an IRS volunteer tax preparer certification exam and perform a minimum of 18 service learning hours at a VITA site to successfully complete the course. In addition to earning college credit, Pima students will gain practical work experience and help local low- and moderate-income working families and individuals keep more of what they earn.

This program connects well with Pima Community College’s Community-Based/Service Learning Initiative, a program that emphasizes community service learning. The program encourages students to learn and develop through active participation in projects that meet actual community needs. The projects are intended to help students understand how their classroom learning can be applied in real-life contexts.

With the economy pushing many southern Arizona families into financial crisis, we need to ensure that people have the information and assistance needed to access EITC and use it to build savings and financial security. Census data shows that EITC lifts more children out of poverty than any other single program or category of programs.

United Way is very excited about this course offering and for the help Pima students will provide to the VITA program.

Pima students, click here to read more about the Basic Income Tax Preparation class:
http://tr.im/vitaclass

Class description from PCC Website
ACC160: Basic Income Tax Preparation

Basic skills in tax preparation. Includes volunteer assistance techniques and procedures; taxable revenues, expenses, and appropriate line items on various forms; completion and discussion of tax returns with clients; additional federal tax issues and forms on individual tax returns; and training in current tax preparation software.

Prerequisite(s): ACC 101.
Course Corequisites:
Information: Students must pass an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) volunteer tax preparer certification exam and perform a minimum of 18 service learning hours at a community VITA site to successfully complete this course.
Information: May be taken four times for a maximum of twelve credit hours.

2010 VITA Sites Opening Soon!

2010-01-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

If you know anyone who earned less than $49,000 in 2009, they may be eligible for up to $5,600 in Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – and they can get their taxes done free beginning in January.

Many families have their taxes done using their year-end paycheck and sometimes pay more than they should, especially if they want a quick refund. By taking advantage of the free tax preparation, these working families and individuals can keep more of what they earn.

Eligibility requirements for the 2009 EITC are:

• Families with three or more qualifying children who earn less than $43,279 (or less than $48,279 married filing jointly) are eligible for a credit of up to $5,657.

• Families with two qualifying children who earn less than $40,295 (or less than $45,295 married filing jointly) are eligible for a credit of up to $5,028.

• Families with one qualifying child who earn less than $35,463 (or less than $40,463 married filing jointly) are eligible for a credit of up to $3,043.

• Workers without a qualifying child who earn less than $13,440 (or less than $18,440 married filing jointly) are eligible for a credit of up to $457.

Another credit sometimes overlooked is the Child Tax Credit, which is up to $1,000 per qualifying child. For tax year 2009, the minimum income threshold needed to qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit has been reduced from $12,050 to $3,000, so more families will be eligible.

The free tax preparation service is offered by partners of the EITC Taskforce, including United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. All tax preparers are trained volunteers. Fifteen sites will be open throughout Tucson and Pima County by the end of January 2010.

In 2009, the EITC Task Force prepared 5,727 tax returns in Pima County and an additional 2,278 throughout Southern Arizona for a total of 8,005 returns. Through these efforts, the coalition brought in $9.1 million in total tax refunds, $4.6 of which was from the EITC.

If you know anyone who would benefit, spread the word. Help low- and moderate-income working families and individuals keep more of what they earn.

YLS: Spreading Holiday Cheer and Frosting!

2009-12-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-03T16:18:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-11-20T09:55:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-10-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2009-09-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

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