communityIMPACT SPRING 2013
Orange County United Way’s Quarterly Newsletter
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Hello, friends.
Spring is here! That time of year when we refresh our spaces and our lives. It’s also events season at Orange County United Way— when our community comes together to have BREAKFAST to help women and girls become self-sufficient, MIX and MINGLE to build stronger neighborhoods, and take a WALK to help prepare today’s youth to become tomorrow’s leaders. Our first event is the 10th Annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast May 1 at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. Hosted by our Women’s Philanthropy Fund, the event will celebrate a decade of helping hundreds of women and girls overcome obstacles and thrive. The following week, on May 9, professionals from the real estate industry will meet on the lawn of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach for the 14th Annual Real Estate & Building Industry Mixer to celebrate the collective impact of our community partnership. As a former member of this sector, I am especially proud of their efforts to “be part of the change” and make our county a better place to live for all. And last, but most certainly not least, WALK UNITED slides onto our calendar June 8. This is our fifth year joining with supporters of all ages to take steps to strike out opponents like hunger, homelessness, and poverty, so we can restore hope to our neighbors in need. This year, we’re spotlighting Education, a critical component to ensuring that the next generation reaches its full potential.
WALK UNITED 2013
200,000 REASONS TO WALK WITH US JUNE 8
range County United Way invites you to step up to the plate, be part of the change, and participate in the Fifth Annual WALK UNITED, Saturday, June 8, at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The event is a fun family-friendly 5K walk, featuring local bands, food trucks, a Kid-at-Heart Zone, U.S. Army boot camp stations, as well as an opportunity to walk on the Angel Stadium field. Most importantly, walkers will support individuals just like Gisel (pictured below). When the school bell rings at the end of the day, our youth go out into a community where 1-in-10 residents live below the federal poverty level. This year’s WALK will provide a spotlight on the need in Education to help our children reach their full potential and lead successful, self-sufficient lives. Registration: $25 standard; $15 seniors and youth. For more information visit www.walkunited.com. Each student that drops out of high school will cost the public sector $200k during their lifetime.
Meet Gisel Marmolejo: 2013 WALK AMBASSADOR
“Please join me at WALK UNITED on June 8th to help our next generation to reach their potential and create a brighter future for our community.”
SPECIAL THANKS TO GRAND SLAM SPONSOR: WELLS FARGO!
I hope to see you at one or all of these events. They are only possible (and successful) because of your generosity and support. For more information, visit www.unitedwayoc.org. Until next time, thanks for LIVING UNITED. In the meantime, remember, you can GIVE, you can ADVOCATE, or you can VOLUNTEER. Best of all, you can do all three. With gratitude,
Max L. Gardner
ISSUE NO. 4, VOLUME NO. 2 SPRING 2013
www.walkunited.com
949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org
SUPPORT FOR SPRING
ore of our neighbors in need will be sleeping more soundly this spring thanks to our partnership with Tempur-Pedic, Good360, and our health partner agency, Giving Children Hope. March 22 marked the first of four deliveries of twin Tempur-Pedic mattresses to Giving Children Hope, who distributed the springless mattresses known for support to 10 fellow OCUW partner agencies: Casa Teresa, Colette’s Children’s Home, Families Forward, Friendship Shelter, Grandma’s House of Hope, Interval House, Mercy House, Orange County Rescue Mission, Straight Talk, and WISEPlace. More than 400 mattresses were purchased by the shelter agencies for $50 each, well below their retail value. Spring is a time of new beginnings, especially for those who will have newfound hope, comfort, and a good night’s sleep this season.
VOLUNTEERING AT VOCATIONAL VISIONS
corporate CORNER
AAA AMBASSADORS BRING LIVE UNITED MOVEMENT TO LIFE icking off their 2013 LIVE UNITED Workplace Campaign on March 18, Spirit of Orange County corporate partner AAA exceeded their campaign goals in just three weeks. By April 5, they secured approximately 40 AAA Ambassadors who mobilized and revved up momentum around the LIVE UNITED movement for their coworkers, hosting unique kick-offs for each department. Libby Clarkson, Ambassador, put together a kickoff with Travel Product Management for AAA colleagues, to ramp up campaign excitement, educate employees on the value of LIVING UNITED, and highlight AAA’s partnership with OCUW. This is the second year Employee Campaign Managers Wendy Nugent and Kathy Klute-Nelson have implemented the AAA Ambassador Program to show how, together, we improve lives and strengthen OC. Thanks to AAA for revving up hope for our community.
UNITE WITH US
AT ONE, OR ALL, OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS:
CELEBRATE “THE POWER OF THE PURSE” AT OUR 10th ANNUAL WPF BREAKFAST May 1, 2013, 7:30−9:30 a.m., at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine. For more information, visit www.wpfbreakfast.kintera.org.
HELP BUILD A STRONGER OC AT OUR 14TH ANNUAL REBI MIXER n April 13, Orange County United Way employees gathered on the campus of Vocational Visions in Mission Viejo, one of our income partner agencies, to lend a hand for our fifth Building United project. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, Building United is designed to enhance the service capacity of Orange County United Way partner agencies through the refurbishment and/or repurposing of their facilities. The group united to prep, paint, and reposition a program room at the agency, renovating walls, floors, bookcases, desks, and earthquake-proofing cabinets. Almost eight hours later, volunteers spruced up the space that is used to provide employment, support, social, and recreation services for almost 600 people per year who have developmental disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. We are so proud of our team for spending their Saturday to strengthen OUR community. If you would like to coordinate a volunteer project, contact Tabbatha Mallory, volunteer engagement manager at OCUW, at tabbatham@unitedwayoc.org or 949.263.6111.
2 | SPRING 2013
May 9, 2013, 5−8 p.m., at the Balboa Bay Club. For more information, visit www.realestate2013.kintera.org.
LACE UP YOUR SNEAKERS FOR OUR FIFTH ANNUAL WALK UNITED June 8, 7:30 a.m.−12 p.m., at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. For more information, visit www.walkunited.com.
SOCIALIZE WITH US
HAVE YOU JOINED OUR MOVEMENT—OUR SOCIAL MEDIA MOVEMENT? Stay up-to-date with what’s happening at Orange County United Way, our partner agencies, corporate partners, donors, and OUR community, by connecting with us on the following sites: /UnitedWayOC
blog.unitedwayoc.org
/UnitedWayOC
/OCUnitedWay
linkd.in/unitedwayoc
OUR MISSION:
TO IMPROVE LIVES BY MOBILIZING THE CARING POWER OF ORANGE COUNTY TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY FROM HOPELESSNESS TO SUCCESS alking the path to self-sufficiency is nearly impossible when you don’t have access to Education, Income, or Health—the Building Blocks for a good quality of life. Our neighbor Michel was without a college degree, a career, or a car, feeling hopeless, and in need of a hand UP.
10 WAYS TO INVEST YOUR TAX REFUND
“I wasn’t attending school, and I couldn’t find a job to help support my family. I wanted to enroll in community college, but because we were having financial trouble, finding a job was my only option,” says Michel.
TO BECOME MORE FINANCIALLY FIT First, determine what you’re investing for—a purchase, a rainy day, or emergency funding. Open a savings account. Create a budget. Invest in a CD—to stop from spending, and grow with interest! Pay down debt. Increase your contributions, tax free, from your refund to your retirement fund. Make those needed doctor visits and keep your health a priority. Shop smart! Section off part of the refund for three weeks (or months) of grocery shopping. Start a college fund.
After hearing about the network of support offered by Orange County United Way, Michel reached out to OCUW partner agency, Taller San Jose, securing a spot in their Administrator and Billing Clerk Academy. The program helped her improve her typing and computer skills and earn her CPR and HIPAA Compliance certifications. After 16 weeks in the program, Michel secured a four-week externship at a local company. Her good news was countered with a major problem: transportation. “I was excited to learn that I would be working in Irvine, but I was worried about how I would get from my home in Santa Ana all the way to Irvine. I didn’t own a car, and it was too far to walk or take the bus. I had been saving up as much money as I could for my own car, but I still didn’t have enough,” explains Michel. Once again, she had to put the brakes on her road to recovery. Or so she thought. “After sharing my concerns with my case manager, I found out that I was eligible for assistance from Orange County United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund Grant Program. Thanks to their program, I was able to purchase my very own car. With the independence my car afforded me, I truly felt like there was nothing holding me back from my dreams!” Through her WPF Grant and the support of Orange County United Way partner agency Taller San Jose, Michel has found success. She’s working full-time and her family is continuing to thrive. We are proud of the success stories we create TOGETHER. Help us create more by continuing to LIVE and GIVE UNITED. Your contribution to Orange County United Way’s Community Impact Fund helps improve lives—lives like Michel’s.
Look at your calendar, and put some dollars aside for upcoming obligations.
949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org
SPRING 2013 | 3
communityIMPACT recent EVENTS
[1] GRATITUDE AND GIVING: TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY FIRESIDE CHAT
n a chilly evening late last month, a group of 40 LIVE UNITED community champions gathered at the home of Tocqueville Society members Bob and Joni Alter for a “fireside chat” with Walter Green, renowned writer of This Is The Moment!: How One Man’s Yearlong Journey Captured the Power of Extraordinary Gratitude. While many of us simply use words like “thank you” to express our appreciation, Green, who enjoyed a successful 25-year career as a business executive, decided to take his expression on the road. He literally went on a mission to personally visit and thank 44 people who had an influence and impact throughout his life. The gratitude tour took him across the United States and abroad. During the fireside chat, Green shared his inspirational story with the audience and explained how it changed his life. Before leaving, he gave the donors some homework: “Make a list of those in YOUR life who you want to thank now.”
[2] A MAGICAL MOMENT: DESTINATION GRADUATION STUDENTS MEET DISNEY EXECUTIVES agic is in the air. This winter, our Destination Graduation (DG) students at Katella High School left their classrooms for a period to learn what it takes to work at Disney. Through DG’s Corporate Share Days, executives from our corporate partners talk to the students about their path to success. Both Marcus Gonzalez, Graphic Design Manager, Concept and Product Development, and Claudia Durón Burke, Internships & Programs Education Instructor for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, encouraged the juniors to stay in school, pursue their passions, and work hard to succeed. To see Marcus and Claudia in action, visit our YouTube page: http://youtube.com/OCUnitedWay.
[3] EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT KICKOFF AT IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGE n February 2, Irvine Valley College helped us kickoff our Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) campaign. In partnership with the Board of Equalization, OCUW hosted the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program for families with an annual salary under $58,000, connecting eligible earners with tools geared to put money back in their pockets. Between VITA and MyFreeTaxes, the kick-off helped 93 clients get a total of $89,655 in federal refunds and EITC returned to them.
[4] EVERYONE COUNTS IN OUR COMMUNITY POINT-IN-TIME COUNT (PITC) n Saturday, January 26, Orange County community champions—including LIVE UNITED advocates and volunteers—left the comfort of their beds at 3 a.m. to see firsthand what sleeping in the cold is like for the more than 18,000 people right here in Orange County who experience homelessness over the course of one year. Participating in the 2013 Point-In-Time Count, volunteers took to the streets to physically count the active homeless living in OUR community—and to survey critical information so that stable housing solutions can be addressed. OCUW’s President and CEO Max Gardner, and Senior VP of Community Impact Carla Vargas, joined Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, PITC Homeless Guide Anita Rivera, and close to 900 volunteers to take part in the fifth biennial homeless population count. Orange County United Way was a Point-In-Time Partner, and United Way staff served on the Workgroup for the Count, assisting in the overall planning and implementation of the project— particularly in the areas of volunteer recruitment, hotspot identification, and communication strategies.
[5] CELEBRATING COMMUNITY IMPACT: PARTNER AGENCY RECEPTION n Friday, January 25, our 87 partner agencies gathered at Cypress Community Park for OCUW’s 2013 Partner Agency Reception, to celebrate our accomplishments, together, over the last two years. With 92 funded programs—20 Education, 13 Income, and 59 Health—we are transforming our community, using the power of collective impact to give our coworkers, friends, and neighbors in need a hand UP. Together, in 2012, 171,620 clients were served, and $4,352,498 in Community Impact Grants were used to strengthen our community. Thank you to our partner agencies for LIVING UNITED!
949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org
ISSUE NO. 4, VOLUME NO. 2 SPRING 2013