second quarter 2015 newsletter
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LIVE UNITED TODAY SECO
ND Q
UART
ER 2
015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: VITA RECAP, CHANGE LIVES HERE, A NIGHT OF THANKS, GRATITUDE
LET’S CONTINUE TO FUND THIS VALUABLE PROGRAM!
Children unable to read at grade level by the time they reach the fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
United Way’s ReadingPals Literacy Initiative is a key education program that is in jeopardy of closing its doors. ReadingPals aims to prepare children to be on
grade level by the end of third grade and begin to enjoy reading for fun.
Since it’s inception in 2012, this program has been gener-ously funded by the Barnett Early Literacy Grant. In July, the funds provided by this grant will be cut in half in order to build ReadingPals programs at other United Way agencies in the Southeastern United States. Funds, after July, will be required to provide two-hundred students with the resources necessary to continue the program successfully. (cont.)
Fairy Tale Endings…
ReadingPals student, Dennis loves the Captain Underpants series
Where do donation dollars go?
Students and volunteers are provided with a customized curriculum including a small library of high-interest, high- quality books, and support materials to enhance the mentor relationship between the child and volunteer. Children take home books to start home libraries. Family literacy events are hosted to support and encourage parent engagement. Volunteer events provide resources, support, and guidance in order for student and mentor success.
To learn more about ReadingPals, donate or become a volunteer, please visit www.readingpalsgnv.org or contact Angela Hutchings at [email protected].
April 15 saw the close of yet another tax day for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
program at United Way of North Central Florida. Once the dust settled and all of the numbers were recorded, we found that with 2,364 tax payers assisted, this was our best year yet! This number includes basic, advanced and international returns.
Overall, the average refund was $1,719 with an average tax fee saved of $260. Additionally, the average Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) received by low income families was $1,507. EITCs can be incredibly beneficial to families because the receipt of larger EITCs is linked to higher test scores, higher graduation rates and higher college attendance rates.
The total number of refunds completed returned $2,574,869 and saved individuals and families an estimated total of $565,735 in tax preparer fees. All of those numbers come together to create a total estimated community impact of $3,140,604!
“ If we want to ensure that our next generation of learners doesn’t have to face a dropout crisis, we must begin to invest in their early literacy today,”
– Carol Barnett, President of Publix Supermarkets Charities
VITA RECAPREADINGPALS CONT’D
VITA 2015 BY THE NUMBERS
$1,719AVERAGE REFUND
AVERAGE TAX FEE SAVED
$1,507$260
VITA volunteer helping local community members
TAX DAY SAVINGS ADD UP TO A BIG COMMUNITY IMPACT
AVERAGE EITC
2 / LIVE UNITED
UPCOMING EVENTS
JUNE 19, 2015 | 7:30 –9:00 a.m.
CEO/COMMUNITY LEADER BREAKFASTJoin fellow CEOs and community leaders at the 2015 CEO/Community leader Breakfast hosted by United Way of North Central Florida.
Thank you to our sponsors: BBI Construction, Florida Food Service, and Gateway Bank
Location: Best Western Gateway Grand, 4200 NW 97th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32606
RSVP at: uwcommunityleaderbreakfast.eventbrite.com
JULY 10, 2015 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL LUNCH & LEARNFemale Leadership Donors, donating more than $750 annually, are invited to have lunch on us and learn more about United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council.
Location: Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32606
RSVP: Please RSVP by July 6th to Dana Clayton at [email protected]
JULY 23, 2015 | 8:30 –11:00 a.m.
EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR APPRECIATION BREAKFASTUnited Way and Nationwide invite you to learn how you can “Change Lives Here” and make your community a better place.
Thank you to our sponsors: BBI Construction, Florida Food Service, Nationwide and North Florida Regional Healthcare
Location: Nationwide Café Conference Room, 3300 SW Williston Rd., Gainesville, FL 32608
RSVP at: 2015eccbreakfast.eventbrite.com
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
As a new way to highlight and show our appreciation for our donors, we have created the Small Business
Spotlight! Twice a month, a new Small Business Partner will be featured in our e-newsletter.
Small businesses play a critical role in maintaining a thriving local economy. They are no less important to the success of United Way, as we endeavor to improve lives through our work in education, income and health. Our Small Business Partners are an important, growing family of donors who are vital to helping us meet the needs of our community.
To read the full interviews with Coleen, Becky and Doug, please visit www.unitedwayncfl.org/smallbusinessspotlight. To sign up for our e-newsletter, please visit www.united-wayncfl.org. To become a Small Business Partner, please contact Chris Wells at [email protected].
Small Business Partner, Becky Raymond, SERVPRO of Alachua County West
“ I like to say that I offer drama-free realty for the hassle-averse.”
Small Business Partner, Coleen DeGroff, Re/Max
Professionals
Small Business Partner, Doug Pratt, Modern Capital
Solutions, Inc.
“ Learn something new, try something different and convince yourself that you have no limits”
TO READ FULL INTERVIEWS VISIT: www.unitedwayncfl.org/smallbusinessspotlight
“ Always continue to help people and you will be rewarded with some-thing much greater than money: gratitude”
6/19
7/23
7/10
LIVE UNITED / 3
FOR A RECIPE
CHECK AND CONNECT
Diamond’s family moved to Gainesville from Georgia while she was in middle school because her mom was ready for a change. Upon arriving at Eastside High
School, Diamond immediately qualified for the Check & Connect program because she had been struggling to pass the reading portion of the FCAT.
Diamond has participated in Check & Connect since her freshman year at Eastside High. After her first year in the program, Check & Connect Specialist, Annetta McCloud helped Diamond apply for the FloridaWorks Summer Youth Work Experience program. Diamond’s first work site was the Gainesville Housing Authority where she provided clerical support. It was a good start, but Diamond wanted more. So, as a sophomore, she began participating in Eastside High School’s Culinary Arts program.
The first two days of class, the teacher provided a basic orientation and introduction to food service, followed by hands-on practice in the kitchen. Students are told to watch the teacher’s demonstration, follow a recipe and do their best to produce the dish on their own. Since Diamond is a quick learner, she began to excel immediately. According to her teacher, Chef Billie DeNunzio, “Diamond has grown in
her culinary experience and [is] willing to try new things. This is true in her cooking and in trying new foods.”
She has really enjoyed being a part of the Culinary Arts program because of the real life work experience she is gaining and because of the opportunity to participate in fun catering events and competitions. One of her favorite events was a chance to reinvent a McDonald’s item for a new store’s grand opening. Her team produced an elaborate Southwestern Bacon Wrap with double egg and cheese and “secret sauce.”
Additionally, she was a member of the team that took the first place award at the recent statewide ProStart Culinary Team Competition. For the past three years in a row, Eastside High School’s Culinary Arts program has been named one of the top 50 culinary programs in the United States.
When asked about her future beyond high school, Diamond says she wants to go to college and but knows of only one Florida state school that provides culinary arts education, although she is uncertain
about that path saying, “I love cooking. I love being in the kitchen, but it’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Participating in the Check & Connect program has helped Diamond, and she is on track to graduate on time. Her goal, she says, is to have at least two successful businesses operating at the same time. To learn more about United Way’s drop out prevention program, Check & Connect, please contact Norinda Yancey at [email protected].
Check & Connect student from Eastside High School, Diamond showing off one of the creations that she whipped up in the kitchen.
“ Diamond has grown in her culinary expe-rience and is willing to try new things.” –Chef Billie DeNunzio
Success
4 / LIVE UNITED
At the Campaign Finale, we showed a preview of this year’s video and unveiled the theme of Change Lives Here. The video highlighted three different families
positively affected by United Way and the programs we fund. Although Jose, Mary and Kizzie all experienced some tough times in their lives, they had the courage to reach out and ask for help. With assistance from organizations such as Peaceful Paths, Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County and the Early Learning Coalition, Jose, Mary and Kizzie were all able to get back on their feet and turn their lives around.
Those are just three stories of people whose lives have been changed for the better because of United Way and the programs we fund. This year, we ask you to live here, give here and Change Lives Here. Live United.
To see the Change Lives Here video and to learn more, please visit www.unitedwayncfl.org.
JUMP, CLIMB, CRAWL… LEAD!
On April 9, the United Way of North Central Florida’s Young Leaders Society (YLS) held an outdoor professional development workshop at Gainesville
Health & Fitness’ EDGE Obstacle & Tactical Pit. Young professionals from Doctors Imaging Group, Enterprise Holdings, Infinite Energy and RTI Surgical, Inc. came out to “flex” their professional development muscles outside the office—building teamwork and leadership skills with personal trainer & group fitness instructor, Andy Farina. The workshop was both hosted by and sponsored by Gainesville Health & Fitness. To learn more about the Young Leaders Society, please contact Britt Pearson at [email protected].
Top Left: YLS members climbing the wall at the EDGE Obstacle Course; Top Right: Infinite Energy employees running through the tires; Bottom: The group from Doctors Imaging Group with trainer, Andy Farina
Find out how Kizzie Johnson got the help she needed to find quality childcare that she could afford, get a new job and turn her life around.
LIVE UNITED / 5
On Thursday, May 14, we hosted A Night of Thanks, our annual recognition and appreciation reception for United Way Leadership and Tocqueville Donors at the Florida
Museum of Natural History. A Leadership Donor is anyone donating $750 or more annually and a Tocqueville Donor is anyone donating $10,000 or more annually. We are incredibly appreciative for the support that we receive from these donors and are pleased to have one night to show our thanks. Attendees ate delicious food provided by Small Business Partner, Sweetwater Branch Inn, experienced A T. Rex Named Sue and enjoyed the company of fellow Leader-ship Donors.
A NIGHT OF THANKS
Students working together on the craft activity
Small Business Partners Erica Castano and
April Shroeder with Kelly Thompson
Dr. Richard Parent and Stephanie Freas
Deborah Bowie addressing the attendees at the Leadership ReceptionThe United Way staff members at the Leadership Reception
Clerk of Court, J.K. “Buddy” Irby, with his wife Linda
Jared Beasley and Carla Vidal
Trey Ford and Steven Camps, Sr.
6 / LIVE UNITED6 / LIVE UNITED
With Gratitude
During the last campaign season, Publix was our number one campaign, donating more than $618,000. Included in that total was a corporate match of $265,000. Earlier
this month, District Managers, Lisa Patton and Charles Gainer along with Regional Director, David Currey stopped by the United Way office to present the check. We are so thankful for all that Publix does for the North Central Florida Commu-nity! Publix is an excellent example of a group of people truly “living united.”
THANK YOU PUBLIX!
Attendees enjoying John Spence’s leadership workshop
On Friday, April 24, we held the Third Annual Spend the Day with John Spence. In the morning, John led a special session for VIPs and sponsors entitled The Future of
Business: The Eight Major Trends in the Next Decade. In the afternoon, John spoke about how to create a strategic plan for your life. Attendees gained practical skills which helped them identify where they would like to be and how to formulate a plan to get there.
Between the two sessions, there were more than 300 people impacted by John’s expertise. More than $10,000 was raised at the event, and that does not include the time donated by John Spence, himself. Thank you, John Spence!
THANK YOU JOHN SPENCE
LIVE UNITED / 7
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Staff/LeadershipDeborah V. Bowie, President & CEO
Rhonda Johnson, Director of Operations
Mary Broadfoot, Executive Assistant
Community Impact TeamJennifer Stojkovic, Director of Community Impact
Norinda Rosario Yancey, Education and School-Based Initiatives Manager
Angela Hutchings, ReadingPals Coordinator
Barbara Brady, Check & Connect Specialist
Annetta McCloud, Check & Connect Specialist
Stephanie Burke, Check & Connect Specialist
Development TeamDana Clayton, VP Resource Development
Chris Wells, Development Director of Residential & Individual Giving
Britt Pearson, Development Associate, Affinity Groups
Sylvia Waldman, Director of Database Systems Lauren Martin, Database Associate
Communications & MarketingAmy Azoulay, Communications Manager
Board of Directors Executive CommitteeKay Ayers, AvMed, Chair
Nick Banks, Front Street, Vice Chair
Carolyn Lukert, Dementia Education, Inc., Past Board Chair
Ed Bonahue, Santa Fe College, Member-At-Large
Dennis Gies, Community Volunteer, Member-At-Large
Kenneth Kurdziel, James Moore & Company, Finance Chair
Melanie Ross, UF Health, Communications Chair
Board MembersBill Gair, University of Florida
Sam Goforth, Community Volunteer
Jennifer Hunt, CAMPUS USA Credit Union
Shaney Livingston, Alachua County Library District
Brad Pollitt, UF Health & Shands, Campaign Chair
Doug Ray, Gainesville Sun/Ocala Star Banner
Dr. Jen Day Shaw, University of Florida
Andy Sherrard, O2BKids!
Dr. Patricia Snyder, University of Florida
Adrian Taylor, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, Public Policy Chair
Scott Thomas, Infinite Energy
Jenna White, Enterprise Holdings, Inc., CIT Chair
2014–2015 Campaign Cabinet Brad Pollitt, Chair, UF Health & Shands
Rory Causseaux, Causseaux, Hewett and Walpole, Inc.
Robert Deese, Suntrust
Bill Gair, University of Florida
Monica McMillen, Law Offices of Steven Miller
John Power, Alachua County Tax Collector
Jason Shank, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Jay St. Pierre, North Florida Regional Medical Center
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