LIVE UNITED Y’All!

Giving campaign, caring, indifference, making a difference, sharing

My original plan for this month was to spend time with some orphaned puppies…but I didn’t plan well enough (imagine that).  I, me, Volunteer Coordinator, of all people, should know that volunteering requires some planning!  Anyhow, as a backup plan, I will tell you about my regular volunteer gig – weekly tutoring at Brooklawn Child & Family Services.  

For those of you who don’t know, Brooklawn is a residential treatment facility for girls ages 6-11 and boys ages 6-18. Many of the residents of Brooklawn suffer from behavioral and emotional disorders caused by the trauma of abuse or neglect…most times at the hands of someone close to them.  For a lot of these kiddos, Brooklawn is only one of many placements they have experienced in their short lives.  Moving from placement to placement can also mean moving from school to school.  As you can imagine, this is a difficult transition and can take weeks or even months to get acclimated.   Many crucial learning opportunities are missed during this transition time and can result in severely low reading and math skills.  This is where tutors come in. 

Tutors are needed during school in the classrooms and for the after-school tutoring program.  I go every Thursday after work and meet with my student, we’ll call him “Malcolm” to respect his privacy.  Malcolm is in 5^th grade and struggling with both math and reading.  Malcolm has trouble concentrating in school and is easily frustrated by his assignments.  Many times he will misbehave to get out of doing classwork.  Unfortunately, this only puts him further behind.  His teacher comments that Malcolm does well with one-on-one assistance, but this is nearly impossible for teachers to give when dealing with a full classroom.  So, I visit Brooklawn each week to give Malcolm that attention that he so desperately needs. 

The sessions are easy…his teacher created a packet of assignments for us to work on.  Now we are writing a Halloween story!  He is so proud of his work and wants to share his story with everyone at Brooklawn…I’m trying to get him to wait until we’re finished, but he’s too excited!  I have to admit…I’m a bit of a pushover…he’s just so darn cute!  But don’t worry, I keep him focused and make sure to complete our lessons each week. 

I have to say, this might be the most rewarding experience I have ever had volunteering.  I know that I’m making a difference; I see the results week to week.  I get to witness his excitement when he spells a word correctly without my help.  I hear him say “thank you” each time we’re finished.  I feel personally invested in his success and can’t help but be proud when he accomplishes something. 

I suppose, however, that I should offer a fair warning. Visiting Brooklawn can be difficult….emotionally.  Getting to know these kids and then imaging what they have experienced in their lives is tough.  I guess I should also tell you that I spent 3 years working at Brooklawn, so I do know more than the average volunteer.  Either way, it can be difficult.  Here’s an example…

When I first started tutoring Malcolm, he was excited to see me because he remembered me from working there. On our first visit, he said “what are you doing here, I thought you left?”  And I replied that I have a different job now, but I never completely left.  He looked confused and said, “huh, most people don’t come back here.”  Then when I came back for my second visit, he said “You’re back!  I didn’t know you’d come back!”  I said, “I told you last week that I would be back.”  He said, “yeah, but most times when people say that that they don’t really mean it.”  Heart-breaking.  I wanted to cry right there, but I held it together, smiled, and we started our lesson. 

I can honestly say to you, that Brooklawn has imprinted my heart.  I’m not sure that I will ever be able to completely leave that place.  If you are looking for a truly fulfilling volunteer opportunity, look no further!  If tutoring isn’t your thing…there are many other opportunities to get involved with the children of Brooklawn. For more information, visit their website at www.brooklawn.net or contact their volunteer department at 515-0474. 

Advocacy, Education, General, Volunteering

My son is getting married December 5, 2009. We’re thrilled. He finished college, got a good job, dated her a while, you know did things in my preferred order. They’ve had the serious preacher talk about whether they are a match. Hmm, I’d be interested to hear long-term numbers on how successful those pre-marriage consults are (I guess my career in tracking outcomes bleeds over into my personal life sometimes).

Anyway, about me. Yesterday was the mom-dress shopping day. I invited my fashion savvy friend, Debbie and my “are you really wearing that?” daughter Brianne. I had the typical mom attitude. I want a dress that is sexy but not skanky, trendy while also classic but not “mom-dress” frumpy. Kind of like the millions of women that walk into the hair dresser and want the sassy, fun, no maintenance, young haircut or the single women out there still looking for the sensitive, open, bathroom cleaning, handy, macho and hunky dream man. We dream of the impossible and then set out to find it.

We had a great afternoon shopping. We did the big four of department stores; Dillard’s, Macy, Von Maur, Penney’s. We stayed on task, rarely wandering into the clearance areas of other departments, that was quite a feat right there.

We were down to the top three dresses all at Dillard’s. One dress was eliminated because of funny zipper bump; one was dismissed because of spaghetti straps leaving the remaining “winning” dress. It looked good on, won’t need alterations, easily accessorized. I gleefully bought it, checking one large item off my wedding prep list.

So why, why, why did I lay in bed last night second guessing my choice? I told myself, “face it Jan it doesn’t get any better. You saw your choices, you made a sound decision, you purchased, the wedding is seven weeks off – go with it.”

I recognize the big day is not about me and 5 years from now no one is going to remember what I wore, not even me. It is great to have such a support system and tools to make sound decisions, whether I second guess them or not.

Think about all the folks in our community that don’t have those tools or close relationships to help with all the decisions in life. You could share your wealth – by giving time to be a mentor or advocate for others. There are an endless number of places like Big Brothers Big Sisters, CASA, YMCA DIAMONDs program, 3-2-1 Read in Clark County elementaries or Study Buddies in Floyd County, neighborhood churches, scouting, ball leagues – they would all love for you to give them a call to explore how you can help youth make wise decisions and know others care about them. Five years from now they will remember you and how generous you were.

General

Looking for an easy way to support the Metro United Way campaign this year…and eat good food while you’re at it?

Join us next Friday October 16, 2009 between 11:30 and 1:30 for the Metro United Way Chili Cook-Off!  Everyone is invited to participate and eat! 

For all you chefs out there who have waited all summer for the weather to finally cool down enough to whip up a pot of your favorite chili, the time is finally here!  Please contact Angie Ratliff at angie.ratliff@metrounitedway.org for information about how to enter a pot of chili in the competition.  The winner will get the coveted chili cook-off trophy and a prize to assist you in your next culinary creation.

For everyone else just looking for something good to eat on a Friday afternoon, stop by Training Rooms A&B at Metro United Way between 11:30 and 1:30 to fill up and cast your vote for your favorite chili!  $5.00 will get you chili, a soft drink, and a dessert. 

See you there!

General

When I was still young, I remember that my Dad really only had one activity that he attended away from home and work, the “Casino Society.”  I thought they probably played cards, and maybe they did, but it turns out that this was more than a chance to bring all of his buddies from his old German neighborhood together.  It was a mutual benefit society, formed in the late 1800’s by immigrants who pooled their money in small, monthly amounts in order to raise money to buy insurance policies with sick benefits and death benefits for their families. Pretty smart. You might have a story like that in your family, too.

I was thrilled last Saturday to meet the men who lead The Somali-Bantu Community of Kentucky. Here we are again, another generation of new immigrants working hard to raise their families and improve their community by supporting each other. 

What was especially impressive to me was how democratic their decision making is! You may know that Somalia is in a raging civil war, pulled apart between dangerous internal clans and warlords, ideologies, and external political forces. The Bantu are a small ethnic minority among Somalis, but those who have come to Louisville are now the largest Bantu community in the United States, and they are unified. Somali-Bantus have successfully created an election process that represents each of five Bantu tribes equally. The elected representatives then choose one local President and officers to speak with authority on their behalf and participate in the national organization of Somali-Bantu associations.

As in so many other communities, it’s the act of helping that marks real leaders. On a daily basis,

people who hold full-time jobs elsewhere and must care for their own families are also collaborating, negotiating, translating, intervening, persuading, defending, and enjoying a community that shares values, vision and hopes for the future.

As neighbors, civic leaders, and social service providers let’s be heartened by new immigrants who, like so many others before, are improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community. When you need a community partner, I encourage you to meet the members of the Somali-Bantu Community of Kentucky.  

Advocacy, General immigrant, Somali Bantu

by Brennan Cox

Charitable gifts provide an opportunity for individuals to support a charitable organization. The Internal Revenue Service defines a charitable gift as “a donation or gift to, or for the use of, a qualified organization… without getting, or expecting to get, anything of equal value.” When calculating income taxes, most gifts of money and other property are considered tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. Those who support such organizations understand that giving is about more than a tax deduction – and everyone understands the benefits of paying fewer taxes every year.

However, not many people realize the benefits of including charitable gifts in their estate plan. Gifts made through one’s estate plan, will or trust, are deductible without limit in the computation of the federal estate (and state death) tax. Such gifts may be made in any form, whether it be an outright gift of money or even stocks, bonds and real estate, just to name a few. By giving property that has increased in value, one may be able to avoid paying the taxes that have accumulated by this increase.

A recent trend has been to gift life insurance policies or even transfer the payouts from a retirement plan to a charitable organization. By deeding an entire policy and making yearly payments of the premium, an individual can combine the benefits of yearly deductible charitable gifts with a single legacy endowment to the charity. Similarly, one can avoid estate and income taxes on retirement plans payments. The advantage of naming a charity as the primary beneficiary is that the retirement plan interests will not be subject to estate or income taxes, which can reduce such savings by as much as 75%.

Charitable contributions can also take on a form that can shelter taxpayers from certain taxes during their lives. Individuals can choose to establish Charitable Remainder Trust. This trust allows individuals to leave assets to a charity and receive income and tax benefits at the same time. They can then receive income from the trust for a specified period of time, after which all remaining assets are transferred to the charity.

Similarly, a trust can be established that provides income to a charitable organization while still allowing the assets to passed on. With the Charitable Lead Trust, assets are put into a trust to provide income to a charity on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. After the creator of the trust passes away, the assets are distributed to those the creator designates.

Individuals can continue to support organizations they believe in and receive not just a personal benefit, but a financial benefit, with the right estate planning. It is important to be aware of all available options. For further information, contact Pam Ottersbach, the director of the Red Feather Society,  Metro United Way’s planned giving program – at 292-6138 – or your estate planning attorney.

Brennan Cox is an attorney with Lynch, Cox, Gilman & Goodman, P.S.C., in Louisville, Kentucky with a practice focusing on matters of estate planning and taxation.

Mr. Cox is a graduate of the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville and will soon complete his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Alabama.

General estate planning, how to, Red Feather Society

By: Kerri Cokeley

In an effort to help reduce America’s high school dropout rates, America’s Promise Alliance is supporting more than 100 state and local Dropout Prevention Summits across the country.

On September 25^th I attended the first Indiana Dropout Prevention Leadership Summit. I participated in this meeting with a group of education professionals and concerned citizens from Clark County, a local workgroup convened by Landon Samuels of State Farm. There were hundreds of folks in attendance at this statewide conference, including some from Floyd and Harrison Counties as well.

The luncheon keynote speaker was Bill Milliken. Bill has been a tireless advocate for disenfranchised youth and one of the foremost pioneers in the movement to connect schools with community resources to help troubled students graduate and succeed in life. In 1977, he and others developed a model organization, now known as Communities In Schools.

The Communities In Schools model believes that each child needs and deserves the “5 Basics:”

1. A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult

2. A safe place to learn and grow

3. A healthy start and a healthy future

4. A marketable skill to use upon graduation

5. A chance to give back to peers and community

Each of these “5 Basics” makes so much sense to me as I think back to my childhood and what helped me get to where I am today. When thinking about how to help the students falling through the cracks of society today, it’s hard to keep from getting overwhelmed.

Something that Bill Milliken said as he was speaking resonated with me deeply, “America doesn’t have a youth problem. America has an adult problem.” I couldn’t agree more.

This leaves me with a question for you: What are we, the adults, going to do to help make sure the young ones in our life, and in our community, have the support they need to be successful?

P.S. The Evening News did a great job of capturing the essence of the statewide event (click here to see the article.)

Advocacy, Education, General America's Promise, Education, graduation rates, State Farm

Metro United Way

Internal Campaign

Open House & Silent Auction

Friday, October 16th

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Fifth Third Bank Community Meeting Room

Metro United Way, 334 East Broadway, Louisville

SILENT AUCTION Items Include:

GE Profile Wine Chiller

Tandem Sky Dive Session

Gift Certificates to Quest Outdoors

“Day at the Races” Clubhouse Box Day at Churchill Downs, *excludes Derby Week

Beautiful Custom Artwork from artists including: Howard Mason Photography, StudioWorks a program of zoom Group, Madison Latimer, Brigehaven and More!

Jewelry by Cindy Borders

Set of PowerBilt Grand Slam Golf Clubs

Lunch and Dinner Gift Certificates To Local Restaurants and Coffee Shops

UofL Basketball Tickets to Rutgers Game on 11/27/09

Decorative Items for the HOME, Sports Items, Jewelry, and White Elephant Sale!

2 Tickets to the Louisville Ballet “Nutcracker” 2009-2010 Season

2 Tickets to Actors Theatre of Louisville

Many, Many interesting and valuable gift baskets, and Much, Much More!!!

Funds raised support our mission to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community.

General

Tell your friends, family and coworkers to stop by ANY Buckhead Mountain Grill location, for lunch or dinner, for a special Metro United Way Day on Tuesday, October 13th. If you bring in the flyer, 20% of proceeds will benefit Metro United Way

Take the night off and enjoy great food – I am especially a fan of the fried green tomatoes and buffalo chili.

To participate, you need to bring the flyer for this event.  (Only one flyer per table required – Flyers may not be distributed on property. Fliers may be photocopied to share.)

Visit Buckhead’s website to find locations! And Thanks for supporting Metro United Way!!!

Giving Event, Giving, opportunity