LIVE UNITED Y’All!

By Kelly Hutchinson, Donor Relationship Manager

You know the old saying…March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. I can still picture this phrase on colorful bulletin boards lining the elementary school hallway. You saw this saying when you were a kid too didn’t you?   I think this is why “weather” is fueling my thought process this time of year. Nothing draws your attention to a barometer, thermometer and a 7 day Outlook more than a change of seasons.

There is a strong nor’easter blowing down the hallways at Metro United Way and it all has to do with the “big picture”.  What’s the Big Picture you ask?  Well I will tell you…it is EDUCATION.

If you have spent anytime here at Live United Y’all then you know we are all wrapped up, we are all tied up, we are all tangled up in education-and we are all wrapped up, tied up and tangled up in education -because it is precisely the key to pre-empting the storms of life and thereby improving the opportunities for health and income stability for everyone in our community.

Yes, it will be the same blue skies, a warm and sunny forecast for me, for you, for that guy working in the cubicle down the way, and for the kid up the street -when you look at how getting an education affects the big picture. Oh sure, there will be storms in life for all of us. You can count on that. But, you will be ready, resourceful and have some shelter from the storms of life.

Education is linked to better physical and mental health, longer lives, fewer crimes, less incarceration, more voting, greater tolerance, and brighter prospects for our next generation. More education is good for individuals who stay in school to earn a high school degree or who enter and graduate college, but it is also good for all of us, paying big dividends in the form of increased civic engagement, neighborhood safety, and a healthy, vibrant democracy.

Now it’s your turn. Try your hand at predicting the weather where you live first to see what you learn.  Now you can check out what expert forecasters have to say here. What do you think? Is it Cloudy with a chance of Optimism? Are brighter days ahead?  Or are we going to be in for one wild ride when the next gust of pressure blows in?

Advocacy, Education, General Common good, Education, Metro United Way, opportunity

Nearly everyone would like to have a little more change in their pockets going jingle, jangle, ling.  It’s fun to think about planning a vacation, eating at a nice restaurant, or going to a concert when you’ve got some extra money.  However, for many individuals and families, meeting their basic needs is a daily struggle, and having some extra income is vital for taking care of the necessities – food, housing, safety, and health.  When stresses about life’s necessities mount, education takes a back seat.  However, we all know that the more education you have, the more money you make.  So what about those who are struggling to make ends meet, how can we help them with their education when other needs must be addressed first? 

Metro United Way understands the importance of addressing basic needs, so we are involved in efforts that boost income to make it easier for those of us under financial stress to focus on education.  We view this approach as providing the insulation of the education pipeline – making sure necessities are addressed so we can effectively remove barriers to educational attainment.

One of the efforts we support is making sure that local residents get all the tax credits for which they are eligible.  Since 2001, Metro United Way has actively promoted and supported efforts to provide free tax preparation and filing services, with a goal of making sure families who qualify with incomes up to $49,000 are taking advantage of the earned income tax credit (EITC).  The EITC can place as much as $5,666 back into the hands of hard working families.  With our partners –  the Louisville Asset Building Coalition, the Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition and HJW Career and Financial Literacy Institute, we are making sure that individuals and families can get their taxes done free and receive eligible credits like the EITC.  Since we began working in this area, our partners have collectively served over 54,000 individuals and families, returning $59 million in federal and state tax refunds, of which over $25 million has been in the form of the EITC.  We have also saved filers an estimated $10 million in tax preparation and filing fees.   Learn more by clicking on the links above.

In addition, Metro United Way is working with Louisville Metro Government to promote a campaign known as “Through Any Door”, which provides benefit screenings for programs such as SNAP (food stamps), K-Chip (health insurance for kids), WIC (supplemental food for families with young children), Free and Reduced Price School Lunches, and other benefits.  The goal is to increase the uptake of these benefit programs for eligible families by streamlining the application process by working through a variety of trusted community partners.  Since launching in the Spring of 2009, this effort has assisted over 1,600 individuals, with annualized benefits in the millions of dollars.  We anticipate that this effort, along with others that are forming, will connect these benefits, also known as work supports, to more families than ever before so that basic needs can be met, and that families have more time and resources to support the educational attainment of their children. 

Bottom line:  Efforts like these help provide more money for food, housing, safety, and healthcare, and for educational attainment.  Jingle, jangle, ling!

General, Income benefit screening, Education, Income, tax preparation

By: Patty Belden

Did you know that April is Volunteer Appreciation Month?  Do you work with volunteers or know someone who participates as a volunteer?  If so, listen up!  Now is the time to develop your recognition plan (that is, if you haven’t already).  Take a minute to think about the impact that volunteers have in our community, our world.  Having trouble, let me help you…

According to studies conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service…between 2007 and 2009, Kentucky residents put in 101 million service hours.  Translated into dollars…this equals $2.1 billion of service contributed!  Over the same time period, Indiana residents put in 206.1 million service hours to equal $4.3 billion of contributed service.  Way to go Hoosiers! 

I don’t know about you, but I am pretty darn impressed with these numbers.  Volunteers share their time and talents with our community everyday.  And many times these acts of kindness go un-noticed or unappreciated.  Please make a point to thank a volunteer during the month of April.  If you are a volunteer…THANK YOU!!! 

Looking for ways to thank your volunteers?  Check out this helpful website: http://www.energizeinc.com/ideas.html

Feeling inspired to become a volunteer?  Let us help!  Visit www.metrounitedway.org/volunteer.

Volunteering Indiana volunteering, Kentucky volunteering, Volunteer, volunteer appreciation, volunteer recognition, Volunteering

By: Angie Ditsler

This story is Part III of a four-part series that spotlights some of the successes of the Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow Initiative and the Horn Opportunities Fund.  The following story demonstrates the power of perserverence and commitment to one’s family.  Thanks to the generosity of the Mildred V. Horn Foundation and other funders like the Gheens Foundation, PNC Bank, Chase Bank and the Humana Foundation, people like Simon have overcome obstacles, established personal goals, and chartered their own paths to success.

Simon M. is a single father who immigrated to the United States from Congo ten years ago with his eight children. Several months ago, as he was aggressively pursuing a job here in Louisville,  he was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since that time, Simon has undergone a mastectomy to remove the cancer. Unfortunately, as a result, Simon also the lost significant time and income, and found himself unable to pay his water and electric bills or fix his car. To complicate matters, Simon has a daughter with special needs who requires frequent visits to the doctor. Without a functioning car to transport his daughter to and from the doctor, her health became a growing concern for Simon and his family.

Thankfully, Simon received Horn funds which allowed him to pay his water and electric bills and get the car repairs he needed so he could resume his daughter’s doctor’s visits. Without those immediate worries looming over Simon’s head,  he is now concentrating on his own  health recovery, and has resumed his job search. In addition, Simon has found the time to start  attending citizenship and family education classes on a regular basis, and is focusing on more long-term goals to benefit himself and his family.

Special thanks to our partners in the Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow Initiative for making Simon’s story- and countless others just like his – possible: the Mildred V. Horn Foundation, Gheens Foundation, PNC Bank, Chase Bank and the Humana Foundation.

General, Health Chase Bank, Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow, Gheens Foundation, Humana Foundation, Mildred V Horn Foudnation, PNC Bank