LIVE UNITED Y’All!

Dear Readers,

You may have noticed that our posts have slowed down a little bit lately. That’s because we’re growing and changing!

LIVE UNITED Y’All is undergoing a metamorphosis from a broad Metro United Way blog talking about all kinds of community work to a lean, mean Education blogging machine! As of now, we are taking a hiatus from blogging while we regroup, strategize and plan, and hope to come back to you in the late summer.

Why Education? Kelly Hutchinson wrote a post late last month that does a great job of introducing how we’re feeling about our Education work here at Metro United Way.

Here’s a short explanation from our information guide this past year.

Why Education? Because graduating from high school and college leads to better jobs. And better jobs lead to incomes that help people afford better healthcare and to support themselves through retirement.

I want to unpack that first part a little. There’s a lot there!

“… graduating from high school and college…” If we want to see our community’s young people graduate from high school on time and move on to college (and we do!), then we have to start by preparing them for success in school and life as early as we can and support them all the way! So this snippet really encompasses five important educational stage (or tipping points, as we often call them in the halls of Metro United Way).

• early childhood learning
• early grade reading (by 4th grade)
• middle school transitions
• high school
• college (or career)

There will be a lot more information about our work in these areas, what our role is (and isn’t!), what our goals are, and how we’re going to accomplish those goals. In fact, that’s exactly the kind of stuff you will be able to find and talk about when we come back!

So – have a great summer, and we’ll look forward to talking to you soon!

Best,

Erin McMahon
e-Communications and Creative Manager

Education, General change, on hold, pause, update

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

by Kelly Garvey, Director of Engagement Initiatives

On Tuesday, January 25th, United Way Worldwide joined First Lady Michelle Obama and some of the biggest names in education to talk about what we can all do to cut by half the number of young people who drop out of high school.

The First Lady proposed The Corporate Mentoring Challenge. It’s a call for U.S. companies to launch new mentoring programs, expand existing employee mentoring programs, and provide resources to support local mentoring programs that help youth gain leadership skills, achieve their educational goals, and increase their confidence. A few of our local Louisville corporate partners already plan to answer the call — Deloitte, and AT&T among them — and Metro United Way will be working hard in the months ahead to help channel this national effort to spread the Live United spirit into our local schools and communities.

Metro United Way already helps to support strong mentoring programs locally, like Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kentuckiana, To see how you can get involved with great programs like BBBS click HERE.

Take The Education Challenge!

Before you go please consider taking the Education Challenge below and email us for more information about how to get involved at kelly.garvey@metrounitedway.org or call 292-6153.

The Challenge (Raise you right hand and say…)

I believe that education is a building block for a good quality of life, that we all win when a child succeeds in school, and that our country’s success tomorrow depends on how well we educate our children today.

I believe that every child deserves great schools and great teachers, but they alone are not enough. We believe it also takes strong families, a stable home life and good health.

I believe that high school dropouts are years in the making and that early intervention is the key to success. Our vision is that every child will enter school ready to learn, read proficiently by 4th grade, make a successful transition to middle school, and graduate from high school on time.

I believe in the power of parents, teachers, students, companies, elected officials and members of the community, working together for the common good.

I believe in making choices based on what the research says.

I believe the time to stand up and LIVE UNITED for Education is now—for our kids, our community, and our country.

Advocacy, Education, Volunteering AT&T, community service, Deloitte, mentor, mentoring, Obama, youth

by Chris Locke

Here we are, roughly three weeks into the New Year, and some of us have already started to falter on our ambitious 2011 New Year’s Resolutions. You know the ones where we swear to do exponential numbers of crunches, push-ups, sit-ups and to run miles in our beautiful regional parks. We vow to eat differently, be a little nicer, become a little wiser, and act a little more stately when we get upset. We promise to pinch a least one or two more pennies, and learn at least one new thing a week so we’ll be more engaging during social chats.

Well, my endorsement of these sorts of aspirations does not necessarily solidify the fate of the aforementioned list getting deemed as great things to aspire to, but what “reasonable” person would see any of them as bad things in which to aspire?.

So when we turn to look at what it takes to accomplish our resolutions, things can begin to get a little tricky. Often, by the end of January many of us start to adjust our thinking a little as we lower the “resolution bar” a notch or two. All the while thinking… this is too much!  So, we begin to rationalize about the beauty of achieving  just one of the lofty sorts of resolutions listed above.

Consequently, over the course of the last couple of weeks ,I have thought about resolutions a little more than usual and how Metro United Way has revealed our resolutions for 2011 and beyond. I thought about Metro United Way’s 2011 resolutions along side my personal resolutions and I am excited about the fact that one of our goals focuses on achieving the same outcome: supporting education success.

Two weeks ago, I received a generous invitation from a middle school to be a part of an effort to motivate students for the second part of the school year.  In seizing the opportunity, I had the pleasure of speaking to over 1200 students at Noe Middle School about developing their own personal vision to victory in education and life, and how having a personal vision for success can give students a reason for giving just one degree of extra effort towards being successful in school, getting prepared for college, work and life.

So consider this bold resolution: By 2018, 87% of students in the Metro United Way region will graduate on time. Pretty ambitious huh! Sure, it will certainly require a deliberate commitment with specific actions steps to inspire every young person to value success in school and to work with our entire community to create a college going culture.

With Metro United Way’s resolution in mind, I am proud and privileged to report that as we near the end of January, one of my personal resolutions remains intact, and I am happy to say that I am contributing to helping Metro United Way meet one of its resolutions. I think with hard work, dedication, and commitment from all of us together, Metro United Way’s bold resolutions can be achieved. Let’s move forward in 2011, with the dream that ALL of our resolutions are achieved, but with the determination and commitment to fulfill a very important one: working together to better all of our children, youth and our community

Advocacy, Education Common good, community service, Education, High School Graduation, opportunity, success, youth

By Kelly Hutchinson, Donor Relationship Manager

If you’re like me, every year you resolve to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise, quit a habit… Health is no doubt very important but what about other areas of our life where we may be less accustomed to setting a resolution. Do you include these too? What about resolving on some things that will also positively impact and improve the lives of others? Would you gain a sense of accomplishment from resolutions for others as much as you feel like you would from your personal ones like exercising more or losing 15 lbs?

Here are a few thoughts on other resolutions that, simple and obvious as they seem, can truly help improve your life and the lives of all in 2011. 

Give:  In order to either start giving or increase what you currently give then you will want to make sure you have something to give, right?  Giving a charitable donation is meaningful for yourself and those who are helped -whether you decide to support many causes and spread out your generosity or make a significant investment in work that matters to you—the bottom line is still the same. Steps to help you increase your giving might include increasing your financial stability, eliminating credit card debt and saving.   Looking for inspiration? Check out Carlo at Living Philanthropic. Carlo is a man of modest means but he vowed to give to charity every single day for one year. His mission is you only need to be rich in spirit and is built on a belief everyone can make a difference. He gives everyday. He is very cool in my book.

Advocate: Find your passion and share your opinions. Sign a Pledge to support education and check out how things might really change in your region if educational attainment was improved. Sustainable progress often requires changes in public policy. Do you know who your legislators are? Why not reach out to them? Join the campaign for the common good and work with United Way in your community and across the nation to cut the high school drop out rate in half. If you are still reading this then you could probably also thank a teacher.

Volunteer:  Resolve to give more of your time.  Whether it is an hour a week or an hour a month there are so many ways that you could honor and keep a new year’s resolution around volunteering. Have you checked out the needs lately in our community? Curious about the homeless population in our community? Want to help? Start here.

Advocacy, Education, General, Giving, Health, Income, Volunteering

By: Ron Halpern and Angie Ditsler

The goal of Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow is to encourage families to set goals for themselves and “dare to dream bigger.”  The Horn Opportunity Fund, a component of the Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow (B2T) initiative, was made possible by the Mildred V. Horn Foundation.  This fund was created to empower Family Leaders enrolled in B2T to reach their goals as described in their individualized success plans.  Funds can specifically be used to ensure families are able to access opportunities, like a new job, for example or to remove barriers for families that may be prohibiting them from reaching their goals.  For example, assisting a Family Leader with something as simple as a car repair or utility bill may, in turn, open up doors for someone to pursue a much larger goal or dream.  Below is the first of a series of success stories from Family Leaders enrolled in B2T who have achieved great success thanks to resources made available to them through the Horn Opportunity Fund.

Holly’s Story

            Holly T. is a mother of three who was able to turn her life around with the assistance of Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow and the Horn Opportunity Fund.  Holly felt unfulfilled at her previous job , and was having trouble paying her monthly bills.  Holly felt that her lack of a high school diploma was limiting her earning potential.  Holly’s dream was to work in the healthcare industry, but she had always lacked the technical skills and credentials needed to pursue her dream.  Holly was awarded Horn funds which enabled her to complete a healthcare GED class.  That particular class confirmed Holly’s career passion. She pursued her dream, and was soon awarded a Healthcare GED, which then led her to an associate position at the Plasma Center.  She is now financially stable and feels truly fulfilled in her career.   Holly’s dreams continue to grow, and she now has plans to continue her education even further.  “It’s been a Wonderful experience,” says Holly.

Education, General, Health, Income dream, Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow, Horn Opportunity Fund, Mildred V. Horn Foundation

Judy Schroeder 

In this season of giving, when we care so much that every child has a gift, do we need to remember that the best gift we ever give is the love that child needs so much?

I was in a remarkable gathering on my birthday this month. Yes, my family and friends are most remarkable, and I was blessed with very loving parents. But I was thinking about the group of parents I visited with that morning.

“2Not1.” Can you guess what it means? 

It’s actually a great title because it says exactly what it means:  Children deserve two parents, not only one.  Adults may have to live apart, but our children deserve both their fathers and their mothers as much as we, the adults of this world, can make that happen. 

There’s even a rising national movement among fathers who are creatively reclaiming their parenting role after separation from their child’s mother.

According to the National Drop-Out Prevention Center, parent engagement still makes the critical difference in young people’s lives. Students with involved parents, no matter what their income or background, are more likely to do better, try harder, be more involved, have better social skills, and finally graduate from school to hold jobs with incomes almost $10,000 better each year than the students who gave up and dropped out. Unfortunately, the National Principals Association also reports that 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes. 

It’s just that much harder to be an involved parent when you are the only adult paying attention.

That’s why the extended family and community supports for both parents in a child’s life are so important.  

Empowering parents to support a child’s success is the best and longest-lasting gift we can give a child. That’s what we do in the Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow program. That’s what is working for Shawn Gardner as he organizes 2Not1. That’s why we ask every parent of an infant or toddler to fill out the Ages & Stages Questionnaire. That’s why our Neighborhood Engagement is focused on building Parent Networks. 

Loving, involved parents give a gift that lasts.

Advocacy, Education, General, Giving Children, Community, Education, Louisville, Neighborhoods, parenting

By: Mary Ann Steutermann

This time of year, thoughts turn to festive holiday gatherings. I have warm memories of family gathered around the Christmas tree laughing as presents were exchanged. Sometimes these gatherings were the only times during the year we’d see out-of-town relatives, and the opportunity to catch up with them was sometimes more fun than opening the gifts they brought.

Just this week, Metro United Way hosted a gathering of sorts. Fellow United Way personnel from Atlanta, Richmond, Nashville, Chatenooga, and Cincinnati joined us here in Lousiville. Each of our United Ways is working on developing plans to increase educational attainment in their communities through an initiative called Ready By 21. And the focus of this gathering was, well, gatherings.

We spent 3 days with our colleagues learning about new strategies for leading community gatherings that will help us learn much more about our communities aspirations for itself and how education connects to it. Sometimes in community work, we gain tons of “expert knowledge” at the expense of collecting “pubic knowledge.” The gathering this week taught us about how the very nature of gathering people together to share that goals and concerns has a power in itself.

This week’s gathering of United Ways had no real gift-giving and certainly no spiked eggnog, but being able to bring people together to learn new and better ways of bringing people together was itself a wonderful present.

Advocacy, Education, General advocate, Community, community change, Education, Live United, Metro United Way, Neighborhoods, United Way, youth

By Maggie Elder
Vice President, Community Impact

Metro United Way has a strategic goal that states:  Through 2018, Metro United Way sustains a quality, compassionate network of services to address current human needs.

We know that sustaining a quality, compassionate network of services to address human needs takes more than allocating annual funding.  We also know that we can’t meet the growing need for funding on our own.  So, we have to think about what we can do.  We have to think about non-traditional solutions.

On September 2nd, we announced that the Arcadia Community Center was merging with the YMCA of Greater Louisville.

The merger of Arcadia and YMCA was a non-traditional solution.  Arcadia approached us knowing they could not sustain themselves as a stand-alone organization.  They also recognized they had important work – and results! – for a population with limited services tailored to them (refugees and immigrants).  We recognized that the population of refugees and immigrants was growing and our community needed to grow our capacity to provide them services.  We dreamed of Arcadia joining with a well established, better resourced organization that could serve Arcadia’s current clients and meet the growing need.

Metro United Way introduced Arcadia to several organizations.  Arcadia’s Executive Director and Board leadership met with them and looked for the best fit.  YMCA turned out to be that fit.  Metro United way also provided two one-time grants totaling $50,000 in order to support the transition and merger.

So…. Arcadia lives on in a different form. The clients they serve will be provided services for at least two more years (YMCA’s minimum commitment) and the community has grown our capacity to serve immigrants and refugees.  Metro United Way has learned what it takes for a small organization on the brink of closure to live on in some form.

If we hope to maintain a quality, compassionate network of services we’ll have to continue finding ways to build our community capacity to meet the growing need.

[Editor's Note - stay tuned for a follow-up post from Jennifer Hurley, Arcadia Program Director, to hear more about this transition for her point of view.]

Advocacy, Education Agencies, Arcadia, Arcadia COMmunity Center, YMCA, YMCA of Greater Louisville

Mary Ann Steutermann

Growing up, I was lucky to have parents and other family members interested in how I was doing in school and very supportive of my progress. Mom would give me snack when I got home from school, tell me to turn off the TV so I could get my homework done, and would check on how I did when I said I was finished. Dad was a big help with geometry and science by helping me come up with ideas for the science fair or making me practice geometric proofs even when I didn’t want to. I also had a special aunt that I go could to for support when I had personal problems that I didn’t want to talk to my parents about. Unfortunately though, not every kid has that kind of support or the parental support provided isn’t enough to meet the academic and personal challenges the kid faces. Often, something more is needed.

Youth mentoring has proven to be one of the most effective ways of improving both self-esteem and academic success for young people. But mentoring isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor. In fact, there are about as many different types of mentor relationships as there are caring adults out there willing to work with kids. A mentor can help with homework, shoot hoops or play baseball, take a young person to the theater, or engage in any number of activities that can help boost self-esteem and confidence.

Making a Difference

Most importantly, mentoring is effective. Students who meet regularly with a caring adult mentor are 52% less likely than other students to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class during the school day. Likewise, young people in mentor relationships are 46% less likely to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to begin drinking alcohol (National Mentoring Partnership – www.mentoring.org). Even more striking is the fact that minority youth are an amazing 70% less likely to begin drug use than those not in mentor relationships (Child Trends Research Brief).

Short-term gains from mentoring relationships include an improvement in the young person’s attitude about school; improved behavior at school; better relationships with parents, teachers, and peers; higher college enrollment and greater aspirations beyond high school; and improved decision-making, communication, social and relationship skills.

But the young people aren’t the only ones who benefit. Mentors report a greater satisfaction in their connection to the community and an increased sense of pride in making a positive contribution to the lives of at-risk youth. They also benefit from opportunities to develop new communication skills and further enhance their own strengths (www.nwrel.org/mentoring; Cori Brewster & Jennifer Fager, Sept. 1998).

Baby Steps

The great thing about being a mentor is that you can do it any way you like. Mentors can work through programs like Big Brothers, Big Sisters or countless agencies that pair caring adults with kids in need of a helping hand. But what if you don’t have time for that kind of commitment? No problem! You can still make a contribution. Consider asking kids in your neighborhood or you friends’ children how they are doing in school. Ask about their interests, what they are learning, and what they want to be when they grow up. Encourage them to stay in school and to go to college. If you can be a mentor through a more formal relationship, super. But if not, just showing some concern for the kids you encounter is a way to make “mentoring” part of the culture in the Metro area and to show kids that plenty of adults out there want them to be successful and are willing to help.

Education, General, Volunteering Children, Education, making a difference, mentoring, Metro United Way, reading, Volunteer, youth