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

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: 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

by Judy Schroeder

If there were only one lesson that I have taken away from my teachers in the civil rights movement, it is the great charity and faith that believes real pride will welcome diversity.  Not “chauvinism,” which is that need to place yourself and one world view on top of all others. Legitimate pride builds real dignity and the confidence to keep working for justice and fairness.

It may seem odd, but I think the more I appreciate the sacrifices, coincidences and privileges of my own background, the more I’m able to listen to and learn something from the point of view of people who seem very different.

It’s a lesson I was actually taught by my first role models in the civil rights movement. African-American men and women, who raise their children with a strong sense of pride in who they are, inoculate those young people against fear and prejudice and small-mindedness.

Real pride welcomes diversity in thought and cultural expression because it prepares us to engage!  Seems like a conversation more of us should get into in these times when so much fear and blame is allowed to divide us.

Here’s a couple of thoughts from Metro United Way’s handbook:

di-ver-si-ty: (d-vurs-t,d-) n. pl. di-ver-si-ties: the quality of being different or unique at the individual or group level. This includes work style, parental status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, skin color, language, age, mental and physical abilities – and more. Even when people appear the same on the outside, they are different.

In-clu-sion: (n-klzhn) n.: a strategy to leverage diversity. Diversity always exists in social systems. Inclusion, on the other hand, must be created. In order to leverage diversity an environment must be created where people feel supported, listened to, and able to do their personal best.

How do you welcome diversity?

Advocacy, General diversity, inclusion, inclusiveness

By: Mary Ann Steutermann
Director of Education Initiatives

This week – the week of Feb. 14 – marks more than just the traditional romantic holiday we all know so well? That’s right. Valentine’s Day isn’t the only day worthy of note this time of year; it’s also “Random Acts of Kindness Week.”

Just as you may have dined out with your honey or brought a box of chocolates to your main squeeze on Monday, I think it also makes perfect sense to mark “Random Acts of Kindness Week” with, well, a random act of kindness. We celebrate the magic of cupid’s arrow with red hearts and flowers, so perhaps we should express our gratitude about all we have been blessed with by sharing with others in need.

We often think that to have an impact, we need to engage in gargantuan projects, give huge sums of money, or undertake heroic efforts. But all we really need to do is just some random act of kindness whenever we can. That’s the beauty of “Living United.” When each of us contributes something small – $5.00, an hour of volunteer work, a quick email to a congressperson – then all of us together become a powerful force for good.

Planning to do something nice?  Already taken the plunge and made someone’s day a little brighter? Let us know!  We’d love to hear all about it.

General Live United, random acts of kindness

Just about everyone I know loves ice cream.  There are an abundance of flavors to choose from, and each one has unique and wonderful qualities.  Sometimes I like plain vanilla, especially on top of a slice of warm Dutch Apple pie.  Other times, I prefer chocolate, or dulce de leche, or toffee, or Spumoni, or strawberry, or even black raspberry.  Come to think of it, there aren’t too many flavors of ice cream that I don’t like.

When I was a kid, the only flavor ice cream I ever wanted was vanilla, and not just as a topping on my pie.  You see, I had tried vanilla when I was really young, liked it, and figured I would never be disappointed as long as I had vanilla.

I think the first time I tried a different flavor was when a neighbor was making homemade ice cream and offered me some peach flavored ice cream.   I was pleasantly surprised how great this fruit-flavored cream tasted, and from that point forward, I wanted to try new flavors all the time!

If variety is the spice of life, ice cream proves how rich our palette can be once we are open to new experiences.

I guess the same can be said about people.  As we reflect on diversity and inclusion, I never cease to be surprised by people who look differently than me.  Often, I have some judgment that they must be unlike me.  In most cases I am right – and thankfully so!  How utterly boring would life be if everyone were the same – had the same viewpoints, interests, skills, manners of expression, etc.   I think our ability to learn would be severely hampered without diversity, since different perspectives offer us new opportunities for growth.

The last couple of years I have had the distinct pleasure of delivering Christmas gifts to immigrant families in our community with my two children.  What a rewarding experience it has been!  I have been impressed by the families I have met from Burma and Cuba , experiencing a bit of their cultures, and realizing how blessed I am to be part of a community that is growing its multicultural identity.

In my limited associations, some of what I have noticed is incredibly strong family connections, a relentless pursuit of growth, a strong work ethic, and a sense of gratitude to our country, while maintaining a sense of cultural pride.  Through these experiences, I find myself appreciating my life even more, taking more pride in our great melting pot, and getting off my duff to capitalize on those things that I formerly took for granted – like giving my voice to things I feel are important.

I am convinced that any time I get discouraged about what is possible for our community, all I need to do is talk with someone from a different culture, and I gain a new perspective that continues to pay dividends.

What opportunities do you see for learning from our growing multi-cultural community?

By the way, the next time I enter the ice cream parlor, I going for Superman!

General, Volunteering diversity, making a difference, multi-cultural, Volunteer

By: Ron Halpern and Angie Ditsler

This story is Part II of a four-part series that spotlights the successes of the Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow initiative and the Horn Opportunities Fund.  The following success story demonstrates the power of believing in oneself and “dreaming big.”  Thanks to the generosity of the Mildred V. Horn Foundation and other funders like the Gheens Foundation, Chase Bank, PNC Bank and the Humana Foundation, people like Billie have overcome obstacles, established personal goals, and charted their own paths to success.

Billie Jean is a mother of three.  For quite some time, she did not feel economically stable, and at times, had difficulty making ends meet and paying bills on time.  Billie Jean often felt as though her lack of education was setting a bad example for her teenage son who, at the time, was considering dropping out of high school.  When Billie Jean’s family coach offered her financial assistance subsidized by the Horn Opportunity Fund she was ecstatic.  The Horn funds she received allowed Billie Jean to pay for a semester of classes and books at Jefferson County Technical and Community College (JCTCS).  That first semester of college gave Billie Jean the motivation to continue her education even further and set goals for herself. She is currently working towards finishing her degree in Business Administration.  Billie Jean is also financially stable in her current job and is looking forward to growing her career in business administration.  She is most proud of the example she has set for her children, having shown them the correct path to education and stability in their lives as adults.  As Billie Jean exclaimed, “I am more economically stable, and it’s wonderful!”

General, Income Chase Bank, Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow, Gheens Foundation, Humana Foundation, Mildred V. Horn Foundation, PNC Bank

By Angela Champion

This time of the year, most likely because of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and African American Heritage Month, we hear a lot about diversity and inclusion. We hold community events on the topic or discuss diversity in the workplace and in our schools. I think most of us know what diversity means – usually it means something about race, ethnicity, gender, and all of those demographic categories we are familiar with. We think of ideas of cultural competence and multiculturalism. But, what is this other word we hear attached, almost as a contraction: inclusion?

What does it mean to be inclusive?

If you love Wikipedia like I do, you might run across entries referring to including individuals with phsyical and intellectual disabilities. But that doesn’t tell you how to be inclusive. More Googling will perhaps mention having gender neutral language – very hard to do in the English langugage without sounding just plain weird.  Let’s just say that for me, “Congressperson” does not roll off the tongue.

For me, inclusion refers to intentionally respecting all members of society. For others, it means being overly politically correct. For me, it means being conscious of not only words we KNOW portray negative stereotypes, but rethinking how sticks and stones aren’t the only things that really hurt people.  Words like gay and retarded. Or anything that is really an insult to a group…

So, I ask you to consider this quote (and I would love to know if anyone out there can find who the author is…):

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

What does inclusion mean to you?

General diversity, inclusion

I was recently invited to be a guest Sunday School teacher at church for a group of fourth grade students.  Their exercise was to read about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other people who were making a difference for others through their lives and work, including the President of Heifer International, Jo Luck. 

I asked my class what they could do each day to make a difference for others.  After getting through a couple of “do nots”  I got a few positive action ideas, like “collect can goods for food drives,” and “serve food at a soup kitchen,” which are truly helpful and worthwhile things to do. 

However, I encouraged the students to think about even more basic actions than those.  For example, saying hello to someone you may not usually speak with, or sharing a smile and a helpful hand by opening a door for someone whose hands may be full.  There are countless ways we can lend a helpful hand each and every day. 

I am reminded of a story that I have seen circulate a few times through the internet about a freshman in high school who dropped a large stack of books walking home from school one day.  Another student unfamiliar to him stopped to help him pick up the books, and soon they became fast friends.  Three years later, the formerly clumsy freshman was delivering the valedictorian address at his high school graduation and recalled the story of how a classmate whom he had hardly known had extended an act of kindness.  He then relayed a chilling story about how he had cleaned out his locker that day, as a freshman, with the intention of taking his life that evening, and how he had wanted to save his parents the task of picking up his belongings from school afterwards.  Who could have known that a simple act of kindness by a stranger at that moment had literally saved his life, and had provided him with a renewed sense of hope and confidence? 

Regrettably, I have lost more than one person in my life to suicide.  I think it’s the most difficult form of loss to endure.  I’ve often asked myself – why didn’t I see that coming?  Why couldn’t I have done something to prevent that from happening?  I have come to the realization that sometimes it takes another person to make a difference for those closest to us, whom we love the most.

As a new year’s resolution, I invite you to continue loving and caring for those who are closest to you, and I request that you extend your warmth and compassion to an even broader set of individuals, perhaps even strangers.  Never doubt that even a very simple act of kindness can make a profound difference in someone’s life.  In 2011, let’s all live the words of Anne Herbert that are immortalized on a bumper sticker – “Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” 

How will you make a difference this year?

General Change the World, lend a hand, making a difference