LIVE UNITED Y’All!

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 Kelly Hutchinson, Donor Relationship Manager

Ok, I am not going to share a diatribe about the allegiance I feel for the University of Louisville Cardinals…we can save that for another post. I am talking literally about my blood. The blog-goddess aka Erin at Metro United Way suggested this month we share posts that reflect a commentary on diversity. Hence, I have given “diversity” a lot of thought. It’s posed a bit of challenge for me and I think I have come to figure out why. You see my inclination when I meet people is to readily start seeking ways we are similar and I strive to overlook or ignore differences. Whether it is race, religion, culture, politics, work styles…in my day to day life, like you, I encounter “diverse” people (aren’t we all?) everyday but actually seem to usually notice more quickly ways that we are alike rather than different.

This approach is pretty good for me usually but is not beneficial when it comes to blood. You see we do really ALL bleed red blood but, our diversity is in fact represented in our unique blood. In the blood-giving world diversity is truly very, very important and something that is not to be ignored. It is life-saving in fact.

Because we live in a diverse world there is also a need for that “diverse” red blood.  Certain blood types are unique to specific racial and ethnic groups. Therefore it is essential that a blood donor’s diversity match the patient diversity. For example, U-negative and Duffy-negative blood types are unique to the African American community. When blood is closely matched patients are at a lower risk for complications. For this reason, it is extremely important to increase the number of available blood donors in our community from all ethnic groups, minority and diverse populations.

If you would like to help make a difference, check in and see  for yourself if you bleed red blood too, then mark your calendar and spread the word. The American Red Cross bloodmobile will be hosted at PBI Bank on March 1^st from 11:30 am to 4:40 pm, at 2500 Eastpoint Parkway. This is one easy life-saving way to support a Metro United Way partnership where everyone wins and it will feel good to be a part of helping save lives – and add to a diverse supply of blood being available in our community. Bring a friend.  PBI Bank employees in our community LIVE UNITED by sharing the opportunity to give, advocate and volunteer and they are excited to support the community by hosting this upcoming blood drive.

Advocacy, Events, Giving, Health diversity, Donate Blood, PBI Bank, University of Louisville

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

By Jan Sherrell

It is November. November is the month we are more intentional about giving thanks. Heck, they named a holiday after it.

I thought I’d share some stories of Metro United Way agencies and their thankful clients.

Three year old Colten’s parents are thankful for Visually Impaired Preschool. When they were told at two months that their son Colten had significant vision impairment, Colten’s parents were scared. Now they are thankful that visiting VIPS allowed them to meet toddlers without sight learning to adapt and play and live to the fullest. They had millions of questions regarding Colten’s diagnosis and prognosis. They are thankful VIPS staff helped them find the answers.

Mrs. C is thankful for the daily phone calls she receives from Multi-Purpose Community Action volunteers. She is very appreciative of someone showing an interest in her and being available to offer other resources when she needs them. Mrs. C looks forward to the phone call daily; they are her window to the world.

Patrick is a 45 year-old male with mental challenges. In 2007 he was living in a homeless shelter. Now Patrick knows how to do numerous industrial tasks at Custom Quality Service’s sheltered workshop. Patrick is thankful for his own place and for Custom Quality Services giving him a chance at independence.

Eighty-three year old Mr. G admits he sometimes has to force himself to attend the Arthur S. Kling Center. His poor health and no energy can make it a struggle to get motivated. But he knows that when he gets there he will enjoy the camaraderie. He enjoys a hot lunch, plays pool, exercises and uses the computer. He is thankful for the social workers available there to help him and their care for him inspires Mr. G to visit others in poor health.

And me?  I’m always thankful for the contingent of agencies serving our community and improving lives. What are you thankful for?

General, Health, Income Agencies, community change, Give Thanks, Live United, parenting, United Way

By Judy Schroeder

Anybody play BINGO? I used to love Bingo on a Friday night, with my Grandmother in the church basement. Oh yes, the smoke-filled basement with gray-haired ladies who love a child who will fetch more cards for them! Easy tips. Especially from those lucky winners who heard the caller sing out that last number on their sheet, and it lined up so perfectly across the columns on the page: B-I-N-G-O.

Well, on some days I can still get that excitement – in much healthier, smoke-free church basements – when the right people come together for the right reasons, and discover ideas that are right for their families and friends.

Two weeks ago, I was at Greater Friendship Baptist Church, in the California neighborhood of West Louisville, with fifteen young mothers, their children and grandmothers, listening to their ideas and hopes for their children’s future. They are using a little tool called the Ages & Stages Questionnaire to learn more about how to help their children learn.

Ladies and gentlemen, we had a “B-I-N-G-O!”

Because trustworthy relationships take time, a few years ago when I had the pleasure of meeting Gwen Kelly from the California neighborhood I could only hope that our work together would begin to make a difference. At that time the neighborhood had one of the worst reputations in the City for youth violence. Could we expect to see more young adults owning their neighborhood in a positive way, as young moms, dads, and community workers just a few years later?

Never underestimate the power of people who care.

In this case those people were Gwen and her neighbors, Ms. Robbie Bell and Dreema Jackson with many others, with the help of a couple of great nonprofit organizations who had your support through Metro United Way. The Community Farm Alliance had just published the West Louisville Food Assessment (BridgingTheDivide.pdf) that revved up all of the community conversation you may be hearing about inner-city “food deserts” and healthy farm-to-community solutions. We started a Farmers Market that brought the community together around Victory Park, where many people had said no one even had enough money or interest for healthy food. The new California Collaborative hired Michael Dean, who also lives facing the park. Four years and many more people later, the California Farmers’ Market sells produce out of raised-bed gardens cultivated by neighborhood youth on land provided by New Directions Housing Corporation/Neighborhood Initiatives and sold at Victory Park every Saturday morning this summer.

Victory Park is being reclaimed for children and families. Community institutions like Greater Friendship Baptist Church and neighbors like Ms. Robbie, Michael Dean, and Gwen are going for a “cover-all” to turn their neighborhood around! Their children and grandchildren will have the benefit.

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s a B-I-N-G-O!

General, Giving, Health, Volunteering "California Neighborhood", "Community Conversations", "Farmers Markets", "Vital Neighborhoods", Ages & Stages Questionnaires, success

From the Bridgehaven website

By Patty Belden

I was recently invited to Bridgehaven Mental Health Services to attend a “Bridge Builder” lunch and learn.  I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect.  I was aware of Bridgehaven, but I had never visited and didn’t know a great deal about their services.  All I really knew was that Bridgehaven worked with individuals suffering from mental illness.  What I didn’t know was that Bridgehaven offers much more than a service…they offer the chance to be part of a family.

Having never visited, I was not familiar with the campus and in true Patty-fashion I entered through the wrong door.  It was only seconds before I was greeted and offered assistance by two people (my confused look must have given me away as a visitor).  Everyone seemed to know that today was a Bridge Builder lunch and assumed that was why I was there.  To my surprise, I wasn’t just given directions to the room, but I was personally escorted by a client.  During the short walk I was thanked several times for visiting and asked repeatedly if I needed anything…what a great host!  Little did I know that later I would have the opportunity to hear this man’s personal story.

Upon entering the lunch room, I was warmly greeted again, offered a beverage and directed to my seat.  I was at a table with seven strangers…I assumed they were all here for the same reason that I was, to learn about Bridgehaven.  To my delight, the man, who had previously escorted me, came to our table and filled the eighth empty chair.  I also learned that of the eight, two were clients and three were volunteers.

The program began.  The welcome and thank you was nice and even included a personal story from the Executive Director…I was refreshed by her honesty and amazed that she was so comfortable to share her story.  However, nothing could have prepared me for the next piece of the program…several clients were going to share thier personal stories.

We sat captivated by this man and his story.  He was so open and so honest.  He talked about his struggle with alcoholism and his inability to form positive relationships.  He talked about hearing voices in his head.  Voices that put him down and made him feel worthless.  He drank alcohol to drown the voices, but it didn’t work.  They got louder and louder.  They became aggressive and threatening.  He drank more.  Because of his drinking, he was unable to keep a job, take care of himself, or build relationships.  He kept himself isolated.  What struck me the most was that this man didn’t realize that he was different.  He believed that everyone heard voices.  He didn’t know there was help out there.

When he talked about Bridgehaven, you could see the appreciation in his eyes and hear it in his voice.  He had found help.  He had found a family.

Bridgehaven’s services truly offer hope for the future by teaching the skills necessary to live, learn, work, and socialize.  These skills are taught through individual and group therapy as well as skill building activities.  Most importantly, Bridgehaven offers a family-like network of support.

Do you want to learn more about Bridgehaven or become involved as a volunteer?  Click here.

Do you know someone who could benefit from the services offered at Bridgehaven?  Click here.

Advocacy, General, Health, Volunteering Bridgehaven, mental health, Metro United Way agencies

by John Sands

Gather Round, Team…

Yesterday, our students returned to school (JCPS).  Like many communities that have recently started or will soon begin their school year, a lot of preparation has occured to get to this point.  Parents and students have gotten together the school attire and supplies.  Teachers and schools have spent the last few weeks preparing lesson plans and getting their facilities in top notch shape.  A lot of thought has gone into preparing the minds of students to be receptive to all of the knowledge that will be imparted to them this year.

What Tactics Are We Missing?

One aspect of the overall success of our students may not get as much attention, but certainly is very important to their overall well being and performance in school.  That is good health habits, coupled with good nutrition.  Getting your student off to a good start includes a good, healthy breakfast, plenty of sleep and some type of physical activity that gets the blood running and the heart pumping a little bit.

Executing the Play

Unless you have a devoted athlete on your hands, it can be challenging to get the average child out of the gaming chair and into some physical activity.  Studies show that childhood obesity has almost doubled in the last 10 years.  So it is becoming increasingly more important to get our children more involved in some type of physical activity.   You may never have a child that thrives or even enjoys organized sports or physical activity, but there are some creative ways to get your child physically active. You can read a little about United Way’s Kids Get Fit effort focusing on youth health and wellness and get some ideas on Metro United Way‘s website.

How Could You Coach Your Team?

Can you think of some more fun ideas to get your kids moving?  If so, we’d like to see some of your ideas in the comments section.

Here’s to a great, healthy and safe School Year!

Education, General, Health back to school, Kids Get Fit, preparing for school, youth fitness, youth wellness

by John Nevitt

I heard a statistic not too long ago that very few Americans know their neighbors except for those on either side of their home or apartment. Why should that be troubling to us? Well, if it truly takes a village to successfully raise a child, we need to know who we can turn to in our neighborhoods for help. Plus, if we want to reduce our chances of being burglarized, the more neighbors we know, the more sets of eyes to help protect our property.

Another reason to get to know your neighbors is to strengthen our broader community. Our vision at Metro United Way is to build the most vital, caring community in the nation. We accomplish this by getting to know one another, sharing ideas, stories, (and food) which leads to a sense of connection, and more often than not, a group of allies who are there to support us.

A number of years ago, I took a leadership development class that encouraged us to design a project that would enhance a “community” of our choosing. Community can be defined as a group of interacting people sharing a common geography, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, etc. I chose to work with two neighborhood communities – the east end neighborhood where I lived and the inner city neighborhood where I worked. I wanted to get to know some of my neighbors better and foster a sense of connection within our broader Louisville community.

Essentially, I organized a neighborhood exchange where we could share a meal together and get to know one another. We gathered in a circle and asked everyone to talk about their hopes, dreams and aspirations, and what was helpful to them along their pathway and what did they see were the barriers. As I listened, it was interesting to hear some major differences between the two groups of neighbors, but I was more intrigued by what we had in common. I created an intention that participants would experience a sense of connection, and would have a better appreciation and understanding of residents from another neighborhood. As we debriefed from our gathering, many reported the recognition that, though very different on the surface and facing very different challenges, we all want the same thing for ourselves and our loved ones and there was an immediate sense of connection.

Deep down, I believe that what we all want is for our children to be successful in school and beyond, we want to be self-sufficient, and we want to experience good health throughout our lifetime. In other words, we care about education, income, and health, the three building blocks of Metro United Way.

So, how do we help ensure we have what we all want? Getting to know our neighbors is a great place to enhance our chances for success by tapping into the caring power of our local community. Consider inviting your neighbors to a pot-luck dinner, join (or start) a neighborhood association, organize a block party, or begin a book club or discussion group with your neighbors. It only takes a small step to get started, and the potential rewards are tremendous.

For a list of ideas on how to meet community residents and to get more involved in your community, visit the website www.bettertogether.org/150ways.

What step will you be taking in the upcoming weeks?  Do you have a great success story about building neighborhood connections that you would like to share?<

Advocacy, Education, Health, Income building community, Common good, Community, connection, Neighborhoods, neighbors

By John Nevitt

We’ve all faced difficult circumstances in our lives at one time or another for ourselves or our loved ones – perhaps it was the loss of a close friend or family member, facing a severe financial hardship, dealing with chemical dependency, living with an illness or disability, or countless other types of circumstances. Though the details are as different as each one of us, there are many common thoughts and emotions that frequently surface such as – what am I going to do, who can I turn to for help, how will I keep everything together? In difficult times, we all need someone we can count on.

I always know who my true friends are when such situations arise because they are the ones who stand beside me and offer support. Good friends transcend the circumstances of everyday life. However, when experts are needed, it’s good to know that there are caring professionals just a phone call away – Metro United Way’s network of health and human service organizations.

Though I had been a donor to Metro United Way for many years, I hadn’t thought I would be a part of the two-in-three people in our regional community who access Metro United Way supported services in my lifetime.

However, in recent years, I have been the beneficiary of these compassionate agencies and programs on several occasions, with each interaction bringing home their value in no uncertain terms.

Several years ago, when my mom began showing signs of progressive dementia, I turned to GuardiaCare Services for guidance. Not only did I get a list of personal care and housing options to consider, I also had the support of an empathetic professional who, through her exceptional listening skills, understood what I was thinking, how I was feeling, and what I needed, in addition to the pertinent and timely information that was given to me. In short, I felt like I was treated as a whole person, not just as someone who had a specific need to be fulfilled.

Each year, MUW funds over 80 organizations and 150 programs, like Guardia Care Services, which provides a variety of services for fragile seniors and others. When times get tough, it’s good to know that we have a vital network of Metro United Way participating agencies that give us the guidance we need while tending to us as whole persons. I salute the staff of our participating agencies and programs who so capably represent the caring power of our community.<

Giving, Health Agencies, donor, human needs, making a difference