LIVE UNITED Y’All!

By Jan Sherrell

I’m not a big talker. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve usually got an opinion and am ready to offer it up, but in the grand scheme of things I can be very succinct when I speak. Okay, some might call it curt. I think I learned it from my dad. Dad was very direct, not a lot of chat, and to the point. Hurt my feelings a lot of times now that I mention it, but that is another topic.

I’m working on getting a little chattier, to listen better and encourage others to voice their opinions. But still, sometimes when the phone rings, I’m tempted to let the machine get it. Maybe the caller can just leave me a message and I can save that 10 minutes of my life for peace and quiet.

Maybe I over think things – especially for the more difficult conversations. Do you ever rehearse the conversations in your head? You’ve got the perfect script all worked out and when the moment arises for you to have that conversation it ends up with a muttered, “um I’m here if you need me, you know…if you ever do” or “um, I thought you were going to call me…..I waited for you….” Yep, I told them didn’t I?

I recently had some tough work conversations. I literally wrote down my thoughts and ordered them logically. It helped me make sure I covered what I needed to and helped me think through my word choices. Knowing my “to the point” nature it also allowed me to make sure I fully fleshed out my thoughts. The conversation went well. I felt better after addressing that tough conversation.

You know sometimes just showing the effort, making a pitch, be it inadequate or not, the attempt was made to open that conversation. Go ahead and take that phone call and use the “oh, the pizza guy is here, I have to go” line if the conversation runs too long. Extend a hand to someone even when you don’t exactly know what to say. Begin those difficult conversations, you can always go back and use your practiced speech the next time if the first time doesn’t work out.

Humans need that interaction. Offer a smile to a neighbor or coworker or youth and sharpen your social skills with some friendly small talk. Or really get your nerve up and broach the subject that has been on your mind, but do it kindly with good intentions, you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.

What is your way of dealing with tough conversations? How’s that working for you?

General Community, make change, opportunity

By Jan Sherrell

It may not be apparent to the reader but we’ve begun naming monthly themes for this blog. It helps us work through various topics and might bring a more consistent message. It also gets our blogging juices focused and flowing.

So Success Stories is July’s theme. My work is directly with our agencies and I hear and see great things going on in the community, affecting hundreds of people. But today, when I think success stories, I can only think of Kristina Witten.

Kristina passed away July 5, 2010. “Passed away” doesn’t express the victory or success Kristina experienced in life and in death. Kristina believed in God and is breathing easy in heaven right now. That is a victory and a success.

Kristina had Cystic Fibrosis. I recently heard someone say having Cystic Fibrosis is like taking every breath as if breathed through a pillow. Kristina could have done less, expected special treatment and become concerned only with her self, but she didn’t. Kristina had such a heart for others. She had built a whole community around her through the internet, her sorority, church and friends. Daily she reached out and lifted others up.

Kristina was always showing concern for others. Maybe CF made her more empathetic to the situations of others. Though it is very difficult saying goodbye to such a beautiful young lady, I strive to keep in mind that the grief is for those left behind. Kristina is breathing easy. Her life was a success.

How do you measure success?

General Community, cystic fibrosis, success

By: Angie Ditsler

This past weekend I went to the wedding of a friend and former co-worker of mine.  This particular wedding was more than just a celebration of love and marriage, however: It was a celebration of triumph and success- and not just for the bride, but for many of her guests, as well.

I met my friend Zahra about 6 years ago when we worked together at Kentucky Refugee Ministries.  At the time, Zahra was an interpreter, receptionist, mediator, and caseworker.  As a refugee herself from Somalia in the early 90s, Zahra was the most trusted and relied upon person on our staff among the clientele.  As the years went by and I changed jobs, Zahra continued to push herself as she furthered her own education and career.  Knowing Zahra as I do now, it’s hard to imagine all the obstacles she’s faced in her life: escape from Somalia, survival in a refugee camp in Kenya, arriving in the U.S., learning a new language, and adapting to a new way of life.  A recent article in the LEO describes Zahra’s life prior to coming to America: http://leoweekly.com/news/seeking-refuge

Seeing how beautiful she looked on her wedding way was particularly touching because it was a reminder of how far she has come, and the exciting adventure that still awaits her as she continues her life journey in Colorado with her new husband. 

The wedding itself was a bit of a reunion of sorts.  Catching up with former colleagues and clients was wonderful, especially being reunited with those people I had met years earlier just days, or hours even, after they stepped foot on U.S. soil for the first time.  Watching the women dance in their beautiful dresses the other night with smiles on their faces made me smile. Being introduced to their own children for the first time- children born here in the United States- was proof that not only Zahra, but all the women there that night have overcome so much adversity and are thriving.  I was reminded once again of the reason I chose Louisville as my new home six years ago: this is a place where cultures and languages are bridged together, and families can thrive.

Advocacy, General Community, culture, refugee, success

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 Gil Betz

“… I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep…” Robert Frost, Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Promises are very important statements. A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something. Promises come in many forms-  affirmations, vows, oaths and the all too familiar “election promises.”

Reflect in your own life about promises. My kids would “promise” to clean their rooms, or get their homework done or wash their hair. And I have promised many times to take out the garbage. Some promises I made years ago, I have kept. Some promises I have not kept. There is great satisfaction when I know I have kept my promise.

I subscribe to the Agitator. The Agitator is a daily blog discussing funding strategies and trends for nonprofit organizations. What follows is an article from the May 12^th 2010 edition of the Agitator. The article is about the importance and value nonprofits can accrue by making “promises” and keeping them.

Go ahead, make a commitment!

That’s the advice of David Kravinchuk at the FLA Group, a Canadian fundraising consultancy.

David argues that few donors these days give out of a sense of duty or obligation or blind trust, as older generations did.

Today’s donors want to see results. If you want their contributions, your nonprofit must promise — then deliver — some kind of results.

And so that leads to David’s advice:

1. When you solicit a gift, promise a specific return on the donor’s investment.
2. When you thank the donor for the gift, re-commit to delivering on the promise.
3. Finally, show the ROI being delivered in as many ways as you can. In your newsletters. On your web site. With email messages. In your next appeal (before you ask again).

He adds: “Promises that are kept build trust, just as they do in your own friend and family relationships. Trust is the first step to loyalty. And in today’s charitable economy, loyalty is the key to your charity’s financial ROI.”

That’s pretty sound advice.

Sure, you can’t promise to cure cancer or end global warming in 90 days. But what can you promise that would represent progress? That you can deliver upon. That signals your willingness to be held accountable for how effectively you will use your donor’s contribution.

What promise is your nonprofit able and willing to make?

So what promise is Metro United Way able and willing to make and keep?

Here are some promises that one of our staff members provided when asked that question:

• We promise to use your donation effectively and efficiently.
• We promise to make your investment go further than any other non-profit can by bringing in over $50 million in resources to our community, investing in 50 programs and services that touch 300,000 people in our community, connecting 60,000 individuals to find the help they need through 2-1-1, feeding 150,000 hungry people, engaging 10,000 volunteers, and advocating for public policies that have a positive impact in providing a better life for all.
• We promise, by 2018, to make sure that all the children in our community arrive in kindergarten ready to succeed AND to improve our community’s high school graduation rate from 73% to 87%.

Now it is your turn. Please respond to this post by suggesting promises you believe Metro United Way should make and keep.

Education, General, Giving Agencies, Children, Community, making a difference, promises

By Angela Champion

As I write this blog, I realize I have a hard time finding my voice. As a fundraiser, I like seeing results and love to cross things off a list. As our team of staff and volunteers are gearing up this time of year to run the 2010 Campaign for the community, the slate is clean. We are working every angle now to realize growth in giving for the fall and the coming year. We are hopeful and single-minded.  However, I don’t day to day always see the thousands of ways people are improving their lives through the work that is done with those funds. But I know the need is real.

As I have been watching the History Channel’s new series, America: The Story of Us, I have been inspired as to what the American people accomplish – sometimes a few do great things but many times it’s hundreds of people contributing to an ultimate goal.

The most inspiring example for me is of how the Statue of Liberty was funded and erected to be where and what it is today: a symbol of hope and freedom. When France gave the United States the statue in 1885, it was in 350 pieces and there was no pedestal or funding for completing this massive engineering and architectural project of enormous meaning.

Joseph Pulitzer, owner of The New York World, stepped up and issued a call to action for people to give what they could to fund the effort.  Pulitzer found his voice and urged others to take part however they could – many sent in pennies, nickels and dimes.  The final sum amounted to $101,091 ($2,380,980 in today’s dollars), and over 120,000 people had donated. These figures are a testament to the masses of people who gave what they could, and to the persistence of Joseph Pulitzer.

A poem by Emma Lazarus won a contest in the newspaper and has adorned the pedestal ever since.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses
yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your
teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed,
to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

— Emma Lazarus, 1883, written to help raise funds for construction of the pedestal.

During this fall’s campaign, I hope you will find your voice through giving, advocating and volunteering. If you don’t know where to start, please ask someone at Metro United Way. If you have a poem that you think would inspire us to give and give some ideas to why helping others is important, please share!

Giving campaign, Community, finding your voice, making a difference

By Sommer Lally

What is a volunteer?

Is it the person who picks up trash on the side of the road for a few hours?  Someone who takes their time to paint a room at a local non-profit organization?  Is it a University of Tennessee sports team?

Yes and no. 

You see, all of those are examples of volunteers, but the word “volunteer” means more than we often picture in our minds. 

Here, I’ll give you an example.  As part of my job at Metro United Way, I manage our Student United Ways (campus chapters through which student leaders advance the common good, develop leadership skills and join the growing Live United movement).  Working with the student leaders at U of L and IUS is a wonderful experience.  I get to help them grow in their roles with the organizations and watch them gain a deeper knowledge of the community.  But I also witness their struggles and frustrations.

Both Student United Ways underwent the tedious process of becoming registered student organizations on their campuses this year.  The initial stages of establishing the groups took time.  As a result neither were able to organize as many events and activities as they had hoped. 

What does this have to do with volunteers?  Hang on!  You’re about to find out!

U of L Student United Way leaders volunteering with Blanket Louisville.

In a recent conversation with one of my student leaders she lamented “we haven’t really gotten to do much volunteering and that was the whole reason I wanted to join!”  Do you see what I’m getting at?

Volunteers aren’t just those who give of their time to do hands-on projects!  They’re also board members, committee members and . . . student leaders.  In my view, my student leader had been volunteering all year long through her leadership position with Student United Way.  Don’t get me wrong – I’ll help them plan more volunteer projects next year, but I also want them to feel good about their volunteer role with us and to know how appreciated they are!

So, to our Board members, committee members and Student United Way leaders, thank you for volunteering with Metro United Way.  You are so important to us and we are better because of you!

General, Volunteering Community, IUS, Live United, Student United Way, UofL

By Sarah Heine

National Volunteer Week provides the opportunity for organizations and communities to thank the volunteers who work so diligently year round, donating their time, money and support to help make our community the most successful and positive place it can be. It also gives Metro United Way a chance to spotlight and thank some of the volunteers in our community who have made volunteerism a huge part of their day-to-day lives.

Interning in the Volunteer Engagement Center here at Metro United Way has provided me with the opportunity to learn about the organizations serving our community. It has also allowed me to meet  some of the volunteers who are so vital to the continued success of these organizations and of Metro United Way and to learn about their experiences and motivations for giving back.

A few weeks ago, I chatted with Ilma Hirsch about her volunteer experiences and her relationship with Metro United Way. She is an absolutely lovely 95-year-old woman who began volunteering with Metro United Way back when it was called Community Chest.

Ilma talked about the timelessness of volunteerism, how it is just as necessary today as it was when she was young, and how it enriches not only the organizations, but also the lives of the individuals who commit their time and energy to volunteering. We talked about the importance of integrating volunteerism into one’s life and of passing on that importance to the next generation. Ilma felt that was especially important- one of her greatest donations to the community she served was her children’s activism and community involvement.

Ilma also talked about getting involved with organizations that give the volunteer a personal connection with the work that they are doing. Ilma first got involved with Metro United Way through her involvement with the the  National Council of Jewish Women. Having a connection to the work you are doing enriches the experience for both the organization and for the volunteer.

I really enjoyed speaking with Ilma and hearing her perspectives and anecdotes about her experiences as a volunteer and with Metro United Way long before either I, or Metro United Way (in its current form) were around. As a young volunteer it is easy to forget I am not the first, and will not be the last community member doing what I can to give back. Volunteering always has been and always will be vital to the success of organizations and communities alike.

Do you volunteer? If so, where? Is there a personal connection or reason you give your time to that organization? If you are not already involved and would like to be, Metro United Way provides resources for volunteer opportunities across Kentuckiana on our website.

Whether you volunteer now, have in the past, or would like to in the future, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you. Your time and energy really do make a difference.

THANKS!

Volunteering Community, community chest, Metro United Way, National Volunteer Month, thank you, Volunteer Engagement Center

By Angela Ditsler

No one needs to be reminded of the freezing temperatures that have been lingering outside for days. And with three inches of fresh snow on the ground, there is no doubt that winter 2010 has officially arrived! With these changes of season, I’ve noticed more stories in the news lately about people in need in our community- children in need of winter coats, and shelters in need of volunteers to feed the larger-than-usual number of homeless people that have been filling the shelters at night. Whether it’s due to the cold temperatures outside or simply the spirit of the New Year, I’ve been thinking lately that I’m probably overdue for performing one of those small acts of kindness that make a big difference.

Thankfully, a note left on our doorstep last weekend while my husband and I were out gave me an idea. A local organization had stopped by looking for donations and left their phone number on the slip of paper asking us to call if we had anything- clothes, toys, or household items- to donate. It gave my husband and me the idea to do some “winter cleaning.” By Sunday night, we had several bags of sweaters and jackets, 4 boxes of pots, pans, and dishes we don’t use, and an old vacuum cleaner ready to be given away. I them emailed a friend and former co-worker this week who works at Kentucky Refugee Ministries to see what items were on their “wish list” this month. I’ve made arrangements to drop off all those items at KRM tomorrow morning. Now, my house is a little cleaner and more organized, and more importantly, I feel good knowing I’m able to contribute some items to someone who needs them more than I do.

What small act of kindness can you do this winter season? Did you get a new winter coat for Christmas this year and can give away your old one to someone else? Can you give an hour to deliver Meals on Wheels during your lunch break one day this month? Can you carry your neighbor’s trash cans in for them from the curb so they don’t have to venture out into the snow? Did you receive an unexpected Christmas bonus at work and are willing to write an extra check this month to a local charity? Every small act of kindness is appreciated by someone, and endless opportunities for doing them are around us every day.

General Community

By Kate McNatt

Metro United Way wants to thank all the kind folks at General Electric, who just donated 4,600 portable space heaters to people in need during these cold winter months. Metro United Way will be the leader in distributing the space heaters, and the Salvation Army, a Metro United Way agency, is going to serve as the distribution site.

There are two opportunities to get involved (see below).  Volunteers will be handling boxes of heaters and should be able to lift up to 36 lbs.  Boxes may be dusty or dirty so please dress accordingly.  If you can help, please call Patty Belden at 502-292-6152 or email patty.belden@metrounitedway.org.  As always, thanks for your support!

Thursday January 14th – Distribution to Agencies

Location: Salvation Army

6709 Preston Highway

Louisville, KY 40219

Shift A: 1:00pm – 3:00pm         Volunteers Needed = 6

Shift B: 3:00pm – 5:00pm         Volunteers Needed = 6

Shift C: 5:00pm – 7:00pm         Volunteers Needed = 6

Friday January 15^th – Distribution to Agencies

Location: Salvation Army

6709 Preston Highway

Louisville, KY 40219

Shift A:  8:00am – 10:00am      Volunteers Needed = 6

Shift B: 10:00am – 12:00pm     Volunteers Needed = 6

Shift C: 12:00pm – 2:00pm       Volunteers Needed = 6

Events, General, Volunteering Community, Live United, making a difference, opportunity, Volunteer