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: 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: 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: Angie Ditsler

About a month ago I changed roles at Metro United Way.  I am now the new Manager of the Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow initiative.  I, by no means, expected the transition to be easy.  I fully expected to encounter a huge learning curve as I settled into my new job here in Louisville and slowly adjusted from my previous role in Shelby and Oldham Counties.  With so many different partners involved in Bridges, I honestly expected that the most difficult part of the transition would be coordinating the volume of activities and people, and keeping up with the pace of how quickly things move here.  If there is one thing I don’t have to worry about learning, I thought, it’s getting to know the agencies themselves that participate in Bridges.  After all, I’ve been working at Metro United Way over four years already, and I already know all about all the agencies we serve!

Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong!  Even as an employee at MUW with a background in social services, I must admit that spending time at each of the four Bridges centers this past month and learning more about the role each of them plays in the community has been a very eye-opening and humbling experience.  For example, in the three years since I last volunteered at Americana Community Center, it has opened a health clinic on its property and now operates a Family Program that focuses on the time parents and their children spend together.  I had no idea that Neighborhood House is home to a JCPS “STOP” program that works to prevent truancy among middle and high school students, and Presbyterian Community Center is preparing to open the doors of its new Child Development Center, making room for 50 additional young children in its program!  Did you know that Louisville Central Community Centers is in the middle of an enormous capital campaign that will expand its facilities, attract small businesses, and hopefully generate dozens of new jobs in central Louisville?  I didn’t know all this is going on, and I consider myself an active and knowledgeable member of my community!

What I’ve learned in my first 30 days at my new job is that there is a lot I didn’t know about my community, and a lot I still don’t know.  There is always something new to learn and experience in our own backyards.  Being an advocate for our neighborhoods and community is not just about sharing what we already know and believe; it’s also about being open to learn and talk about thing we don’t know much about either.

Advocacy, General advocate, Americana Community Center, Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow, Louisville Central Community Centers, Neighborhood House, Neighborhoods, Presbyterian Community Center

by Kelly Hutchinson, Donor Relationship Manager

At Metro United Way we spend a fair amount of time sharing stories with one another. I think one reason we do this is because stories make us all feel good about the work we do each day. Stories of lives changed and opportunities created help us feel successful in our role and contributions. Even more importantly, stories are important in helping us communicate with you just exactly how you make a difference and together in our community we are advancing the common good.

Our stories include the people and organizations who bring passion, expertise and resources together with Metro United Way to get things done in our community.

Here is one recent brief story that flew into my Outlook Inbox in March from Ron Jackson one of the talented leaders in the Community Impact department. Ron is the director of the Bridges to Tomorrow initiative –and he has a smile that will light up a room –yes, I do digress.

The enthusiastic email from Ron read in part “I am so excited about the progress made by Sandra and others involved in Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow. There is nothing more pleasing than to see one of the Family Leaders become inspired by what they learn in this project and then act on a dream they have had for years.”   

Ron’s email told the story of Sandra (a single mother in our community) who became involved in Metro United Way’s Gheens  Bridges to Tomorrow program in 2009. In the program, she had the opportunity to complete a Financial Stability workshop led by PNC Bank volunteer instructors in March of 2009.

I am sure you would agree the purchase of a home is a long term dream for most. It is easier for some than others, and not considered possible by still others. Sandra however did dream bigger. She shared a dream for herself and her family. Through the Bridges to Tomorrow, Sandra created what’s called a family success plan and in it she included her dream of purchasing a home. In the program she becomes identified as the “Family Leader”. Sandra identified and then focused on what she needed to do to reach the dream. She worked from her budget and created a savings plan. She had encouragement and a new-found support system with a “Family Coach” working with her to transform her life. After twelve months, in March of 2010 she purchased a home!

Sandra’s success story and accomplishment of this dream allows also for a transformation in her life and that of her 3 year old son. There is a 3 year old boy now who will have a greater chance at being prepared and ready for kindergarten and to be successful in school. He now has an engaged and empowered parent who knows how to dream and achieve goals.

The story continues as does Sandra’s involvement in Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow, but the odds for further success have just tipped much greater in the favor of Sandra and her little boy!

What other things in life do you think are a part of the american dream?

Education, General, Giving, Income, Volunteering First time home owner, Gheens Bridges to Tomorrow, PNC