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UPCOMING EVENTS |
Mark your calendar for United Way's
upcoming events:
- Volunteer Celebration,
Thursday, April 19
- Annual Meeting,
Thursday, April 26, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
- Day of Caring,
Friday, June 15
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MAKE A CONTRIBUTION |
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You can
donate securely online or
call 330.762.7601 for more information.
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UNITED WAY
BROWN BAG SEMINARS
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Brown Bag Seminars are a great way to provide informational and educational
seminars to your employees in the workplace. They work well as an addition
to your United Way campaign, or can be held any time of year.
Click
here to learn more!
Youth & College Brown Bag Seminars also now being offered!
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ARE YOU A DIAMOND DONOR? |
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You are if you have been giving
to United Way -- any United Way in any city, in any amount -- for 25 years or
more. It doesn't matter if you have given individually or as a couple. If you
are a Diamond Donor, United Way would like to know so you can be recognized as
members of this outstanding group. For information about the Diamond Donor
Society, contact Charlene Corlett, Vice President Major Gifts at 330-643-5537 or
ccorlett@uwsummit.org.
Click here to enroll online. |
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TAKE OUR
SURVEY
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United Way of Summit County is
conducting surveys of donors and non-donors. The information gathered through
these surveys will help determine United Way marketing plans in the future.
Please
complete the brief survey online.
Thank you.
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BE A
VOLUNTEER
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Looking
for Volunteer Opportunities?
Check out the United Way of Summit County Volunteer Center
listing
on our website. Updated Weekly!
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CONTACT
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what
matters
is published by the
United Way of Summit County
90 North Prospect St.
P.O. Box 1260
Akron, OH 44309-1260
330.762.7601
www.uwsummit.org
Board Chair:
David A. Brockman, CPA
President
Robert A. Kulinski
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kindly return this email and enter "remove" in the subject line. You will be promptly removed from
our list.
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Please share this newsletter with
family, friends,
and employees in your workplace.
Want
to be added to our email newsletter list? click here
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United Way of Summit County
Approves Funding Amounts for 2007
The United Way of Summit County Board of Trustees has approved the following
community investment package totaling $9,357,071 for the 2007 fiscal year. |
| Category |
2007 |
| Community and Program Services Funding |
$9,357,071 |
| Net Fundraising and Administrative Costs |
$1,297,929 |
| Net Allowance for Pledges Not Paid |
$495,000 |
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For the past four months, more than 100 local
volunteers reviewed detailed program and financial information and provided
funding recommendations for 100 programs from 47 agencies. They made site
visits, reviewed results and deliberated over allocations based on the amount of
money available in particular areas of need. Total affiliated agency support increased nearly 2% this year.
The $9.35 million package is a combination of:
- Investment decisions made by these
volunteers and gifts specifically designated by donors
- United Way's fundraising partner American
Red Cross, Summit County Chapter contractual amount
- Community Services, including The Volunteer
Center, United Way's Community Impact Program, Labor/Community Services
Liaison
- Designations to other community agencies and
United Ways in other communities
- Designations to targeted areas of service
(Portfolios of Care).
"The impact of the United Way goes beyond our
ability to raise and distribute funds," said Bob Kulinski, President, United
Way of Summit County. "The true measure of our success is how these
investments in quality services, programs and initiatives will improve
people's lives."
The available money for distribution came for the most part from our
generous community, which contributed $11,150,000 to the 2006 United Way/Red
Cross Campaign.
Read the full story |
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United Way Celebrates Local
Volunteers
 United Way of Summit County Volunteer Center will celebrate the spirit of
volunteerism at its sixth annual Volunteer Celebration. This year's theme is
"Volunteers Inspire by Example." The guest speakers will be Bud & Susie Rogers,
longtime community volunteers. A local college student, Mary Dunn, will
also speak about her recent trip to the Gulf Region as part of United Way's
Alternative Spring Break.The Celebration
will be held Thursday, April 19, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at St. Joseph
Family Center, 610 W. Exchange Street, Akron. This event will celebrate
outstanding volunteer efforts of individuals and groups in our community. For more information
contact Pam Beals at 330.643.5512 or email
pbeals@uwsummit.org.
Read the full story |
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Join Us
at the Annual Meeting!
 United Way of Summit County's 89th
Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 26 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at
the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls. The event is held to highlight the challenges
and successes of the previous 12 months, elect new board members and officers,
and honor the individuals and companies that help United Way improve our
community.
Cost is $25 per person or a table of 8 for
$200 and includes lunch. To reserve your seat, Reach
Out to Barb at 330.643.5533 or
RSVP on our
website.
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Chickenfest! Meeting to be Held
 United Way of Summit County is holding a brainstorming/informational meeting on
Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 9:30 am at the American Red Cross, Barberton Area
Chapter, for any individuals interested in participating in Chickenfest!
Potential food vendors, crafters and volunteers are invited to attend the
meeting, provide their insight, and help ensure that the 2007 Chickenfest! lives
up to the proud tradition of this event. Chickenfest! 2007 will be held Friday
and Saturday, September 7 and 8, at Lake Anna Park in Barberton.
Those who are planning to attend the meeting are asked to RSVP to Barb at 330.643.5533 or
via email to bstewart@uwsummit.org. |
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Sign Up
for Day of Caring Now
 The
United Way of Summit County Day of Caring will be held on Friday, June
15th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join over 1,000 corporate volunteers in this
day of painting, yard work, cleaning and general assistance for non-profit
agencies in our community. You can find more information about
Day of Caring on
our website or sign up now with the links below:
Companies
that would like to volunteer on Day of Caring
please fill in this form
Non-profit Agencies seeking help on Day of Caring fill in this form |
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Program Encourages Concerned
Citizens
to Run for School Board
The School Board Governance Project is sponsoring a free seminar called 'The
ABCs of Running for School Board' on Saturday, April 21, from 8:45 am
 to 12:00 noon at the Northwest Family Recreation Center, 1730 Shatto Avenue,
Akron.
Individuals from across the community are encouraged to attend and learn how to
become a candidate and run for their local school board. School Board members
from a variety of districts across the county will be on hand to offer insight
on the position of school board member and discuss how dedicated, concerned
individuals can improve our schools and our community through school board
service.
Susan Z. Vogelsang, coordinator of the School Board Governance Committee, said,
"There are so many people who are capable of doing great things, but they're
intimidated by the political process. This seminar is designed to take some of
the apprehension out of running for school board." Scheduled to lead the
program is Steve Brooks, Associate Director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of
Applied Politics at the University of Akron. Linda Omobien, immediate past
president of the Ohio School Boards Association will make closing inspirational
remarks.
The School Board Governance Project is a collaboration of The District 13
Council of PTAs, Akron Children's Hospital, The League of Women's Voters of the
Akron Area, Summit Family and Children's First Council, The United Way of Summit
County, and the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.
For more information, or to receive a brochure about this seminar, contact the
Bliss Institute at 330.972.5182 or by email at bliss@uakron.edu. |
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Akron Metropolitan Housing
Authority and United Way Establish Born Learning Playgroups
 Akron
Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA), in conjunction with United Way of
Summit County, will establish playgroups for parents and children ages 0-4,
based on the Born Learning program within AMHA family developments. Born
Learning is a national public engagement campaign created by the United Way,
Civitas and The Advertising Council focused on creating early learning
opportunities for young children.
Start up costs for this program will be covered through United Way's
Women's
Leadership Giving Society budget, and implementation will be financed through a
$10,000 grant awarded through the H. Peter Burg Fund of the Akron Community
Foundation. A pilot playgroup project will be developed for Summit Lake
Apartments to be carried out in the spring of 2007 and then will be replicated
at three to four additional AMHA family developments in the fall of 2007.
Read the full story. For more information on Born Learning, visit the
local website at www.uwsummit.org/bornlearning. |
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United Way Involved in Summit Lake Initiative
United Way of Summit County has been very involved in the revitalization
programs currently under way in the Summit Lake neighborhood. A recent
story in the Akron Beacon Journal highlighted those efforts (however not
United Way's participation).
Read
the story on ohio.com
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Project Blueprint
Graduates Class of 2007
 On Thursday, March 29th
Project Blueprint graduated its 6th class. The graduates
this year came from a varied mixture of nonprofit, small business and
corporations: Carla G. Ballestero, Sand Run Supports; Deborah A.
Caldwell, Summa Health System, Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital; Carmelia
A. Clift, Akron General Medical Center; Gerald A. Gould, Akron UMADAOP;
Aimee R. Harris, S.C. Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division; Martha L. Hom, Martha Hom, Attorney at Law; Duane E. Jordan, Summa Health System,
Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital; Yvette R. Marshall, Where Angels' Land;
Ebony L. Miller, First Energy Corp.; Kimberly A. Moss, Summa Health
System; Monica I. Musgrove, First Energy Corp.; Olenger L. Pannell, First
Energy Corp and Shelia Smith, East Akron Community House. Each week as
the sessions progressed, the bond between these members grew. This
year's class will pack a strong punch in the community. Toward the end
of the coursework, the graduates were able to meet with a number of
agency representatives to get an idea of the possible board and
committee seats available.
If you're interested
in learning more about Project Blueprint, consider attending the Project
Blueprint Alumni Association
Meet and Greet Balloon
Affair on Saturday, April 21, 2007, 2pm - 4pm at the Akron Urban League
Auditorium, 250 East Market Street. This promises to be a
family-friendly event with activities for kids. Admission is $5 each at
the door for each guest (children 10 and under admitted free). For more
information, contact Armana Milbry, PBAA Treasurer by calling
330.283.7548 or Brenda Cox at 330.643.5508 or email
bcox@uwsummit.org.
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New Online Data Manager to Assist
Partner Agencies and United Way
The United Way of Summit County Community Impact
Division is very excited to begin the use of our new web-based community
investment tool. It is called the Community Impact Online Data Manager (CIODM)
by Community Techknowledge (CTK). CIODM allows for the secure collection of data
such as agency, program, budget, board, logic model, outcomes, and secure
attachments such as 990s.
Agency staff will log on to a secure website to
complete and submit data forms. Event triggers will send emails to advise
submitters, United Way staff, and volunteers of completed tasks and next steps.
United Way staff and volunteers may analyze and report data by program, agency,
impact area, project, and demographic served. It will include a library for best
practices and United Way and community documents, and a scheduling tool to keep
track of site visits, trainings and events. Training of agencies and volunteers
will soon begin taking place. Watch for times and dates during the summer
months. |
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 Third
Annual Youth Initiative Creative Arts Contest Begins
All students K-12 that live or attend school
in Summit County have the opportunity to show their creativity by participating in the
3rd Annual Creative Arts Contest from
United Way's Youth Initiative. The deadline for submitting
entries is Wednesday, April 25th, 2007 and all entries must be
accompanied by an entry form. Entry forms will be distributed to schools
by United Way of Summit County. For more information, call Kiren or Shalanah
at United Way: 330.643.5529 or
print
your own entry form from our website. |
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How to Give to United Way from an IRA
If you have IRA assets -- or you help an older relative or loved one with
financial matters -- you should know that once you attain age 70 1/2, you are
subject to the required distribution rules and must begin receiving amounts from
all your IRAs -- or face a 50 percent penalty tax. Under the Pension Protection
Act of 2006, any gift you make from your IRA to United Way or other eligible
charity counts toward your required minimum distribution.
 Example: Mary's required minimum distribution for the year is
$7,000. She
decides to transfer $5,000 directly to United Way to fulfill her annual pledge.
Mary still needs to have $2,000 distributed to her by the end of the year, but
she benefits because she will only have to count $2,000 as income for the year
instead of $7,000.
How can you make a gift from your IRA? Simply contact you IRA custodian and
request that your gift be transferred directly to United Way. We receive a
much-needed gift and you avoid any additional tax because the amount taken from
your IRA is not reported as taxable income.
We encourage you to consult your tax professional if you are considering such a
gift. For more information visit our website at
www.uwsummit.org and click on
"Planned Giving" or contact Charlene Corlett at 330.643.5537 or
ccorlett@uwsummit.org. |
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 Meet
the Team
Pam Beals has been United Way of Summit County's Director of Volunteer Services
since the Volunteer Center merged with UWSC in 2001. She had served on the staff
of the Volunteer Center since 1999.
A native of Indiana, Pam has spent the majority of her life here in Summit
County, growing up in Tallmadge. Her youngest brother Michael is a Special
Forces United States Army Soldier -- Pam also has two other siblings as well as
three nieces and two nephews.
Pam and her fiancée' Bill spend much of their free time exploring the
countryside on their Harley Davidson motorcycle. She also loves boating around
Lake Erie, including to Put-In-Bay. At home, Pam always finds time to spend with
her dog Lexie and her cat Whizzer.
She holds a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from Kent State University and
a Masters degree in Public Administration from The University of Akron.
"I'm proud to be part of the United Way 'family'" Pam said, "and helping to
connect those who give of their time and talents to the betterment of the many
service organizations within our community."
According to United Way of Summit County President Bob Kulinski, "Pam is an
incredibly valuable part of our team. Her hard work and attention to detail have
raised the profile and value of volunteerism in our community. Our Volunteer
Celebration held each year during National Volunteer Week is just one example of
her leadership." |
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 University
of Akron Needs Volunteers
Volunteer recruitment is underway for the 2007 Asics University
& FILA Cadet
National Championships that will be held at the University of Akron Athletics
Field House,
289 South Union St., Akron on
April 19 - 22, 2007. We invite you to be a part of this exciting event by
volunteering your enthusiasm and time as you get to experience up close and
personal wrestling!
To register, go to the following website and create an account. Please select
the dates and shifts that you are available to work.
http://2007aufcnc.theregistrationsystem.com/
As a volunteer you will receive one 2007 Asics University & FILA Cadet National
Championship Event Staff T-Shirt and volunteer hospitality throughout the event. |
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