Fall l Winter 2013 newsletter

communityIMPACT FALL | WINTER 2013

Orange County United Way’s Quarterly Newsletter

message FROM max Hello friends, At Orange County United Way (OCUW), we know that the holiday season is often a time of families gathering and giving thanks. For many of our neighbors, it is also a time of need. That’s why we encourage you to LIVE UNITED this fall.

ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY RECEIVES TOP FOUR STAR RATING ON CHARITY NAVIGATOR

Whether you lend your muscle, time, or talent, there are plenty of ways you can show thanks for our community, improve lives, and help Orange County United Way FACE 2024—our 10-year community-wide strategic plan to:

CUT THE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE IN HALF CUT THE PERCENTAGE OF FINANCIALLY UNSTABLE FAMILIES BY 25 PERCENT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HEALTHY YOUTH BY ONE-THIRD CUT THE PERCENT OF HOMELESS AND HOUSING-INSECURE CHILDREN IN HALF No one organization or entity can hope to accomplish these goals alone.

We are working with Supervisor Todd Spitzer and the Association of California Cities-Orange County to bring all elected officials together in 2014—school boards, city councils, County Supervisors, and our state and federal representatives—to discuss the best ways to achieve change for our community. Combined with our partnership of caring companies and LIVE UNITED leaders, we are looking forward to a stronger Orange County, come 2024. We are also pleased to celebrate our 90th anniversary in 2014... and encourage you to join us for our anniversary celebration on February 6.

hrough the Collective Impact of the LIVE UNITED movement, OCUW recently earned a prestigious four-star rating on Charity Navigator, America’s leading independent charity evaluator for more than 6,000 of the nation's largest nonprofits. Our rating is not only measured by the work we do to advance Education, Income, Health, and Housing here in Orange County, but it is a direct reflection of our collaboration with YOU—our partners, volunteers, and advocates—who help us continue to strengthen OUR community. We’re off to a great start to FACE 2024; let’s continue LIVING UNITED together to help our next generation reach its full potential. To find out more information about our rating, visit bit.ocuw.org/18u63hX.

But there's ways to get involved today. Not sure where to start? Begin giving back by visiting getconnected.unitedwayoc.org. Filled with family-friendly activities and simple ways to make our community stronger this season, GET CONNECTED offers volunteer variety as we work toward changing the FACE of Orange County for years to come.

This holiday season, we ask that as you give thanks for the good things in your life, you also give to those who are in need of a hand up. Until next time, thanks for LIVING UNITED. Remember, you can GIVE, you can ADVOCATE, or you can VOLUNTEER. Best of all, you can do all three.

With gratitude,

Max. L. Gardner President & CEO Orange County United Way

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949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

corporate CORNER

BIG THANKS TO OUR BIG 4:

UNITED FOR COLLECTIVE IMPACT

The Big 4 accounting firms have formed an amazing alliance aimed at increasing charitable giving by 10 percent. Because of strong partnerships like these, we will make our FACE 2024 goals a reality. We couldn’t face tomorrow without partners like the Big 4. Learn more about our effort to FACE 2024 by visiting unitedwayoc.org/face-2024.

3,500 CHILDREN

TAKE LITERACY TRIP AROUND THE WORLD n August 8, 2013, Orange County United Way, KPMG LLP, KPMG Foundation, and the International Honor Organization, Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), came together for a trip around the world at BAP’s International Day of Literacy. The day aimed at increasing elementary school literacy, by taking nearly 3,500 children from three elementary schools in the Anaheim City School District and six branches of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, on a learning exploration trip “around the globe,” right here in OC. Upon arrival, students received passports to seven stations representing the world’s seven continents with a literacy-focused activity specific to each region. In addition, the day included a beautification project for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, as well as a school supply drive to benefit the Child Abuse Prevention Center, both OCUW partner agencies. Sponsors KPMG LLP and the KPMG Foundation donated more than 4,000 books in collaboration with First Book to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove to help them explore the exciting world of reading.

INGRAM MICRO UNITES TO IMPROVE LIVES

orporate partner Ingram Micro kicked off its 2013-14 Workplace Giving Campaign on September 11 with Campaign Cabinet Chair and Regional Vice President of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Jim Wilson, and Orange County United Way President and CEO Max Gardner. The duo led the kick-off alongside Ingram Micro's Senior Executive Vice President of North America, Paul Bay, and Ingram Micro's CFO Lisa Locklear. The keynote was delivered by Gisel Marmolejo, one of OCUW’s Destination Graduation students, who personally thanked Ingram Micro for its participation and generosity to help support students like her create a plan for their future; to FACE 2024. If you haven't read Gisel's story, visit bit.ocuw.org/1eOhngD and prepare to be inspired.

TO FOLLOW THE LIVE UNITED MOVEMENT— GET SOCIAL

Stay up-to-date with what’s happening at Orange County United Way, our partner agencies, corporate partners, donors, and OUR community by connecting with us on the following sites: /unitedwayoc

/photos/ocunitedway/

/unitedwayoc

blog.unitedwayoc.org

linkd.in/unitedwayoc

/newsletter-signup-0

/ocunitedway

FALL | WINTER 2013

OUR MISSION:

TO IMPROVE LIVES BY MOBILIZING THE CARING POWER OF ORANGE COUNTY TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY

YOU’RE NEVER TOO YOUNG WAYS TO LIVE UNITED:

HOW TO FACE 2024

FUND—innovative programs that are moving the needle toward our 10-year Education, Income, Health, and Housing goals.

ADVOCATE—for the voiceless to ensure policy and program improvement.

COLLABORATE—by uniting and mobilizing people and organizations from all across the community who bring the passion, expertise, and resources needed to get things done.

EDUCATE—businesses, community leaders, and the public on critical issues facing Orange County.

TO GET YOUR FINANCES IN CHECK fter high school graduation, Jerome Lott was too busy catching the bus for three different jobs to worry about his credit. After the urging of his mom, who received support getting her finances in check from our SparkPoint OC center at Abrazar in Westminster, Jerome finally made an appointment. At the time, Jerome had a few old traffic tickets and thought, at worst, that he needed to take care of them in order to get a car for work. But what the 19-year-old discovered stopped him in his tracks: a bill he never paid to a Brea medical facility when he was 16, had come back to haunt him. The only issue? Jerome never visited this facility. It was clear that he was the victim of identity theft.

SparkPoint OC Program Director Leslie Aguilar sprang into action, helping Jerome get the erroneous and damaging item off his report. As a result, he went from having no credit score to one that enabled him to secure a loan for a vehicle.

Today, Jerome is commuting to his Laguna Beach job, living in his own apartment, and attending Cerritos College. He continues to keep monthly appointments with Leslie, who is assisting him with applying for financial aid.

Jerome learned a valuable lesson from his experience and urges others, just like his mother did. “Keep your finances straight. As long as you make sure everything is good on your end, you can help yourself and others,” said Jerome.

Thanks to SparkPoint OC at Abrazar, everything is now good on Jerome’s end. We are proud of the success stories we create TOGETHER. Your contribution to Orange County United Way’s Community Impact Fund helps improve lives like Jerome’s.

TALE OF TWO COUNTIES FALL TOUR

he Tale of Two Counties Tour offers participants the opportunity to experience the often unseen side of Orange County where many of our youth and families are struggling to break the cycle of poverty. The Fall 2013 Tour took participants to one of Orange County United Way's SparkPoint OC centers and one Destination Graduation high school. It’s an eye-opening experience that connects you to the critical issues in our community.

949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

Learn more about SparkPoint OC financial empowerment centers by visiting unitedwayoc.org/sparkpoint-oc.

HAS ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY HELPED YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW? SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US BY REACHING OUT TO BRITTANY KIRSCHNER, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, AT BRITTANYK@UNITEDWAYOC.ORG.

FALL | WINTER 2013

communityIMPACT recent EVENTS

OCUW 2013-14 CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF

eptember 4 was a special day for the LIVE UNITED movement. We celebrated the “Art of LIVING UNITED” at our Campaign Kick-Off at the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity with our loyal corporate partners, where we publicly announced the results of our strategic planning process. During the event, we presented the Dimensions in Giving Award to Western Digital, as featured in the above photo. Thank you to Platinum Sponsor AT&T, Gold Sponsor and Dimensions in Giving Award winner, Western Digital, Silver Sponsor Edwards Lifesciences, and Bronze Sponsors, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Pacific Life, for making this a memorable day for the next generation of OC. Thank you to all of our partners who are “in” on this journey with Orange County United Way.

ETL TALKS WITH STEPHEN GORDON he second ETL Talks event featured Chairman, CEO & President of Opus Bank, Stephen Gordon. Event underwriter, Opus Bank, set the tone for an inspirational evening as Gordon shared how Opus has become one of the fastest growing financial institutions in the region, and how his passion for philanthropy has remained an important part of his career. Thank you, Opus Bank, for engaging the next generation of philanthropists, like the Emerging Tocqueville Leaders (ETL), in talking about how career and community often go hand-in-hand.

949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

MAKING WISHES COME TRUE n October 19, OCUW’s Women Looking Forward members gathered for a volunteer activity at OCUW partner agency, Women Helping Women (WHW). The ladies who LIVE UNITED lent their time and talent to organize and prepare donated items for the agency’s Quarterly Saturday Sale—comprised of WHW’s Wish List, which included an array of needs, from professional gear to gift cards for clients.

SHOPPING FOR A CAUSE n October 16, the Women’s Leadership Council members united for an evening of shopping, wine, and appetizers, while getting the inside scoop on fall fashions from Bloomingdales. Members from both the Women’s Philanthropy Fund and Women Looking Forward were able to benefit Orange County in style, with 10% of the night’s proceeds directed to OCUW’s Community Impact Fund.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EFFORT TO FACE 2024

FALL | WINTER 2013