Summer 2013 newsletter

communityIMPACT SUMMER 2013

Orange County United Way’s Quarterly Newsletter

Orange County United Way

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Hello, friends, This summer, we’ve taken time at Orange County United Way to give BIG THANKS to everyone who is part of the LIVE UNITED movement.

From corporate partners and their employees to our giving community members and volunteers, thank you for your commitment to improve and change the lives of our neighbors, coworkers, and friends in need; for GIVING, ADVOCATING, and VOLUNTEERING; and for doing what you can to strengthen Orange County. We appreciate you joining us on the journey to make sure every resident in our community has access to the Building Blocks for a good quality of life: Education, Income, Health, and Housing. It’s through having their needs met in these four critical areas that our residents in need of a hand UP can get back on the path to being the best they can be in school, at work, and in life.

I will share the results of our 2012-13 LIVE UNITED Workplace Campaign with you in our next edition, but as a teaser, you should know your generosity made it possible for thousands of children and families to thrive.

Enjoy the rest of your summer. Before it comes to an end, we hope you’ll get out into the community and GET CONNECTED by volunteering to help our neighbors prepare for back to school and the fall season. You can find opportunities at getconnected.unitedwayoc.org.

THOUSANDS UNITE TO STRENGTHEN OC AT WALK UNITED 2013

ore than 2,400 community champions came out to WALK UNITED on Saturday, June 8, at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. In an effort to help advance Education, Income, Health, and Housing here in Orange County, walkers trotted the ballpark, enjoying local bands, food trucks, a Kid-at-Heart Zone complete with a rock-climbing wall and inflatable obstacle course, a U.S. Army warm-up, and a Community Village chock-full of information from local nonprofits and businesses. Some of the highlights?

Hitting a homerun for OC, Grand Slam sponsor Wells Fargo presented OCUW with a corporate gift of $25,000, Fluor received the Top Fundraising Team award after raising more than $22,000, and UPS was honored with the Corporate Challenge award for recruiting more than 500 walkers at the fifth annual 5K. Collectively, the event raised more than $170,000 for our neighbors in need.

Big thanks,

Max L. Gardner President and CEO Orange County United Way

ISSUE NO. 1, VOLUME NO. 3

SUMMER 2013

949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

VITA PROGRAM BRINGS BACK $10 MILLION TO OC

corporate CORNER

TARGET SPRUCES UP

SANTA ANA SCHOOL LIBRARY

his year, Orange County United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program brought $10 million back to the pockets of our neighbors in need. Over the 2013 tax season, VITA Volunteers linked thousands of eligible families to free IRS-approved and United Way−sponsored tax filing services in an effort to return the Earned Income Tax Credit to OC residents. This year, more than 13,700 returns were made possible with the help of upwards of 400 volunteers, serving more than 7,000 volunteer hours.

EDUCATION REFORM EXPERT

SPEAKS AT OCUW-SPONSORED LUNCHEON

n June 7, the “Bullseye” brought barrels of books to Santa Ana’s Abraham Lincoln Elementary School as part of its national philanthropic goal to invest $1 billion in K-12 education by 2015.

An Orange County United Way Golden Key Partner, Target teamed up with The Heart of America Foundation to grant hope (and 2,000 new books) to grade-schoolers at Lincoln by livening up their library—the fourth time the retailer has helped improve local school campuses. Golden Key partners raise the most dollars during their annual LIVE UNITED Workplace Campaign for our Community Impact Fund. Additionally, Target donated 25 iPads to Abraham Lincoln Elementary, and students were given a backpack full of seven new books to start their own library at home. Target team member volunteers worked alongside the fifth graders to design and improve their new space. Second Harvest Food Bank donated 22 pounds of food to each family member who came to support their little ones at the library’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Thank you, Target, for helping keep our students on track.

SOCIALIZE WITH US

HAVE YOU JOINED OUR MOVEMENT— OUR SOCIAL MEDIA MOVEMENT? n June 5, OCUW united with Education partner agency THINK Together and The Children and Families Commission of Orange County to support the Orange County Forum luncheon at the Hilton OC in Costa Mesa. President and CEO of Orange County United Way Max Gardner spoke on OCUW’s role in Education here in OC, and introduced author and feature presenter Paul Tough, who has spent his career writing and speaking on education reform and child development. The luncheon was aimed to address the achievement gap for at-risk children in OUR community.

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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

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OUR MISSION:

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

MR. HERNANDEZ GOES TO WASHINGTON elipe Hernandez has spent his college career creating a pathway to success.

Former SAGE Scholar for Orange County United Way—a designated UCI student who demonstrates competence in competitive coursework, as well as a desire to learn all facets of planning a major campaign and supporting the Orange County nonprofit community—Felipe interned with OCUW for two terms while balancing a double major in political science and music performance. While at UCI, Felipe made the dean’s honors list for 12 quarters and also found time to establish a nonprofit, Mentors Empowering and Nurturing Through Education (MENTE).

Not only was he asked to deliver the social sciences commencement speech at UCI in June, he’s also headed to Washington, DC this summer to intern with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. Felipe has a bright future ahead of him, and we’re honored to have been a part of his journey so far.

WITH REAL ESTATE PROS GENERAL AND BILL LYON OF LYON HOMES s a part of the Emerging Tocqueville Leaders (ETL) series, “ETL Talks,” on June 26, the giving community hosted an evening to chat about charity and nonprofit giving in Orange County at the Side Door restaurant at Five Crowns. More than 40 people gathered to hear General and Bill H. Lyon share their insight on philanthropy between generations. General William Lyon talked about how he was raised to care for the less fortunate and how that influenced him to get involved with multiple charities in Orange County, including chairing Orange County United Way’s Tocqueville Society at one point. Bill H. Lyon has learned from his father and is now teaching his own children to give back.

BORN TO GIVE

CHUCK JONES CENTER 3321 HYLAND AVENUE COSTA MESA

949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

eet Sam Cohen, Orange County United Way’s youngest donor, who’s had a passion for philanthropy since he was the tender giving age of nine. Instead of asking for presents, Sam has spent his past two birthday parties inviting his buddies to strengthen OC and support OCUW’s Community Impact Fund. With a total of $375 in donations, Sam recently paid OCUW President and CEO Max Gardner a surprise visit to personally deliver his contributions with his mom and brother by his side.

OCUW first met this little community champion in 2010 when Sam donated more than $500 to improve lives. Thank you, Sam, for reminding us all that you’re never too young to be part of the change, LIVE UNITED, and advance the common good.

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communityIMPACT recent EVENTS

[1] TOCQUEVILLE SOCIETY CELEBRATES AT YEAR-END RECEPTION

n June 6, Orange County United Way came together to commemorate the Tocqueville Society’s leadership and generosity over the past year at our annual Tocqueville Society Year-End Celebration! Hosted by member Greg Burden, the evening was one to remember, including a special performance by an adorable group of kids from OCUW partner agency, Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach. The kindergarteners belted out their thanks to the Tocqueville donors with a tune that was written specially for the event.

[2] BUILDING A STRONGER OC n May 9, local leaders from the real estate and building industry united with Orange County United Way for our 14th annual REBI Mixer on the lawn of the Balboa Bay Club. Hundreds of guests mixed, mingled, and celebrated the power of their Collective Impact and the great things that can happen when we come together as a team to advance the common good. The event raised more than $200,000 to help strengthen OUR community with the help of top sponsors Auction.com, Ernst & Young, Meritage Collection, and The Orange County Business Journal, among others.

[3] WPF BREAKS BARRIERS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AT 10TH ANNUAL BREAKFAST

n Wednesday, May 1, Orange County United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund rolled out the pink carpet for its 10th annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast at the Hyatt Regency – Irvine. More than 600 of the county’s most influential women philanthropists, business leaders, and community volunteers gathered to break bread and hear the keynote address from Connie Duckworth, CEO of the international nonprofit ARZU STUDIO HOPE, which helps female artisans in Afghanistan create self-sufficient lives by employing entrepreneur weavers to make fair-trade rugs and peace cords—a bracelet handmade from U.S. military parachutes, which was given to ladies at the Breakfast. The customized WPF peace cords included a button with the words “Give. Get. Give. Get.,” representing WPF’s generous circle of ladies and cycle of giving. The 10th annual WPF Breakfast raised nearly $300,000 to help women and girls in Orange County build self-sufficient lives. Thanks to our top sponsor Allergan, along with the generous Emerald and Ruby sponsors for helping us celebrate a decade of doing good work in OC.

[4] LIVE UNITED LADIES CELEBRATE A ‘DAY OF CARING’ AT CASA TERESA n Saturday, June 22, our Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) joined hands with OCUW Health partner agency Casa Teresa for a Day of Caring to benefit the new and expectant moms living in its temporary home. Casa Teresa provides support for pregnant women, 18+, who are alone and in need of preparation during their transition to motherhood. From rattles to receiving blankets and boppies to bassinets, the LIVE UNITED ladies donated loads of baby supplies in an effort to give the moms in need of a hand UP a traditional baby shower. In addition to the donation drive, a local Whole Foods representative came out to Casa Teresa for a discussion on healthy eating during and after pregnancy—and gifted the ladies of the transitional shelter with a $100 gift card to get them started. Thank you to all of the WLC women who donated items and came out to Casa Teresa during the Day of Caring.

[5] ACCO EXECUTIVE SHARES EDUCATION JOURNEY WITH DG STUDENTS n May 6, Richard Yates of ACCO Engineered Systems, an Orange County United Way corporate partner, shared his steps to career success with students at Katella High School in Anaheim, a Destination Graduation (DG) campus. Yates, whose company is responsible for designing and installing heating and air conditioning systems at some of SoCal’s premier destinations, including the Getty Museum, Disney Concert Hall, and the Staples Center, encouraged the students to continue working hard to achieve their dreams as part of DG’s “Corporate Share Days” curriculum.

949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

ISSUE NO. 1, VOLUME NO. 3

SUMMER 2013