Winter 2012 Community Impact Newsletter

communityimpact

WINTER 2012

Orange County United Way’s Quarterly Newsletter

messagefrommax Happy New Year, Orange County!

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new year brings new opportunities to create pathways to self-sufficiency.

It has been six months since I officially joined Orange County United Way, and it has been a rewarding experience. During my visits to our partner agencies, I have been able to see firsthand the incredible difference that your generosity is making in the lives of our neighbors, coworkers, and friends in need. I continue to be impressed with the fantastic work their staffs are doing to make Orange County stronger. Also, by meeting with OC elected officials, our corporate partners, donors, and volunteers, I have developed a deeper and broader understanding of the needs of OUR community and how Orange County United Way can enhance its presence to help improve even more lives.

Therefore, my New Year’s resolution is to take the information and insight I’ve gathered from my meetings and strategy sessions with our Board and executive staff, and put new plans and programs in place to support our mission.

Thanks to you, our 2011-12 LIVE UNITED Workplace Campaign is going strong, and we are on track to meet our goals. In addition, we are coordinating four Tale of Two Counties Tours this year; our new income initiative program, SparkPoint OC is launching in February, and the groundwork has been laid for refining and refocusing our strategic direction.

I believe 2012 can be a great year for OUR community. I hope you will join me and resolve to restore HOPE with your actions in 2012.

By investing your dollars and your trust in Orange County United Way and by giving, advocating, and volunteering, you are helping us meet the greatest needs in OUR community, and we cannot thank you enough.

Thanks for continuing to LIVE UNITED. With gratitude,

Max L. Gardner President and CEO Orange County United Way

ISSUE NO.3, VOLUME NO. 4 WINTER 2012

NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES

TO CREATE LASTING CHANGE

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ith the economy continuing to suffer, OCUW and our 89 partner agencies have kept a sharp focus on human and health care services issues and the needs of our community, with a particular emphasis on the Building Blocks for a self-sufficient life: Education, Income, and Health. Realizing the changing circumstances of our community, Orange County United Way is undergoing a new strategic process to enhance our role and impact in Orange County. In 2012, we will work with our Board, leading community

experts, corporate partners, and our most engaged supporters to identify opportunities for impact for United Way in the areas of Education, Income, and Health.

These committees will help bring definition to our mission to ensure we are on the best path to improve lives and strengthen OUR community. Continue to check in with us on our website, blog, and social media sites to keep up-todate about this process and learn how you can get involved.

SPARKing New HOPE for Financial Stability and Independence

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fter a year of planning and program development, we are excited to announce that our new income initiative, SparkPoint OC, will launch on February 29. SparkPoint OC will bring together Orange County nonprofits and the resources of financial organizations and institutions under one roof to help families: improve credit scores; reduce debt; build

income; and grow assets. This one-stop financial stability center will enable residents in OUR community to receive long-term, case-managed services from key providers, including eight of our partner agencies, and 10 financial institutions. The SparkPoint OC pilot site will be located at Abrazar, Inc. an OCUW partner agency located in Westminster.

949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

HO, HO, HOPE!

corporate corner

EARN IT

o help bring relief to struggling families and bridge the gap between the resources available and the growing demand for basic-needs services such as food and shelter this holiday season, Orange County United Way gave the gift of HOPE with $150,000 in grants. The OC Homeless Families Winter Transitional Shelter Program received $100,000 from OCUW in support of this innovative partnership between Mercy House and Illumination Foundation, which transitions homeless families and their children from the Cold Weather Armory to stable motel housing with case-management services. During December, more than 53 families with children were served through this critical program. Additionally, Orange County Food Bank received $50,000 to help stock the shelves of 13 local food pantries and organizations, providing an additional 1,600 residents with boxes filled with holiday meal fixings, including a turkey.

SAVE IT

KEEP IT

SOUND INVESTMENT

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s part of its three-year branch expansion effort, in November, Citibank opened its new branch in Tustin. During the ribbon-cutting event, Citi presented a $15,000 contribution to Orange County United Way to support our Income work to promote financial stability and independence. Citibank’s contribution will help fund our annual free tax-filing campaign, Earn It. Keep It. Save It. Formerly known as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Campaign, Earn It. Keep It. Save It. is a three-month-long campaign that helps residents in OUR community keep more of the money they earn, obtain financial education and resources to help them save money, and get on the path to financial stability.

Did you know that, each year, one in five eligible families do not claim the EITC? One of the largest federal credits available to low- and moderate-income workers, it can provide a refund of up to $5,751.

The 2012 Earn It. Keep It. Save It. campaign will offer more than 100 free taxpreparation days at 24 sites throughout the county. Tax filers who earn $58,000 or less can file for free at these sites using www.ICanEFile.org or receive oneon-one tax assistance from IRS-certified volunteers. In 2011, more than 7,000 residents filed their taxes for free through the campaign and received more than $3.2 million in EITC refunds, as well as $6.4 million in federal refunds. For more information and a list of sites, visit www.unitedwayoc.org.

SOCIALIZE WITH US HAVE YOU JOINED OUR MOVEMENT–OUR SOCIAL MEDIA MOVEMENT? Stay up-to-date with what’s happening at Orange County United Way, our partner agencies, corporate partners, donors, and OUR community, by socializing with us on the following sites: www.twitter.com/#!/UNITEDWAYOC www.facebook.com/UnitedWayOC www.Unitedwayoc.org/blog www.youtube.com/user/OCUNITEDWAY www.linkedin.com/company/orange-county-united-way

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949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

WAYS TO LIVE AND GIVE UNITED: THE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION EDITION

OUR MISSION: To improve lives by

mobilizing the caring power of Orange County to strengthen OUR community

1. Donate your professional clothes to help our neighbors get back into the workforce.

OCUW board news

2. Give gently used books to a local school to help underprivileged children.

3. Spread the joy of reading—volunteer to read to a child.

ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY

4. Become a mentor or tutor.

WELCOMES THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

5. Help build self-sufficient lives and attend the 13th annual Real Estate & Building Industry Mixer on May 3 at the Balboa Bay Club (www.realestate2012.kintera.org).

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6. Become a youth leader—children learn by example.

7. Write a thank-you note to a mentor or someone who has positively influenced your life.

8. Donate learning materials to your local schools.

9. Have breakfast to support women and girls at the ninth annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund Breakfast on May 8 at the Hyatt Regency Irvine (www.wpfbreakfast.kintera.org).

10. Vote. Educate yourself about issues affecting you and our community.

11. GIVE. 12. ADVOCATE. 13. VOLUNTEER. 14. Bring food or other useful items to emergency shelters or food banks.

(L TO R JACKIE KELLEY, ROB LUCENTI, MARIA RIGATTI )

n December, Orange County United Way appointed two new members to our Board of Directors—Jackie Kelley and Maria Rigatti—and one returning member, Rob Lucenti.

Jackie comes to OCUW with more than 20 years of experience providing audit and advisory services to public and private companies. She currently serves as Ernst & Young’s Americas IPO Leader and a Risk Advisory Partner based in Orange County. She is the current co-chair of Orange County United Way’s Tocqueville Society.

Maria serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Edison Mission Group (EMG), located in Santa Ana, a subsidiary of Edison International. Before her position at EMG, Rigatti was responsible for commercial aspects of EMG’s former East Coast thermal plants. Between 1999 and 2008, she held numerous leadership and financial management roles before being elected vice president.

Robert has more than 20 years of public accounting experience with Deloitte, a consulting firm specializing in accounting, assurance and advisory, risk, tax, strategy, financial, technology, and human capital. In 2008, he assumed the role of Managing Partner of the firm’s Orange County practice, where he oversees its four functions: audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services. Lucenti serves on the UCI Dean’s Advisory Board for the Paul Merage School of Business, is a member of the Advisory Committee for a Better LA, is on the board of Forum for Corporate Directors, and is a committee member of American Martyrs Catholic Church and Mater Dei.

agency success story SIGNS OF PROGRESS To honor the start of our Earn It. Keep It. Save It. campaign, here’s a look at how OUR residents are using their EITC refunds to get on the path to financial stability and independence.

15. WALK UNITED on June 9 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim (www.walkunited.com).

16. Share your favorite healthy recipe with a friend or family member.

17. RESTORE HOPE. 18. Organize a neighborhood clean-up day.

19. Visit or call an elderly homebound person.

20. LIVE UNITED.

949.660.7600 | www.unitedwayoc.org

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communityimpact recent events

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1. DELIVERING HOLIDAY CHEER

3. A GLANCE AT THE MENU: WPF BREAKFAST KICK-OFF

On Thursday, December 8, volunteers gathered in Anaheim to join OCUW in adopting the families of Collette’s Children’s Home. Collette’s exists to heal homelessness for women and children with nowhere to turn by offering emergency, transitional, and permanent housing to women suffering various economic, physical, and mental hardships. Tocqueville members came out to support the cause by decorating the transitional living apartments with holiday décor, donating toward the wish list of the women and children—and most important, delivering holiday cheer.

On January 12, past and potential WPF Breakfast sponsors, members, and their guests gathered at the home of Joni and Bob Alter in Newport Coast to get a glance at what’s on the menu for the ninth annual Women’s Philanthropy Fund (WPF) Breakfast on May 8, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. The two-hour event, led by 2012 WPF Breakfast Co-Chairs Michele D. Johnson & Mary “Muff” Tennyson, was filled with excited members ready to make a pledge and select their table for the always hotly anticipated annual breakfast. During the evening, attendees heard from the executive directors of two of our partner agencies, Families Forward and WISEPlace, about how the WPF Grant Program is helping women and girls in Orange County get on the pathway to self-sufficiency. More than $100,000 in pledges were committed at the event.

2. PARTNERSHIP FOR A BETTER THANKSGIVING Those in need did not go without help this Thanksgiving, as Women Looking Forward members and their families lent a hand at our partner agency South County Outreach (SCO), collecting and delivering nonperishable food items for families in need. On November 5, volunteers gathered at the OCUW offices to sort food donations and make Thanksgiving cards for SCO families.

Two weeks later, on November 19, they cheerfully delivered the donated items and cards. South County Outreach helps low-income families reach self-sufficiency by providing food, assistance, and other support services.

4. OCUW EMPLOYEES GIVE AND LIVE UNITED In October, Orange County United Way employees launched their annual LIVE UNITED Workplace Campaign. The campaign week began with a rally to remind everyone how their day-to-day commitment to create a stronger community, along with their generous donations, helps keep alive the movement to improve lives. During the middle of the week, a number of employees spent a portion of their afternoon participating in the campaign’s Day of Caring, a volunteer opportunity at either Fountain Valley Senior Center or the Early Literacy Program at THINK Together, where they served lunch to seniors or repaired, sorted, and labeled books. Last year, OCUW employees donated more than $47,000 to support our Community Impact Fund.