LIVE UNITED TODAY CAMPAIGN 2016 OFFICALLY OPENS!
O
n July 23, we held our annual Employee Campaign Coordinator Appreciation Breakfast and Training. This event is an excellent opportunity to give our Employee Campaign Coordinators (ECCs) a refresher on everything United Way with a fun twist. This year’s event was no exception and featured an exciting and informative game of United Way of North Central Florida trivia. Teams competed to see who knew the most about UWNCFL, our programs and our practices to win awesome prizes! (cont.)
UF Health Employee Campaign Coordinators, Duke Limb and Mia Belleville showing off their new Live United t-shirts.
THIRD QUARTER 2015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: READINGPALS YEAR END REPORT, UNITED WAY OF FLORIDA CONFERENCE, NEW BOARD MEMBERS
WORKPLACE CAMPAIGN CONT’D The event attendees were also given a presentation called “Bringing Our Campaign Toolkit to Life.” The campaign toolkit is an excellent resource for ECCs to use in planning and executing campaigns in their own workplaces. Some ideas in the showcase included holding a fun campaign kickoff at your workplace, getting your leadership involved and using the toolkit to create a United Way “Mythbuster” email like the Alachua County Public Schools. To view the full campaign toolkit, visit: www.unitedwayncfl.org/campaign-toolkit. In addition to trivia, the event featured engaging speakers Cecilie Lynch of Nationwide and John Barli of Catholic Charities. Our program also included a special guest speaker, Roger Johnson. Johnson is a local Publix employee who shared his story about how United Way helped him and his family in their time of need. After holding our ECC Breakfast, we are now in the heart of campaign season! This year’s A SPECIAL THANK YOU campaign theme is “Change Lives Here” and to our EC C Breakfa st event we are eager to share the stories of the lives sponsors BBI Cons tr uction United Way has changed in our local community. Managem ent, Flori da If you are interested in running a campaign at Food Serv ice and your workplace, please contact Dana Clayton Nationwid e. at dclayton@unitedwayncfl.org, or if you are interested in becoming a Small Business Partner, please contact Chris Wells at cwells@unitedwayncfl.org.
THE YOUNG LEADERS SOCIETY IS NOW EMERGING LEADERS UNITED!
U
UPCOMING EVENTS 9/24
EMERGING LEADERS UNITED KICK OFF SOCIAL
nited Way of North Central Florida is pleased to announce that the affinity group Young Leaders Society has a new name: Emerging Leaders United. Emerging Leaders United (ELU) is a group of community-focused, up-and-coming professionals ages 24-44 who are making positive and long-lasting change in the North Central Florida region. ELU connects members to United Way and the community through professional development, educational opportunities and volunteering/networking events. “This is a vibrant and young region,” said UWNCFL President & CEO Deborah Bowie. “With many working young professionals now choosing to make Gainesville and the surrounding communities their home, we thought re-framing the donor group to include a wider swath of young professionals would help better define its mission. Not to mention, some people wondered if the former name—Young Leaders—might be confused as a group for college students.” Members of the ELU are selected based on their annual gift to United Way. To join, an annual gift of $250 (less than $21 a month) or more is required. All donations via the ELU are designated towards the agency’s Community Investment Fund, which awards grants to health and human services agencies within the six-county footprint of United Way of North Central Florida. Currently, the fund supports 26 programs across 19 local organizations. To find out more information about Emerging Leaders United, please visit www.unitedwayncfl. org/emergingleadersunited or contact Britt Pearson at bpearson@unitedwayncfl.org.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 5:30–7:30 p.m. Kick off Emerging Leaders United with beer and fundraising for a great cause! Your $20 ticket includes 2 drinks, t-shirt and raffle entry. Location: First Magnitude Brewing Co. 1220 SE Veitch Street RSVP: www.ELUKickOff.Eventbrite.com
10/10
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2015 9 a.m.– 1 p.m.
STUFF THE BUS Your chance to Stuff the Bus for homeless school children in Alachua County. United Way has partnered with Altrusa International, Publix, Butler Plaza and The Esplanade at Butler Plaza for this awesome event. Look for the school bus in front of the Butler Plaza Publix and a table in front of the Esplanade Publix. For more information and a full list of requested items visit: www.unitedwayncfl.org/stuffthebus.
10/30
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 8 a.m.– Noon
ANNUAL DAY OF ACTION WITH ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Join United Way of North Central Florida to weatherize and beautify public schools throughout Alachua County. More information coming soon! Thank you to our sponsors: BBI Construction and Florida Food Service RSVP: Please contact Mary Broadfoot at mbroadfoot@unitedwayncfl.org or 352-331-2800 to reserve your spot
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
A
s a new way to highlight and show our appreciation for our donors, we have created the Small Business Spotlight! Twice a month, a new Small Business Partner will be featured in our e-newsletter. Small businesses play a critical role in maintaining a thriving local economy. They are no less important to the success of United Way, as we endeavor to improve lives through our work in education, income and health. Our Small Business Partners are an important, growing family of donors who are vital to helping us meet the needs of our community. To read the full interviews with Brenna Delony and Joe Lowry, Jr., please visit www.unitedwayncfl.org/ smallbusinessspotlight. To sign up for our e-newsletter, please visit www.unitedwayncfl.org. To become a Small Business Partner, please contact Chris Wells at cwells@unitedwayncfl.org.
“ It isn’t possible to give to every worthy cause that knocks on your door. It is very nice to know that you can have an impact on other great organizations through the United Way.”
Small Business Partner, Joe Lowry, Jr., Lowry Financial Advisors
“ I may not be able to change the world, but I can help by changing the world around me and that starts with my community.”
ELU Members Melissa Johnson, Ivelisse Munoz, Cat Ferris, Jared Beasley and Paulette Alvarez
Left Top: Dana Clayton asking the questions during the ECC Breakfast trivia game Left Middle: Special guest speaker Roger Johnson, explaining how United Way has helped his family Left Bottom: Britt Pearson and Norinda Yancey making the campaign toolkit come to life Right Top: Publix employees Bobby Nellis, Shelby Ford and Rachel Ethridge at the ECC Breakfast Right Bottom: Angela Hutchings enthusiastically checking answers during the trivia game 2 / LIVE UNITED
Small Business Partner, Brenna Delony, Paychex
TO READ FULL INTERVIEWS VISIT: www.unitedwayncfl.org/smallbusinessspotlight LIVE UNITED / 3
READINGPALS ARE OUR HEROES!
GET TO KNOW
I
n June, we held a superhero-themed event to thank our amazing mentors for another year of hard work. Attendees enjoyed taking pictures with Super Volunteer, winning United Way prizes and eating delicious food provided by Southern Charm Kitchen. Awards were also given out to the outstanding volunteers of the year Margo Cook, Alice Carman, Mary Ellen Bentham and Eve Ackerman.
U
nited Way of North Central Florida has added a new member to our dynamic team! Please help us to welcome Jessica Stephens as the new Development Manager in charge of individual giving and retirees.
1. W HERE ARE YOU FROM? I was born in Norman,
After a few months of gathering data, we are pleased to announce during the 2014–2015 school year, students in targeted Alachua County Public Schools were given 2,000 pre-selected books to start home libraries. More than 3,000 extra reading hours were recorded by volunteers and in the end, 85 percent of students maintained and/or improved their reading grade. The program also reported a 100 percent satisfaction rate among mentors.
Oklahoma but I consider Kansas City, Missouri to be my hometown 2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN GAINESVILLE? I have lived in Gainesville intermittently since 2012
3. W HAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Carmel Sutra, by Ben and Jerry’s
Perhaps the best news is, on average, United Way of North Central Florida ReadingPals students preformed 17 percent better than their peers on the Discovery Education Assessments. Furthermore, on the statewide level at 154 sites, there were 30,628 hours of mentoring, 44,486 books given out to students and 2,330 students participating in the program. Of the surveyed mentors, 92 percent of participants said they would recommend ReadingPals. You can help inspire results in the new school year by becoming a ReadingPals mentor or donating to the program.
4. W HAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? Amelia Earhart is in my family lineage,
BER O TOTAL NUM TOTAL VOL
F MENTOR
UNTE
S
ER HOURS
O
n Friday, June 19, more than 200 local CEOs, community leaders and elected officials gathered for the annual CEO/Community Leader Breakfast at the Best Western Gateway Grand. United Way of North Central Florida Board Chair, Kay Ayers led the morning’s program. Susan Davenport, Interim CEO at the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and Byron Young, Founder of CordaRoy’s and Small Business Partner, delivered engaging keynote speeches. Event attendees learned about new ways to get involved with United Way and how to motivate their employees during the upcoming workplace campaign season. Thank you to everyone who attended this event, and special thanks to our event sponsors: BBI Construction Management, Gateway Bank, Florida Food Service and North Florida Regional Medical Center.
part of a genuine effort that is diligently working to improve and strengthen quality of life community wide, and it doesn’t hurt to have such an amazing leadership team with such talented co-workers to learn and grow from either!
R TIME
RS FOUND K O T N E M F O OR UNTEER W L O V R I E H T UL MEANINGF
4 / LIVE UNITED
and I like to attribute my risk-taking, adventurous side directly to this family tie, even though she was born in Kansas!
GAINESVILLE LEADERS PREPARE FOR A SEASON OF CHANGE LIVES HERE
5. W HY ARE YOU EXCITED TO LIVE UNITED? I am excited to be
MENTO VALUE OF
ReadingPals mentors enjoying the photo booth with Super Volunteer at the ReadingPals volunteer appreciation event.
JESSICA!
Angela Hutchi ngs with her Ou tstanding Volu Margo Cook, Al nteer award wi ice Carman, M nners ary Ellen Bent ham and Eve Ac kerman.
Jessica Stephens, Development Manager, Individual Giving and Retirees
Top: Byron Young entertaining the crowd with his presentation Left Middle: Tax Collector John Power with Small Business Partner Steven Camps, Sr. Right Middle: Publix employees Rob Cook and Alan Kloman Left Bottom: Keynote speakers Susan Davenport and Byron Young with United Way Board Chair Kay Ayers and Deborah Bowie (photo provided by HOME Magazine) Right Middle: Small Business Partners Coleen DeGroff and Kim Wolfmeyer. LIVE UNITED / 5
THE GREAT AND POWERFUL
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS
CAUSE
I
n July, United Way of North Central Florida welcomed six individuals to our Board of Directors. Tracy Bachmann of Waymaker Communications, Jackie Johnson of Alachua County Public Schools, John Jopling of Dell Graham, Greg Moraski of Nationwide, Lisa Patton of Publix and Todd Powell of Plum Creek began their board terms on July 1, 2015.
UNITED WAY OF FLORIDA CONFERENCE
I
Tracy Bachmann is the president and CEO of Waymaker Communications, a strategic communications agency that helps businesses with public relations, digital and social communications and design. She’s been recognized as one of Business in the Heart of Florida’s “40 Under 40” and is active in the Gainesville Rotary Club.
n June, the United Way of Florida statewide conference came to Gainesville for the first time ever! Gainesville was selected from a competitive RFP process that asked communities to respond to detailed questions about the community and the local United Way. The annual conference invited staff members from all 32 Florida United Ways to gather and discuss the latest trends and to share important information. More than 100 United Way employees from all around the state attended the conference, held at the UF Hilton.
Jackie Johnson currently serves as Director of Communications for Alachua County Public Schools. She has been communicating about public education for nearly 25 years, both as a school system employee and as a television reporter. Jackie has won several awards for her work, including her coordination of successful ballot initiatives on behalf of both districts.
As the host organization, United Way of North Central Florida was in charge of throwing the conference welcome party. Following the conference theme of “The Great and Powerful Cause: Building Pathways to Progress,” we kept the Wizard of Oz theme alive in the welcome party. In addition to participating in the conference, two United Way of North Central Florida staffers had the privilege of speaking at the break out sessions. Chris Wells, Director of Small Business Partners and Amy Azoulay, Communications Manager, led a presentation on the groundbreaking Small Business Partnership created by United Way of North Central Florida. Later, Chris held a second presentation the following day inviting a panel of local Small Business Partners to speak about their experiences with the program.
John Jopling is a Gainesville attorney with deep ties to the region. Born in Lake City, Florida, John left the region only once to attend Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He returned the following year to the University of Florida’s College of Law where he graduated in 1982 with honors. He is an accomplished attorney with bar admissions that run the state from the Florida bar to the US District Court’s Northern and Middle District to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Left Top: Board Member Brad Pollitt with Board Chair Kay Ayers. Right Top: Board Member Greg Moraski with his wife, Audra Middle: Small Business Partners using the wacky props in the photo booth. Right Bottom: UWNCFL staff members enjoying the photo booth. Left Bottom: Team members from the Community Impact Partner, Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County. Left: The program for The Great & Powerful Cause: Building Pathways to Progress Right: The presentation by Chris Wells and Amy Azoulay highlighted in the program.
6 / LIVE UNITED
Greg Moraski leads Nationwide’s Southern Claim Zone, which is responsible for all personal line claims for the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky. Greg has a Bachelor of Art degree from Susquehanna University. Greg relocated to Gainesville, Florida in 2012 to become the leader of the Southern Claim Zone which is made up of 600 associates. Lisa Patton began her Publix career in 1987 in Daytona Beach, Florida as a meat wrapper. She worked as Deli Manager and Meat Manager in 1992. Lisa was promoted to Assistant Store Manager in 2004 and promoted to Store Manager in 2010. Lisa’s role is currently a District Manager for Publix Super Markets. Todd Powell is Plum Creek’s General Manager for Real Estate, overseeing all planning activities for the company’s Atlantic South holdings in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. His responsibilities include leadership of the Envision Alachua community planning process on 65,000 acres of Plum Creek holdings in Alachua County. United Way of North Central Florida Board Chair, Kay Ayers, Deborah Bowie and the entire UWNCFL staff and Board of Directors are pleased to welcome these outstanding additions to the team! For more information, please visit: www. unitedwayncfl.org/news/welcome-new-board-members!
CONGRATULATIONS PUBLIX!
D
uring the first half of 2015, Publix hit the $1 billion milestone in earnings! Florida’s largest private company is also United Way of North Central Florida’s number one campaign, raising more than $618,000 during the 2014-2015 campaign. Thank you to Publix for all you do for the community and congratulations on reaching this exciting milestone. LIVE UNITED / 7
NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT # 375 GAINESVILLE, FL 6031 NW 1st Place Gainesville, FL 32607-2025 (352) 331-2800 www.unitedwayncfl.org www.facebook.com/unitedwayncfl www.twitter.com/unitedwayncfl www.instagram.com/unitedwayofncfl
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
YOUR UNITED WAY TEAM Staff/Leadership
Board of Directors
Deborah V. Bowie, President & CEO Rhonda Johnson, Director of Operations Mary Broadfoot, Executive Assistant
Executive Committee Kay Ayers, AvMed, Chair Nick Banks, Front Street, Vice Chair Carolyn Lukert, Dementia Education, Inc., Past Board Chair Ed Bonahue, Santa Fe College, Member-At-Large Kenneth Kurdziel, James Moore & Company, Member-At-Large Melanie Ross, UF Health, Member-At-Large
Community Impact Team Jennifer Stojkovic, Director of Community Impact Norinda Rosario Yancey, Education and School-Based Initiatives Manager Angela Hutchings, ReadingPals Coordinator Barbara Brady, Check & Connect Specialist Annetta McCloud, Check & Connect Specialist Stephanie Burke, Check & Connect Specialist
Development Team Dana Clayton, VP Resource Development Chris Wells, Director, Small Business Partners Jessica Stephens, Development Manager, Individual Giving and Retirees Britt Pearson, Development Associate, Affinity Groups Sylvia Waldman, Director of Database Systems Jason Giancarlo, Campaign Associate Anna Hochberger, Campaign Associate Nabila Rahim, Campaign Associate Jacquelyn Tartaglione, Campaign Associate
Communications & Marketing Amy Azoulay, Communications Manager
Board Members Tracy Bachmann, Waymaker Communications Bill Gair, University of Florida Sam Goforth, Community Volunteer Jennifer Hunt, CAMPUS USA Credit Union Jackie Johnson, Alachua County Public Schools John Jopling, Dell Graham Shaney Livingston, Alachua County Library District Greg Moraski, Nationwide Lisa Patton, Publix Todd Powell, Plum Creek Brad Pollitt, UF Health & Shands Doug Ray, Gainesville Sun/Ocala Star Banner Dr. Jen Day Shaw, University of Florida Andy Sherrard, O2BKids! Dr. Patricia Snyder, University of Florida Adrian Taylor, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce Scott Thomas, Infinite Energy Jenna White, Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
Special thanks to our Academy Sponsors
FONT FRONT STREEET - GeoSans COMMERICAL REAL ESTATE GROUP - Gill Sans “F” - Mongolian Baiti PMS Color: 384 Lime Green