Living United

Self-Sufficiency: Telling Stories through Numbers

The numbers are in. Our Thomas Jefferson Area Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) coalition prepared 1,880 tax returns at no charge for local low to middle income residents of Charlottesville and Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson counties.

The numbers tell us that the average refund was $1,491 and the average Earned Income Tax Credit (for those who qualified) was $1,742. Similarly, the average Child Care Credit was $784.

The average income for those we helped was $19,341. Think of the impact that receiving those kinds of refunds and credits can have on someone with that sort of income. You could buy new tires for your car. Pay off a medical debt. Visit your mother in another state. Start a savings account.

And the numbers go on. Our coalition volunteers saved these 1,880 people a total of $366,200 in tax preparation fees. We had more than 100 volunteers, most of them UVA students and law students. The total dollar value of credits for earned income, child care and education totaled $1,605,879. The most returns (649) were prepared at the site at the University of Virginia’s Human Resources department. The United Way’s office prepared the second highest number of returns (216). University of Virginia Community Credit Union employees prepared returns in their branches in Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson counties, plus their downtown Charlottesville branch, for a total of 367 returns.

The numbers also tell us that the total impact of our coalition’s efforts this year, including refunds, credits and saved fees, was $3,453,535.

But what the numbers do not tell us are the stories about the people whose lives were vastly improved by this boost to their bank accounts. Here at the United Way office, a staff member prepared a return for a woman who was a recent immigrant from Eastern Europe and had a middle school age daughter. She could not believe that she would actually be getting money back from the earned income tax credit, and even asked to review the return, in case we had made a mistake. Once she received her tax credit, she returned to our office to show us pictures of the new furniture she was able to buy: new beds and mattresses for her and her daughter. She said “Thanks to you, we will not sleep on the floor any more.”

One thousand, eight hundred and eighty  tax returns prepared. There are a lot more stories to be told.

 

Posted by: Kim Connolly

Are you Invested in Our Community? We Are.

What would happen if families had access to quality health care, kids entered school ready to learn, and individuals had the job skills they needed to become financially stable? How would their lives be different? How would our community change?

That is our vision. And we need your help.

The United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area is invested in: School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health.

To ensure people have the tools they need to thrive, we have assembled a winning team: local nonprofits, business leaders, educators, health professionals and public servants. We are leading these team members in solid, research-based community strategies and linking them with the resources needed - funding, volunteers, advocacy, technology, in-kind resources and corporate partnerships - to deliver transformative, measurable results.

Today we’re appealing to you to step up to the plate and invest in our community. Please make a gift to help the United Way hit a home run for programs that make families more successful, and our community more prosperous.

We’re all on the same team; we all care about this community. It’s time to come together and Hit One Out of the Park.

Everyone who makes an “Out of the Park” donation that is received by June 1, 2012 will be listed in a full page ad in The Daily Progress (please indicate if you want to be anonymous).

What are you invested in? Give today. Click here.

Thank you.

 

Interning for the United Way a Valuable, Wide-Ranging Experience

In my third year at the University of Virginia I decided to enroll in the internship program (UIP) for the entirety of my fourth year. I had extra space in my schedule and thought it would be fun to get out of the classroom for ten hours a week and do something a little more practical.

My first day at the United Way was both wonderful and overwhelming. Jessica, my sponsor, showed me my desk and then introduced me to everybody in the office. They were all incredibly nice and excited to meet me and they all wanted to tell me all about what they did. I of course promptly forgot everything that they said and spend the next few months learning everything I could about the office and remembering what they had told me earlier.

At my internship seminar I heard horror stories of other interns’ experiences; they would vacuum for ten hours a week, didn’t have a desk to sit at, or would have to deal with highly erratic sponsors and schedules. At the United Way, however, everybody went out of their way to accommodate my schedule and they did their best to involve me with everything that went on in the office. As the intern I expected to do a lot of the busy work in the office, but people would hesitate to ask me to do certain things; everybody really wanted me to have a valuable experience and not just envelope-stuffing experience. I helped organized a School Supply Drive, participated in the Day of Caring (I have never blown up that many balloons), went to a Board Meeting, did research for Impact Area meetings, worked on the Better Business Challenge to make the office more sustainable, and accompanied people to the radio station.

From January until April, I devoted most of my time to doing taxes through the EITC tax coalition. While taxes might not sound very exciting, I really enjoyed this portion of the internship! It meant I got to interact with clients, problem solve if a return got rejected, and really feel like I was making a difference in the community.

By interning at the United Way, I now have a much better understanding of how organizations, and particularly non-profits, function. I feel a lot more confident that I will be capable of holding an actual job. I gained great work experience and also started really connecting to Charlottesville (the University tends to be a little bit of a bubble at times). It felt great to be a part of an organization that works so hard to improve the community. I know that when I visit Charlottesville in the future, I will definitely drop by the office and say hi to everyone!

Posted by: Ellen Janssen, University of Virginia Class of 2012

Save the Date for "One Fine Day for the United Way"

Circle Monday, July 23rd on your calendar for an amazing day at Keswick Hall at Monticello.

For golfers, the United Way Golf Classic, which normally sells out, will be played on the club's Arnold Palmer designed course. Last year's beer tasting tents on the course were a big hit, and will be back again this year. The tournament includes a box lunch and delicious dinner on the patio.

Don't golf? We have you covered. "An Afternoon in the Country" offers a wine tasting tour of three wineries, a box lunch with a speaker, and the opportunity to join the golfers for dinner in the evening.

Both events benefit the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area. We are invested in: School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health. Spend "One Fine Day" with us and help us invest in our community.

More detailed information will be posted soon. If you can't wait and have questions, please contact Caroline Emerson at cemerson@unitedwaytja.org or 434-972-1701. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

Team Up for Our Community!

CenturyLink loves being a part of these two winning teams – UVA baseball and the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area. Where else can you have all things wholesome like baseball and hot dogs and make a positive impact in the community with your donation every time that  home run is scored! It’s an absolute win when we are able to support a local Charlottesville organization that does so much to help with School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health.

And the tailgate in May provides a great way to connect with other businesses that not only care what’s happening in the community but are willing to step up and act by joining the Club.

This year as the Team Captain we have a small gift that we’ll be sharing with each business as a token of our appreciation. But you have to sign up to find out what it is! One will be coming to our friends at Overhead Door soon!

 

Guest post by: Simone Alley, CenturyLink

Welcome to Our First Team Members!

Some businesses know a great way to help their community while also getting some goodwill marketing exposure when they see it.The same day we sent out information on the United Way Home Run Club, we had a response from BB&T and then from the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Central Virginia.

Welcome to the Team!

 BB&T is proud to again "Team up" with our United Way and The University of Virginia Baseball team as a member in the Home Run Club.  This continues to be one way that BB&T lives up to its mission of "Making our COMMUNITIES in which we work better places to be."  Hit some Home Runs!!!

 

Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Central Virginia is excited to be a Home Run Club team member again this year.  What better way to support the United Way, the UVA baseball team, and the community! Supporting the Home Run Club not only helps bring the fans closer to UVA baseball, but also helps us help the United Way work towards their mission.

 

Hit a Home Run for Your Business and the Community

It’s back by popular demand! It’s the United Way Home Run Club!

Do you love University of Virginia Baseball? We do. And we appreciate the work ethic and sportsmanship of Coach Brian O’Connor and the high standards he sets for his athletes.

We also love our community and work every day to “move the needle” on our three focus areas: School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health.

So we thought, “Why not combine our community’s passion and support for the baseball team with an equal passion for reaching out to help others in need?” And so, the United Way Home Run Club was born last year.

For every home run the UVA baseball team hits between April 1 and the end of the 2012 season, Home Run Club team members pledge $10 to the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area. Last year, the first with the new composite bats, that totaled 18 home runs through the post season.

CenturyLink has enthusiastically returned as our Team Captain this year. They will be hosting a tailgate party using Cavalier One for our team members before the May 9 baseball game. Here is a photo from last year’s tailgate, in which we enjoyed incredible food and drink donated from several area businesses.  We were told that we had the best Cav One tailgate food all year.

We find ourselves listening closely to each game broadcast on WINA, or following online, and the Home Run Club does not officially start until April 1! If you listen to WINA broadcasts of the baseball and lacrosse games, you will hear our radio ads urging you to join the Club, as we are an official baseball and lacrosse broadcast sponsor, thanks to the support of CenturyLink.!

Small businesses owners are urged to join our team for some high visibility goodwill marketing – their names will be listed in our ads in The Daily Progress, with mentions during radio broadcasts, too! We will also be doing mini-business profiles on this blog, with links to our Team Member's websites.

Can we add your business name to the team roster? Individuals are welcome as well. If you know of a local small (or big!) business that loves UVA baseball and also wants to support our community, tell them about the United Way Home Run Club. They can publicly show their support of both, plus get print and radio exposure for their business. Win-win.

Click here to download a form.

This promotion is so popular, that we already have a local business signed up before doing any outreach!

Welcome to our first team member of 2012:

Overhead Door Company of Charlottesville.

GO HOOS!

 

The United Way Home Run Club is made possible  by Team Captain CenturyLink

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by: Kim Connolly

 

Paying Taxes, Saving Money

Our office has been hopping lately. The Thomas Jefferson Area Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Coalition is headquartered in our office, ably coordinated by our staff member, Pamela Frank.

Our Information and Referral Center's phone has been in constant use, with Martha Trujillo, our Community Services Coordinator, fielding phone calls and scheduling appointments for folks to have their taxes prepared for free. There are many member agencies in our local coalition and approximately 100 volunteers who have been certified by the IRS. Most notable are the students from the University of Virginia and the law school, plus the UVA Community Credit Union, which offers free tax preparation in its branches, especially those in our surrounding rural counties.

While our office may be crowded (since we are one of the tax sites) and our phones ringing constantly, it is a good feeling knowing that we have saved these families and individuals earning less than $50,000 a year a lot of money. Not only do they save the the tax preparation fees, but we help them to claim all the credits for which they are eligible. The IRS estimates that more than a quarter of the people who are eligible for the earned income tax credit do not claim it, and we aim to remedy that. In addition, we help people avoid the so called "instant refunds" which are in reality high interest, short-term loans. Folks who file their taxes through our nonprofit coalition can normally expect their refunds direct deposted into their bank acount within 7 to 10 days.

Pamela reported this morning that since mid January, the coalition has helped around 600 people with their taxes, and we are still barely into the season!

Why do we do this? It all relates to our impact area of Self-Sufficiency. We want to help working people keep their hard-earned dollars, and hopefully save their refunds to use to build a nest eggs or pay off bills. The coalition's motto is Earn it. Keep it. Save it. And that is what we hope they do.

 

Posted By: Kim Connolly

 

I feel energized and inspired by these young people

Do you want to do something that will make you energized and feel inspired about the future of our country?  Then consider mentoring at Teen Tech at Computers4Kids.

Teen Tech is a program for students who have graduated from the Computers4Kids middle school program and wish to continue learning about technology as well as prepare for college and career.  To mentor at Teen Tech  you  just drop in and help  anytime Monday to Thursday 3 to 8 pm.  Students who have come after school could be working on homework assignments,  filling out college applications,  writing an essay or applying  for work.  Help with writing a resume is another mentoring project.  Sometimes it is helpful to just participate in a good conversation about how to proceed with a project.

Many of the students are recent immigrants and speak English but need help with their grammar.  Giving advice about how to do research is also something the students appreciate.   Students have to learn how to do research – these are our future scientists, doctors, engineers, technicians and other career professionals.

The students are hardworking and very focused on their task.  They listen carefully to advice and try to incorporate all that they are told.  They are extremely polite and appreciate the help that is given.  Mentored students have better attitudes toward school, fewer absences from school, less alcohol and drug use, and develop better relationships with others.   This is what we should want for our future citizens.

Many of the students feel that it is important to give back to the community and are volunteers themselves at C4K or other organizations.  Each time I leave C4K I feel energized and inspired by these young people.

 

Guest post by Jackie Lichtman, Computers4Kids volunteer mentor

A look inside the Music Resource Center

 

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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The Music Resource Center is an after-school music education program for 7^th-12^th grade students that uses recording and performing arts to equip students with life skills. Students pay as little as $10 per year to attend the MRC where they can explore:

-          Digital Music Production (or Beat Making) – In our project studios, students compose entire songs using just a computer and digital sounds.

-          Instruments- We have electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitars, pianos, drums, as well as microphones and amps for students to experiment with to figure out what they like, or improve on an instrument that they already know.

-          Instruction- The MRC offers lessons and workshops, led by staff and volunteers, in areas such as drums, guitar, audio engineering, beat making, hip-hop dance and even DJ’ing.

-          Recording Studio- Students can record their songs---as well as learn how to record others--- in our state-of-the-art recording studio.

-          Songwriting- Students work with staff and volunteers to learn how to construct songs and lyrics.

Students learn instrument and technology skills in our facilities, however, they also learn to respect others, manage time effectively, and set and achieve goals. We acheive these goals through the help of our volunteers. If you know a 7^th-12^th grade student that you think would be interested in our program, or you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please visit our web site or call 434-979-5478.

 

Guest Post by Maria Gall, Music Resource Center Program Assistant & Volunteer Coordinator

 

Adults need tutors for reading skills

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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Long ago in a land far, far away (Baton Rouge), I had too much time on my hands. That’s hard to imagine now, but way back in the 1990s life moved slower and I picked up volunteer work as an adult education tutor. My student, a gentleman from Mississippi who worked stocking shelves at the local Piggly Wiggly grocery, was in line to be promoted to Assistant Manager at his store. But he had a HUGE secret. He had never learned read beyond a third-grade level.

He saw the sort of work Assistant Managers performed. With their pencils, paper, and clipboards they checked off inventory as the trucks were unloaded. They filled out order forms to request supplies and fresh merchandise. After ten years of stocking the shelves, my student could tell the difference between “Fresh cut green beans” and “French cut green beans” by looking at the pictures. Unfortunately, the order forms the Assistant Managers had to use contained no pictures.

After I was appropriately trained as a Literacy Volunteer tutor, we began our tutoring sessions. We started with short words.

C-A-N spells “can.”

“What produce item begins with the can sound?”

“Cantaloupe!” He got it. I could almost see the light bulb flash on in his head.

Realistically, he probably never graduated to reading War and Peace. Tolstoy isn’t for everybody. But by the time I left Baton Rouge, he could decipher just about any word related to groceries well enough to earn his promotion.

Fast-forward twenty years later, and I am now the Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/ Albemarle. Every day I see people come in and work hard on their reading skills. I hear tutors go over material with their learners and I can tell they care about helping someone improve their life situation. Many tutors think they get more out of the experience than their students do!

Our next tutor training is January 21 and 23*. See our website (www.literacyforall.org) or call our office (977-3838) for more information 

Guest post by: Ellen Osborne, Executive Director, Literacy Volunteers

These kids inspire me

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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Every day a steady stream of students file into the “I Have a Dream” office at Charlottesville High School.   They come during lunch, free periods, and afterschool to get homework help, work on college applications, or just relax and interact with the other Dreamers. 

This semester my main goal has been to help them apply to college, but I have gained so much more than I thought possible in just four short months ago.  The diverse set of personalities and experiences they bring forward every time we meet continue to inspire me.

 One Dreamer, Trevail, always makes me laugh as he recites song lyrics and tells stories about his life, usually while working on Trigonometry homework. It’s been amazing seeing him grow as a student and person during my time working with “I Have a Dream.” I can’t wait to continue working with him in the new year!

 Guest post by:  Joanna Ferguson, Intern,  “I Have a Dream” Foundation

 

Ten years of Computers4Kids: Timeless Impact

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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Recently Computers4Kids (C4K) officially celebrated its 10^th Anniversary Year at our annual graduation ceremony.  Founded with the intent to bring technology to the students who need it most, C4K has evolved to provide a powerful combination of after-school services that ensure low-income students receive the guidance and skills needed to use computers to achieve greater academic and career success. C4K uses mentoring as the means to provide technology training and access because it is a proven tool for increasing positive long term outcomes for at-risk youth. 

If you are wondering whether you can truly make a difference as a mentor, the answer is undeniably YES. You can! After 10 years of matching at-risk students with volunteer mentors from the community, C4K is seeing a real impact.  95% of mentored students tracked by C4K have graduated from high school, and 89% have gone on to college.

As a mentor, you can help give local at-risk students the tools for success, and the chance to make their own positive contribution to our community.  To learn more visit www.computers4kids.net today!

 

“Although I wasn’t a bad child or student, I was still considered to be a low-income, “at-risk” youngster.  I thought I did not have the aptitude, intelligence or wherewithal  to do well in school.  C4K helped me to realize that category will never define me!”                                                                   

-Robert Williams, C4K alumnus, speaker at C4K’s 10^th anniversary graduation ceremony, and current graduate student in social work at Howard University

 

Guest post by: Computers4Kids

Afterschool Tutors Are Changing Lives

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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Abundant Life’s afterschool program at Johnson Elementary School has just gotten underway for the spring semester and we are thrilled to have started the year off strong!  This year we are blessed to provide quality afterschool programming to nearly 42 school children. We have over 60 tutors working in our program already, many of whom have returned from last year!

Over the past few years we have had the privilege to increase the program size and expand our ministry to some students outside the Prospect Avenue neighborhood.  Our program has also reflected the diversity of our families in the Prospect area- we now have students from Liberia, Mexico, Togo, Somalia, Thailand, El Salvador, and Burma.

Not only do we have one-on-one tutoring at the school, we are partnering with the Blue Ridge Commons Community Center and the new Boys and Girls Club to offer afterschool enrichment on non-tutoring days.  This has allowed our families to have high-quality afterschool care each day of the week.  We are thankful to have these continued partnerships.

 Posted by:

Richard Feero, Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministires (CALM, Inc.)
Buford Tutoring Coordinator
Walker Tutoring Coordinator

An Instant Connection through Mentoring at YMCA

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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With a focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, YMCA volunteers give men, women and children of all ages and from all walks of life the resources and support they need to be healthy, confident, connected and secure. Volunteers can coach our sports teams and teach many of our classes; mentor and tutor school-aged children in our after school programs; motivate and support youth; extend a hand to help adults who want to do more, be more or live healthier; advocate for the Y’s efforts to influence policies and initiatives that positively impact our community and participate in opportunities to give back and support neighbors.

"I love the relationships I have formed! I love connecting with people in our community. Whether it's the participants, other volunteers, YMCA staff, family members of the participants, etc., it's just so great to get to know these wonderful people. I especially enjoy the participants. 

It is so rewarding working with these special individuals and feeling like you are really helping them w/ homework and other after school activities. This, along with the social interactions, is important to stimulate their minds and bodies.

 [The Y is] a place with such a sense of community that you feel the connection the instant you walk through the door. It feels so good to give back locally and the programs through the Y are a great place to do so! You feel the dedication and compassion from the staff and other volunteers.

 This is now a significant part of my life and one of the things I'm passionate about. It's an amazing feeling! This will help me as I continue into the field of medicine of the many different types of people I will encounter."

  ~First Year Medical Student volunteering at YMCA/Park’s Edge After School

The Piedmont Family YMCA welcomes volunteers. Volunteers are the "heart" of the YMCA. Whether it's offering hugs in the preschool, homework help in the classroom, or coaching a basketball team . . . there's just no way to put a price tag on the sense of fulfillment that comes from helping someone else.

 

Posted by Brookes Simms, Director of Child Care Services,  Piedmont YMCA

Tutor Inspired by Character, Curiosity, and Resilience

 

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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In June 2009, I started volunteering as a tutor for Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle. After attending the tutor training, I was assigned to teach English to a middle-aged woman who had escaped the harshness of life in North Korea. The International Rescue Committee had brought her to live in our small university town.

When we first met, she said that her goal was to improve her ability to speak and understand English, even though she had successfully settled into the local Korean-speaking community. As it turned out, she did improve significantly. After just a year of meeting one-to-one for an hour twice a week, she had risen to the “High Beginning” level. Moreover, during that time she obtained her green card and got a better job with the local university. I felt pleased for having helped her in her efforts to make a new life in America.

What surprised me, however, was how much I benefited from the experience. Our conversations enabled me to learn about a culture and country very different from my own, and at the same time I learned what is distinctive about America by seeing it through her eyes. It was also stimulating to learn about aspects of the English language that we take for granted, but which can seem very strange from the point of view of a non-native. Why is the opposite of “put on my jacket” not “put off…” but “take off my jacket?”

 

Most importantly, however, I have been inspired by her character, curiosity, and resilience in the face of difficulties.  It has been more than just a satisfying accomplishment to tutor her these past two years—it has been an inspiration. I am grateful to Literacy Volunteers for having made this experience possible for me.

 

Guest post sumitted by: George Gorham Garrett,Secretary, Board of Directors, Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/ Albemarle

Music Resource Center: not just an afterschool program

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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If you’re familiar with the Music Resource Center (MRC), you probably know that we are an after-school music program where Charlottesville youth can explore their musical talents in our state-of-the-art studios.  But did you also know that the MRC teaches students during the school day? 

Through theCharlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC), the MRC offers a two-credit elective class to juniors and seniors in Charlottesville city and Albemarle county high schools. The goal of the class is to equip students with technical skills that will allow them to compete for jobs in the music industry after graduation. In the class, which meets for two hours every weekday, students learn aspects of recording engineering, live sound engineering, instrument maintenance and repair, beat production, music journalism and radio programming. 

The Music Industry Technology class was started in the 2008-2009 school year and is now in its fourth year. Approximately fifty students have taken part in the class over the course of four years. To learn more about the Music Industry Technology curriculum, visit the CATEC website.

 

Guest post by: Maria Gall, Music Resource Center

For a child, attention from a caring adult is priceless

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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A testimonial from a parent.

CALM (Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries) tutoring means alot to me because my child's education is a very high priority in my life and his.  I am unable to help him with his math, being that I have been out of school for 30 years, and things are done so differently now.  Many of our children need the one-on-one assistance in order to take in or absorb  what was taught in the class room.  Also, having someone that is willing to devote the time, patience, and UNDERSTANDING, can mean so much to the children.  For many kids this is the only real attention they receive, and that too can make a major difference.  So, I really hope that this program can remain a very important part of our community to help our children to become a success.

Big Brothers Big Sisters: Where Volunteers Get Even More Than They Give

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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I’ve been volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge for the past few months, covering group events and writing articles for their online newsletter. At each event I’ve attended, I’ve been continually amazed by how much fun everyone was having—not just Littles, but Bigs too. I have to admit that it’s unclear to me who enjoys the program more, because the volunteers are always some of the happiest people in the room!

Traditionally, I have viewed volunteers, or Bigs, as “helpers.” They are the ones who support and encourage Littles; they are the ones that Littles look up to and learn from. Imagine my surprise when I was fortunate enough to witness a tender-hearted moment where the Little was the one encouraging the Big! Talk about a role reversal!

This unexpected scene played out at the recent holiday ice skating party in downtown Charlottesville. One pair in particular caught my attention—the Little was an experienced skater, but it was the Big’s first time on the ice. When the pair took to the ice, the Big nervously clung to the railing while the Little patiently skated by her side. And while it was apparent that the Little could have skated circles around most people on the rink, she loyally refused to leave her Big’s side.

The pair proceeded to circle the rink this way, with the Big clutching the railing and the Little sweetly shouting words of encouragement. The Little only left her Big’s side twice, to protectively clear the path along the railing as needed. Finally, once the Big felt somewhat confident, the Little held out her hand and slowly coached her Big away from the railing towards the middle of the rink.

It was endearing to see this gentle scene play out. The proud, determined face of the Little—who was only half as tall as her Big—shouting, “you’re doing good, keep going!” Meanwhile, the wide-eyed Big nodding and clutching her Little’s hand, drawing all the support she needed from her newfound ice skating coach.

This scene demonstrated to me that, at Big Brothers Big Sisters, it really is a two-way street. Bigs benefit just as much—or more so!—from the program as Littles. It’s an amazing deal when you think of it. In exchange for donating their time, Bigs get back so much more in return:  friendship, trust, adoration…and even the occasional coaching lesson!

Guest post by: Angelique Paul, Red Press, LLC,  BBBS mentor

 

Mentors Encourage Hope

January is National Mentoring Month.

All month long we are featuring guest posts from many of our local nonprofits that work with youth and need volunteers to become mentors and tutors. On January 26, 2012, the United Way Volunteer Center invites you to our annual Mentor and Tutor Opportunity Fair from 11:00 - 2:00 at the Omni Hotel. There you will be able to meet in person with representatives from 17 local organizations and fit the right fit for you as a mentor or tutor.

Mentor. Tutor. Pass it on!

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Computers4Kids

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” 

 – Oprah Winfrey

Mentoring is a powerful tool for helping youth believe in their own abilities and meet their potential. Computers4Kids (C4K) recognizes this and provides a high impact combination of services: after-school mentoring that enables students to develop the technology skills essential to success in academic and career settings. C4K mentors are dedicated volunteers and caring role models that support and encourage at-risk middle and high school students as they challenge themselves to acquire new technology skills and create personally meaningful technology projects.

All it takes is one hour per week to make a difference!  C4K encourages students and mentors to learn together as they explore technology.  Mentors need not be technology experts, but must have basic knowledge of PCs or Macs and the Internet. 

Be a friend.  Be a mentor.  To learn more visit www.computers4kids.net today!