Living United

United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area 2012 Annual Report

We are very proud of the work our board of directors has done this past year in researching local needs and determining where services were lacking and how best our United Way could make an impact in our community.

Our 2011-2012 Annual Report does a great job in explaining the issues and showing how we are addressing them through community impact grants and direct services.

We'd love your feedback.

 

 

Posted by Kim Connolly

CenturyLink Supports Our United Way's Mission

Our good friends at CenturyLink recorded this radio ad for us yesterday.

 

United Way Year End Gift-Simone Alley Century Link -60 REV

Listen for it on Z95, WINA, HitKicker Country and Generations over the next month.

 

We sincerely hope that our friends and neighbors in the greater Charlottesville area will support our work in School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health.

 

Posted by: Kim Connolly

Do Nonprofits Have What They Need to Actually Solve Problems?

The Wall Street Journal ran this article on September 15: Why Can't We Sell Charity Like We Sell Perfume?

The author made the argument that it is time to change how the donating public views charities; instead of obessing with overhead and executive pay, ask instead "whether these organizations have what they need to actually solve problems."

He states, "In short, we are asking nonprofit groups to deal with social probems whose scale is beyond easy comprehension, while denying those groups the tools they need to build any meaningful scale themselves."

The greater Charlottesville area is chock full of nonprofits and the people who support them. Read the article and let us know what you think. Does he have a point? If so, how can we change the paradigm? It would also require nonprofit staff and boards to change the way they view themselves.The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seems to use this model of fully funding specific efforts in order to truly create change.

It is an interesting question for both nonprofits and donors to ponder.

Posted by: Kim Connolly

Nonprofits, Audits, Financial Strength and Transparency

If it is August, it must be audit time at our United Way. Each August, two auditors from Hantzmon Wiebel, LLC take over the lunch table on our third floor for an exhaustive review of our financial records. From individual donations, to grants we have received, to grants that we make to other local nonprofit programs, our audit is complicated. In addition, we are the fiscal agent for several programs like The Santa Fund and Women United, among others. Plus, we have several direct services of our own, such as Child Care Scholarships, Prescription Assistance and the United Way Volunteer Center. Whew! No wonder the auditors set up shop upstairs for about a month.

Why is all this important? Transparency and accountability. When a donor is evaluating a nonprofit, they should also look at the organization’s financial stability and efficiency. An annual audit should be available on that organization’s website. If an organization is not large enough to require a full audit, they should have at the least an independently performed year‐end income and expense statement available to the public.

Not only do we have a full audit performed every year, we also have an Audit Committee which includes a Darden professor of economics, a corporate Chief Operating Officer, and an accountant.

One of the results of our fiscal and management practices is that our overhead is impressively low – last year it was a mere 16.01%. The Better Business Bureau states that nonprofits should spend no more than 35% on overhead. Not only do we require ourselves to have a full audit each year, we also require an audit from each local agency applying for a United Way Community Impact grant. If an agency's revenues are under $200,000, the agency may submit a financial compilation in accordance with Statements and Standards for Accounting and Review Services issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. When a program receives a grant from us, you know it is well-vetted.

Ask the hard questions. We welcome yours. Our Audit Committee has worked very hard to make a complex document clear and understandable. Here is last year’s audit. Once this year’s audit is complete, we will post it on our website. We are proud of our well run, financially stable and - most important – effective organization!

While is all this important? Because heartfelt stories and emotion-triggering photos need to be balanced with proof of financial stability and program results. Nonprofit donations are like investments in a program’s stated mission. And folks want to see a good return on their investment. United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area is invested in School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health. What are you invested in? Join us and see the results.

Our United Way Targets Important Issues

The following is a letter to the editor which appeared in the July 28, 2012 issue of The Daily Progress.

United Way targets important issues

Thanks to The Daily Progress for the June 4 article about our United Way’s emphasis on strategic philanthropy(“UnitedWay adjusts funding”). We recently undertook an extensive strategic planning process, resulting in a refocusing of our efforts toward the themes of self-sufficiency, school readiness and community health. By focusing our resources on specific, targeted issues, we can have the greatest return on investment for our donors who share our concerns, and the greatest impact in changing lives.

From our board’s year-long investigation,we adopted priorities in each impact area where we believe we can have lasting, significant impact: job training; addressing barriers to employment; increasing financial education and literacy; increasing home visiting services for young children to ensure school readiness; improving prenatal care and the health of babies; promoting physical activity, improving nutrition and obesity prevention; and increasing access to preventative and basic health care.

We will seek innovative approaches to address these critical issues and will bring funding, advocacy and volunteerism to create better outcomes.

Our region is fortunate to have an abundance of tremendous nonprofit organizations. No single organization can meet every need in our community. Through partnerships with many of these great organizations and by encouraging collaboration on similar programs, our new approach will enable us to focus our efforts in areas of significant challenge and create lasting, life-changing differences for our citizens.

We are energized by this new direction; it is our hope that the public will join with us through their financial support and volunteer efforts. Together, we can have a tremendous impact.

DANIEL GOODALL, Albemarle County

Daniel Goodall is a member of the United Way executive committee. This letter also carried the names of Blair Kelly, chairman of the United Way Board of Directors, and executive committee P.K. Kamath, Liza Borches, Margery Daniel, Peter Brooks, Brad Groff, Alison DeTuncq, Ray Mishler, Jim Kennan, Dick Brownlee, Eric Johnson, Brad Ramsey, Mike Chinn, Deborah van Eersel and Mark Giles.

United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area Announces $634,038 in Grants to Local Programs

 For the past nine months, the board of directors of the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area has been implementing its new strategic direction of focusing on three specific areas of impact: School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health. Impact teams consisting of 49 United Way board members, plus interested community volunteers, met dozens of times in the past year to develop priorities within each impact area. Our board invited local nonprofits to submit proposals that would help meet the priorities in each of those areas. Our United Way is investing a total of $634,038 in grants this year to local programs, and for the first time has provided some multi-year grants.

The priorities of the SCHOOL READINESS impact area are: to provide home-visiting services for families with children zero to three years old; increasing the access to quality early education through the Virginia Star Quality Initiative; and to partner with schools, preschools and community groups to improve children’s successful transition to kindergarten.

School Readiness Impact Team Members: Eric Johnson, Chair; Bill Bradley; Peter Chapin; Mike Chinn; Bryan Elliott; Frank Friedman; Rondi Furgason; Phil Garland; Michael Geismar; Amanda Hoffman; PK Kamath; Chris Laing; Chris Lee; Brad Ramsey; Bill Wardle.

School Readiness grant partner programs:

• The Home Visiting Collaborative, consisting of Jefferson Area CHIP and CYFS, received a three year grant,
• CYFS’s Child Care Quality program also received a three year grant.

“Multi-year funding is something new for us,” notes Cathy Train, United Way’s president. “But in the case where there is a strong, ongoing program with proven results that specifically addresses our priorities, we felt that investing for the long term could create some momentum in children growing up healthy and arriving at school prepared to succeed.”

Our United Way’s SELF-SUFFICIENCY impact area team’s goal is to “invest in individuals and families working to become financially stable and economically independent.” “We found that this goal really spread across all three of our impact areas,” Train states. “A family struggling to make ends meet, or parents working two or three jobs without health insurance, doesn’t leave time to help children with homework or ensure adequate preventative health care.” Our United Way sought programs that addressed one or more of these priorities: addressing barriers to employment and job training for unemployed/underemployed local residents, including promoting high school graduation and post-secondary education; increasing access to financial education, literacy and budgeting; and supporting employment through adequate and accessible transportation, child care and shelter.

Self-Sufficiency Impact Team Members: Deborah van Eersel, Chair; Charles DuBose; Sasha Farmer; Adrian Felts; Dan Goodall; Fred Greer; Peter Harbilas; Allen Hughes; PK Kamath; Jim Kennan; Don Long; Abby Lunn; Susan Prindle; Joyce Robbins; Phil Sparks; Juan Wade; John Young.

The United Way has partnered with the following programs to help address these priorities:

• Changing the Odds, which addresses teen readiness for workforce, college and financial independence, offered by the Boys and Girls Club;
• Family and Individual Development Program, which teaches financial literacy to low-income, mentored adults, offered by Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries;
• Strive, a one-on-one mentoring program from Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries focused on goal setting and accountability for Charlottesville High School boys received a three year grant;
• Computers4Kids, which provides long-term mentoring, technology training, computer access, job readiness skills and college to career guidance to low-income middle and high school students, received a three year grant;
• Bank on Great Charlottesville is a program of the Legal Aid Justice Center that expands access to affordable financial services and financial education programming for unbanked and under-banked households;
• The Adult Tutoring program of Literacy Volunteers – Charlottesville/Albemarle has received a two-year grant to serve students attempting to pass the G.E.D. test;
• The Re-entry Services program of OAR/Jefferson Area Community Corrections assists ex-offenders with their reentry needs as they transition back into the community;
•  PACEM’s Journey Advocate program received a two year grant for providing one-on-one mentorship for shelter guests who are employed or have regular income;
• The Center of Hope, a Salvation Army program that assists homeless families to recover from homelessness to lasting self-sufficiency through employment, housing, meals, clothing, furniture, education/life skills programs and local collaborations with holistic assistance;
• The Salvation Army’s Emergency Shelter provides temporary and long-term shelter, money management skills, educational and life skills programs, meals, clothing and furniture;
•  The Welfare to Work program of WorkSource, which provides economic opportunities for low and moderate income citizens through workforce development activities aimed to support a job placement program for persons with significant barriers to employment who are making the transition from welfare to work.

Our research determined that in the area of COMMUNITY HEALTH, the priorities were clear: improve prenatal care and the health of babies; promote physical activity and improve the nutrition and eating habits of local residents, or other obesity prevention projects; and increase access to preventative and basic health care resources for underserved persons, including low-income and rural communities. “The United Way is invested in building a community where people are healthy and have access to needed care,” says Train. “We need to help develop healthy habits, starting at an early age.

Community Health Impact Team Members: Liza Borches, Chair; Guy Babineau; Glenn Bannan; Spencer Birdsong; Lisa Cannell; Deborah Conway; Margery Daniel; Dorrie Fontaine; Ray Mishler; Gary O’Connell; Eunhee Park; Jim Richardson; Carolyn Schuyler; Jim Shannon; David Stebbins; Margo Szeliga; Mike Wesson.

In order to meet the priorities of the Community Health focus area, the United Way is partnering with the following programs through grants:

• The Mobile Food Pantry, run by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, distributes nutritious food, including fresh produce and perishables, directly to needy clients living in underserved, rural communities surrounding Charlottesville;
• The Community Action on Obesity Program, run by the Community Action  on Obesity Task Force, reduces barriers of access to healthy foods for low-income or working poor for improved nutrition and eating behaviors and provides activities utilizing consistent motivational techniques emphasizing the outdoors to increase active lifestyles for a lifetime;
• The Child Victims Health Access program of Foothills Child Advocacy Center provides a comprehensive continuum of physical and mental health services for 250 child victims of physical and sexual abuse and assault annually, and received a two-year grant for a forensic nurse;
• The Teen Pregnancy and Parenting program of Jefferson Area CHIP supports success by encouraging teen parents to continue their education, receive prenatal care, delay pregnancies and understand the important role they play in their children’s lives;
• The Neighborhood Health Outreach program is an obesity prevention partnership between the Women’s Initiative and the Martha Jefferson Hospital Wellness Clinic, and received a two year grant for its neighborhood-based offerings.

“By focusing our investments on specific goals and priorities, and through encouraging partnerships and collaborations with similar or complimentary programs with long-term goals and measurements,” Train declares, “it is our hope that we will create substantial positive change in our community.”

None of this would have been possible without the leadership of our Campaign Chair, Alison DeTuncq, president of UVA Community Credit Union, who led teams of volunteers in raising the funds necessary to address these priorities. And, in the end, it is the members of our community - our donors - who have invested their money in improving our community, that we have to thank. Together, we WILL make a difference.

 

Posted by: Kim Connolly

 

Winery Tours or Golf at Keswick? You Choose.

There is something for everyone on One Fine Day for the United Way on July 23, 2012. For golfers, the United Way Golf Classic offers the opportunity to play on the private Keswick golf course amid specatular scenery. As an extra, fun twist on the usual tournament, craft beer tastings are offered at select holes on the course. The day starts with a box lunch and ends with a sumptious casual buffet dinner as only Keswick can offer. In addition, dinner guests can participate in a diverse raffle as well as a small live auction for unique opportunities and items.

Don't golf, and wish you had the opportunity to spend the day with friends or clients like the golfers do? An Afternoon in the Country was designed for you. Start the day with a box lunch and a talk by Dr. M. Mala Cunningham: "Be Good to Yourself through Mindfulness and Yoga".

Then board the bus for "One Vine Day" of tours and tastings at three local wineries: Jefferson, Trump and Blenheim. Savor the afternoon with friends while sampling wine and enjoying the breathtaking scenery. We will finish up at Blenheim, where you can play a round of croquet if you desire.

Upon your return, you can join our golfers for the special buffet, raffle and auction. One Fine Day for the United Way serves to support our United Way's priority areas of School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health. Help your community while having a wonderful day.

The United Way Golf Classic:

• An afternoon of golf, including a box lunch, craft beer tastings, hole contests and a buffet dinner: $150 per golfer

An Afternoon in the Country. Choose all of some of these activities:

• "Be Good to Yourself" lunch:   $20
• "One Vine Day" winery tour:  $60
• Buffet Dinner at Keswick Hall: $65

Or all three events for $140.

CLICK HERE FOR A BROCHURE

And, of course, there are plenty of sponsorship opportunities available.

To register, please call Caroline Emerson at 434-972-1701 or [email protected].

 

 

 

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.

 

University of Virginia Baseball, Rain, Home Runs and Tailgate Parties

The local businesses who are members of the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area's Home Run Club pledge $10 to our United Way for each home run the University of Virginia baseball team hits from April 1 through the end of the post season. As one way of saying "Thank You" for their support, our Team Captain, CenturyLink, hosts a pre-game tailgate party for the team members using CavOne, UVA's sports promotion trailer.

Last year's tailgate was on a Sunday, and the game was moved earlier in the day due to forecasted thunderstorms in the afternoon of a brutally hot day. So our lunch tailgate morphed into a brunch tailgate.

This year, rain had been forecast for game day well in advance, but "scattered showers" meant that the weeknight game time did not change in advance. We set up our food and drink and tents, and just as our party start time came, so did light rain, which morphed into steady rain. However, our attendees took it all in stride, and the clustered tents made for an intimate gathering in which everyone got to meet new people and get caught up with old friends, too.

Once again, we had amazing food, thanks to Fry's Spring Station, Raising Canes and Beer Run. Our friends at Specialty Beverage also helped out with an assortment of craft beers.

Too bad the delayed game did not add to our home run tally, but we DID add to our friend tally.

This weekend's home series against Georgia Tech promises great baseball weather, and our fingers are crossed for a home run or two.

Posted by: Kim Connolly

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 [email protected] or 434-972-1701. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

Beer Run Knows A Good Cause Can Also Be Good Fun!

Beer Run is a family owned and operated neighborhood restaurant with a focus on local and organic ingredients.  Beer Run offers the best retail craft beer selection in Virginia and a large selection of biodynamic and organic retail wines.

Beer Run joined the United Way Home Run Club because United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area is our leading community non-profit advocate for those in need.

 

Cajun Voodoo Mama Blog Adds Some Spice to our Team

Cajun Voodoo Mama is a lifestyle blog about all things New Orleans and Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Blog partners Laura Knox and Vanessa Bourgeois are Cajunizing Charlottesvillians – you’ll never be the same! Our mission is to add a little spice to everyday life.

We are proud to support the United Way Home Run Club because we believe that everyone deserves a chance to achieve their very best.  United Way is the voice for those with the greatest needs in the Charlottesville community and the United Way makes a difference everyday…today is our day to help make that happen.  Live United!

Woodard Properties Joins the Home Run Club!

Woodard Properties has been serving Charlottesville Businesses, Students, and the Community since 1981. Woodard Properties offers friendly service and a variety of housing and commercial space options near The University of Virginia and Downtown. Woodard Properties values the Community and thinks the Home Run Club is an excellent opportunity to show their support of The United Way.

Evergreen Real Estate and Construction is a Team Player!

Evergreen Real Estate and Construction is a full service construction firm specializing in new residential construction and remodeling. Our business is built on personal relationships with our clients whether it’s creating a new home or improving one you already own.

The United Way Home Run Club fits our philosophy of working to build a strong community.  We root for the home team and we strive for the common good.

Car Shopping? Come to the Mega Mile Auto Event!

One of the things I dislike about shopping for a car is the hopscotching around town to visit all the auto dealers on the very busy roads on which they are located. Which is why I really like the concept of the Mega Mile Auto event (other than the fact the a portion of the proceeds benefits our United Way). The four largest auto dealers in Charlottesville (Battlefield Ford, Brown Autos, Colonial Autos and Jim Price Automotive) team up for this event, bringing their entire inventories of new and used cars to fill up the lots at the John Paul Jones Arena. Our friends at the UVA Community Credit Union orchestrate the entire event, offering rates as low as 2.49% for a new car.

Can't decide between a Chevy, Ford, Nissan, Honda, Kia or Toyota? How about a Mercedes, Hyundai or a Subaru? There are 18 car brands represented at this event - a mile of cars. You can test drive to your heart's content - kind of like Goldilocks - too big, too slow, wrong color...just right! I already have a list of cars I want to drive.

At the kick off on Thursday, April 5, a "Conquer the Mile" walk takes place at 1:00 pm to benefit the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. The donations we receive as a result of this event help us focus resources where they will have the biggest impact in our community: School Readiness, Self- Sufficiency and Community Health. These areas are where we KNOW we can make a difference - with the help of our donors like these terrific area car delaers and the UVA Community Credit Union.

We hope to see you there!

 

Posted by:Kim Connolly

Many Team Members Adds Up to BIG Impact for Our Community

There is still time to join our team!

Click here for a sign up form to email back to us.

Radio and print ads, PLUS a May 9th tailgate party with Cavalier One!

 

Tailgate party with Cavalier One for UVA Baseball

The members of the United Way Home Run Club will enjoy an exclusive, members-only tailgate party using  Cavalier One prior to the May 9 baseball game. Our Team Captain, CenturyLink, is hosting the party. At last year's tailgate party, we were told that we had the best food of the season, thanks to the many wonderful donations by area restaurants and beer distributors.

Has YOUR business joined the Club? If not, what are you waiting for? Team members pledge $10 to the United Way for each home run the UVA baseball team hits from April 1 through the end of the 2012 season. Get exposure in print and radio ads.

Call Caroline Emerson today at 434-972-1701 or email her at [email protected] or click here to download a form.

 

Welcome to the Team, Better Living!

 

 Our Friends at Better Living are well known in the community, not just for their excellent customer service, but also for their enduring support of so many causes in our community. Joining the United Way Home Run Club is a natural step for them to show their support of two winning teams - UVA baseball and the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area.

Welcome to Our Team, Albemarle Orthopaedics!

 

Albemarle Orthopaedics, PLLC, has been specializing in General Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in the Charlottesville/Albemarle community for more than a decade. Dr. William T. Grant and the AO staff bring a friendly approach to patient care while at the same time providing the highest level of treatment. We take a conservative approach and recommend surgery only when necessary.

Albemarle Orthopaedics, PLLC, is pleased to support the United Way via the Home Run Club. We appreciate the opportunity to give back to the community in this novel way.  We hope fans of all stripes will consider us for their orthopaedic and sports medicine needs!

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