UWSC Annual Meeting: Tim Fitzwater, Danielle Kimmell, Dale Ruther, Rubber City Radio-only thing that's missing is you! http://ping.fm/CsSGz

Dale Ruther is another outstanding community volunteer to be honored at our Annual Meeting - RSVP here: http://ping.fm/4yaJg

A great story about a lottery winner who donated his $10K winnings to his local United Way. http://ping.fm/iPDOL Wish he lived here!

Our Campaign Cabinet Meeting just ended. Bill Lowery is such an inspirational Chair, and we have such wonderful wonderful volunteers!

Congratulations to Tim Fitzwater, retired from NCB, the 2009 Distinguished Service Award winner. See Tim honored at our Annual Meeting 4/30.

8 days to the UWSC Annual Meeting. There's still time to RSVP - http://ping.fm/DQPhC - join us to honor those who LIVE UNITED! Do You?

United Way Volunteer Center Celebrates Volunteers

United Way of Summit County Volunteer Center, in conjunction with National Volunteer Week, will celebrate the spirit of volunteerism at its eighth annual Volunteer Celebration on Thursday, April 23, 2009 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at St. Joseph Family Center, 610 W. Exchange Street, Akron. This year’s theme is “Volunteers…Priceless!”

This event will celebrate outstanding volunteer efforts of individuals and groups in our community.

As part of the Volunteer Celebration, four “Volunteer Stories” of individuals or groups who have displayed extraordinary volunteer services within their organization will be presented in a profile video. Students from Professor Gabriel Giralt’s class at the University of Akron’s School of Communication have developed the video stories for a class project.

The four representative stories are: Mark Capers, Info Line, Inc.; Harold & Dorothy Evans, Mobile Meals, Inc.; Michael Gould, Riedinger Middle School (Akron Public Schools); and Chris Mis, Regina Health Center.

Melissa Jacobs, chair of the Volunteer Celebration Committee, said, "Over the history of this event, we’ve had the pleasure of learning about some of our community’s ‘hidden heroes.’ There are so many people who are quietly making a difference through their volunteer work. We’re pleased that the Volunteer Celebration shines the spotlight on them.”

Bob Kulinski, United Way of Summit County president, said, “One of our strategic imperatives is to champion and increase voluntarism in Summit County. This celebration recognizes these scores of volunteers who’ve been brought to our attention, and honors the all of the thousands of volunteers in our community whose efforts make life better for each of us. We appreciate, respect, and cherish the work of every volunteer in Summit County.”

United Way of Summit County encourages everyone to LIVE UNITED. Each of us has the power to improve lives and advance the common good when we give, advocate and volunteer. For more information on how to give now, on programs and services in our community, or to volunteer, call your United Way of Summit County at (330) 762-7601, explore our website at http://www.uwsummit.org/, or visit our offices at 90 N. Prospect St., Akron, Ohio.

It takes a lot of prep to ensure that our Annual Meeting comes off flawlessly. I'm writing scripts for everyone that goes to the microphone.

UWSC's Annual Meeting is scheduled for April 30th. RSVPs are rolling in, but there's still room for you! http://ping.fm/CRLP8

I'm speaking to 2 PR classes at U of Akron this morning - they'll do a class project on using LIVE UNITED to engage with college students

United Way of Summit County Announces Campaign Results, Program Funding

United Way of Summit County announced the results of its 2008 United Way/Red Cross Fundraising Campaign today.

The total raised is $11,300,000, just under the amount that was raised in the 2007 campaign, but short of the goal set for this year - $11,600,900.

According to volunteer campaign chair, S. Theresa Carter, President of OMNOVA Solutions Foundation, the 2008 campaign is a remarkable success based on the extraordinary financial circumstances in our region and our nation. “Thanks to the significant generosity of the people in our community and the hard work of the hundreds of campaign volunteers, we maintained our funding base while other communities have suffered losses of hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars in campaign results.”

Recently completed campaigns in other large Ohio cities showed major decreases – Cleveland is down about $3 million compared to the previous year; Dayton is down about $2.2 million; Toledo raised about $1 million less; and Greater Stark County raised about $500,000 less.

In recognition of the current financial crises many families in Summit County face, United Way has set aside approximately $450,000 to fund urgent community priorities in the coming year, including programs providing utility payment assistance, financial stability for families, and school readiness for children. These funds were available to eligible health & human service agencies or 501-c-3 eligible community agencies on a Request For Proposal (RFP) basis, and allocations from this fund are being determined at the present time. United Way affiliated agencies that applied may also receive some of these funds.

United Way of Summit County’s stewardship approach is to maintain an effective safety net of services in our community through a competitive allocations process among qualified, historic affiliated agencies based on measurable outcomes, service to the community, and relative need in the community. At the same time, United Way of Summit County continues to address new and emerging Community Impact Priorities by setting aside significant funds each year addressing our Community Impact Priorities. These funds are available for allocation on an open RFP process that includes our affiliated agencies.

The investment package for the 2009 fiscal year totals $9,593,393.

The $9.59 million package is a combination of:
· Investment decisions made by volunteers and gifts specifically designated by donors
· United Way’s fundraising partner – American Red Cross, Summit & Portage Counties – contractual amount
· Community Services, including The Volunteer Center, United Way’s Community Impact Program, Labor/Community Services Liaison
· Designations to other community agencies and United Ways in other communities
· Designations to targeted areas of service (Impact Councils focusing on Education, Income and Health).

For the past four months, scores of local volunteers reviewed detailed program and financial information and provided funding recommendations for 87 programs from 47 affiliated agencies. Because there was significantly less money available for the volunteers to allocate (due in large part to the increase in the amount of money designated to specific organizations and the set-aside for community priorities), most affiliated agencies will see a decrease in their total United Way support.

“We have been in contact with our agencies over the past few months about the financial realities we’re all facing,” said Bob Kulinski, President, United Way of Summit County. “It has been our goal to maximize funding for vital programs and ensure that our agencies had time to plan for reduced funding. And we at United Way – like many of our agencies – have made difficult budget decisions. We’ve instituted a pay freeze for 2009 and terminated our employee pension plan.”

More than 600 companies and organizations participated in the annual campaign this year, and 147 showed significant increases in their total giving compared to 2007. There were 39 companies that ran United Way campaigns for the first time and raised $43,631, including more than $9,000 from Standard JIG Boring Service.

Overall we saw significant increases in new leadership giving across the campaign. Membership in the Torch Society – donors of $1,000 or more – grew by 207, including 98 individuals who were first time donors. Donors of $10,000 – the Alexis de Tocqueville Society – added 17 new members with a net increase to 135 individuals and couples, raising $1,792,652, an increase of $238,000 over last year.

Kulinski also said, "We are so very proud of our community for raising over $11 million during a very tough economic climate. These resources will make a real difference in people's lives, and create lasting impact and sustained change in individual and family lives in Summit County. Our continued funding at our network of affiliated agencies will enable them to do more of what they do and to do their good work even better. These resources will also help us develop new and creative solutions to unmet needs in our community, and implement innovative new initiatives such as the Felony Re-entry Network and the Neighborhood Leadership Development Institute."

Thom Mandel, President of Rubber City Radio Group, and Chairman of the United Way of Summit County Board of Directors said, “This organization celebrated its 90th Anniversary in 2008 with an energizing Annual Meeting and an award-winning retrospective video. Looking ahead to the 100th Anniversary, United Way is committed to maintaining its role as a leader in Summit County by evolving and staying on the cutting edge of best practices and technology.”
United Way of Summit County encourages everyone to LIVE UNITED. Each of us has the power to improve lives and advance the common good when we give, advocate and volunteer.

For more information on how to give now, on programs and services in our community, or to volunteer, call your United Way of Summit County at (330) 762-7601, explore our website at http://www.uwsummit.org/, or visit our offices at 90 N. Prospect St., Akron, Ohio.

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*United Way of Summit County eliminated processing fees for donor designations in 2009