LIVE UNITED in the Greater Dayton Area

Real Money, Real World

2010-06-01T15:58:00.003-04:00

Real Money Real World is a hands-on experiential program created by Ohio State University Extension that provides young people an opportunity to make lifestyle and budget choices similar to those they will be facing as adults in real life. Students are provided an occupation, salary, and family information (0 – 3 children). After subtracting taxes, health insurance and savings amount, they are left with their net balance to be used to purchase services or obligations ranging from housing, utilities, food, childcare, clothing, transportation, insurance, communications, outstanding debt, entertainment and charitable contributions. They also have an opportunity to receive financial counseling if needed.

United Way of the Greater Dayton Area participated in the first two Real Money Real World events held in Montgomery County as representatives for charitable contributions. On May 20, Terri Leputa, Campaign Manager, and Lindsey Jarvis, Volunteer Connection Manager, spent time with 150 9th graders at Oakwood High School explaining about the value of giving back to their community. On May 21, United Way Campaign Managers Terri Leputa and Shirley Smith introduced 130 8th graders at Valley View Middle School to the importance of donating and presented options for giving (whether it be money or giving through volunteerism).

Initial response from the students as well as volunteers, teachers and OSU Extension representatives has been highly positive. At United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, we enthusiastically support Real Money Real World and other programs that help introduce young people to the importance of financial stability. We are grateful to the Ohio State Extension office as well as Oakwood High School and Valley View Middle School for including us in this event and we welcome future opportunities to partner with local schools and businesses in events focused on positive youth development, financial stability and health and well being.

Click here to view photos from the event!

In Memory of a Leader

2010-05-20T14:57:00.002-04:00

United Way of the Greater Dayton Area joins the many individuals and organizations who are mourning the loss of a legendary community leader. Frederick C. Smith was one of those rare gems whose impact and legacy will be felt by all of us for generations to come.

As the president and CEO of the Huffy Corporation, Fred transformed the company into a nationally-recognized leader in bicycles and ancillary products. When he retired, he put those same skills to work on behalf of the entire Greater Dayton area. The Dayton Foundation, Miami Valley Hospital, Sinclair Community College and the Job Center are just a handful of organizations that benefited from his wisdom and guidance.

Fred's involvement and leadership with United Way of the Greater Dayton Area took the organization to a new level in nonprofit leadership. From the time he chaired the campaign in 1976 to the time he served as President of the Board of Directors, United Way's annual donations increased from $7 million annually to more than $12 million. Fred created what is now known as the Leadership Circle, and he and his wife were founding members of United Way's Tocqueville Society. He served on United Way's Public Policy Council for years, and h is wife Pfeife established and chaired United Way's first priority and evaluation committees. The Smith-Moore award, United Way's highest level of volunteer recognition, was named in his honor for his time, effort and dedication to our community.

A humble man, Fred believed in "termite work" - a phrase he used for quietly working behind the scenes -- which is how he preferred to operate, although his results inevitably put him in the local spotlight nonetheless. The Greater Dayton Area is a stronger, more vibrant place thanks to him. He was a true philanthropist who will be greatly missed in our community.

Sincerely,

United Way of the Greater Dayton Area

Please share your thoughts and memories in the comments section.

Sometimes, Even Good Luck Can Use a Helping Hand

2010-03-17T10:51:00.002-04:00

In tough times, it is natural to wish for good things to come our way. But lasting community change takes more than a stroke of good luck … it takes hard work and generosity.

For nearly 100 years, your United Way has done more than wish for change … we’ve been working hard to support the health and human service needs in the Dayton region. And for years, we’ve been able to meet those needs through strong workplace giving campaigns and the generous support of donors like you.

We are at a critical time, and we need your support.

The departure of major community supporters such as NCR and GM have drastically affected our ability to support the needs of our partner agencies through workplace giving alone. In order to avoid a potential campaign shortfall, we need the support not just from our old friends, but from new donors as well.

LIVE UNITED. GIVE UNITED.

If you have not yet given to the annual campaign or shared your opinions on our future, please do so today by clicking on this link. Also, please share this message with your friends and know that we truly appreciate your support. Working together, good fortune will come our way.

Thank you!

Allen H. Elijah
President and CEO, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area

Phil Parker LIVES UNITED

2010-03-03T16:17:00.006-05:00

We are stepping up the frequency of our communications to you to seek feedback and close the campaign gap. Today we are sharing a call for more donations from Dayton Chamber President Phil Parker that ran in the Dayton Daily News on Sunday, February 28th. Please share this message with your friends and colleagues. Every dollar and every opinion matters. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Allen H. Elijah
President, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area

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Community Nonprofits Need Help

Recently you have more than likely learned about the challenge facing our region's United Way and its raising enough dollars to provide the support for those in need in our community.

As a former campaign chair of the United Way in 1999, I personally know the constant challenges that agency and others it serves face each year in asking our community for help - those issues seem even bigger today.

1999 seems like a lifetime ago. Back then, the campaign had more than 60,000 workplace or direct donors. We're now at 33,000.

Back then, our community gave more than twice what will likely be given this year because we now have fewer givers and fewer corporate workplace campaigns, ironically all at a time when we actually need to raise more because so many of our neighbors are out of work and need our help.

The unemployment rate is over 11 percent versus 4 percent in 1999. All of this makes a big difference in what we now raise.

Regions need an organization that can efficiently help other partnering delivery agencies, and I know for a fact that there is no better system in place to help area nonprofit human-service organizations than our United Way.

Not only is it cost-effective for many agencies because of its historical workplace giving programs, but I know and trust those community volunteers who help direct undesignated contributions like mine to the correct community priorities.

They demand accountability from those organizations that use your and my dollars, and they have the expertise to qualify that demand.

We, as a community, must reinvigorate the culture of payroll deduction and workplace giving with more of our area employers. There is no easier method I know to give a $250 contribution to those in need than by a payroll deduction of less than $10 every two weeks.

After losing General Motors, Delphi and NCR - all which ran corporate campaigns - we must now ask others to step in and share the leadership roles with their fellow business owners and leaders in reestablishing workplace-giving programs.

Anything short of that and we will hear again and again about how our nonprofit service community is suffering the aftermath of insufficient resources.

Other cities like Cincinnati have this strong culture. So why can't we?

This is not a United Way crisis. This is our local dilemma for those excellent nonprofit service organizations that need our assistance to help others less fortunate. Dayton has tackled bigger challenges than this before.

Turning our energies and attention to this is the right thing to do, and getting it done should be a community-wide priority and effort.

Sincerely,

Phillip L. Parker, CAE, CCE

Share Your Thoughts with Your United Way

2010-02-26T15:33:00.003-05:00

Shaping the Future

Last month we announced the first steps of a re-engineering of our local United Way. Increasing two-way communication is a core element of the re-engineering, and we are launching that effort today. Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Your input will be shared with a community advisory council this spring to solidify the goals and strategies for your new United Way.

Greater need in our community magnifies the necessity of a strong United Way. Referrals to services by United Way’s HelpLink 2-1-1 have increased 150% over the past two years. More than 260,000 people turned to the partner agencies for help last year alone. Another essential element of the re-engineering must be a successful conclusion to the 2009 Campaign.

Meeting the Need

Unfortunately, at this point, contributions are still nearly one million dollars short of last year. The loss of NCR left half of this gap, the remainder reflects the continuing economic challenges in the region. A shortfall seriously harms our community’s ability to meet local needs – at a time when demand is at an all-time high.

We have begun an all-out push to fill the gap under the leadership of an exceptional community leader, Vince Corrado of Shook Construction. Based on the promising results to date, we are extending the annual campaign to raise the necessary dollars. We ask all of you who can to consider another gift in these difficult times.

If you haven’t already given or can give a little more, please make a gift today by clicking here or mailing a check to United Way Campaign, 184 Salem Avenue, Dayton, OH 45406.

Ensuring Accountability

Any and all resources that come into the community are precious. That leads us to a recent issue we are working to resolve.

First, the SCLC is not a United Way agency and your United Way dollars are not in question.

The current FBI investigation of the SCLC threatens to undermine faith in many local institutions, with ramifications that could hurt the whole community. According to reports, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds at SCLC are being investigated. We will continue to work with FEMA and the FBI on the SCLC investigation until things are made right.

FEMA established the Emergency Food and Shelter Program with highly-respected partners including United Way Worldwide, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and national faith-based charities. United Way of the Greater Dayton Area convenes the meetings of the Local Emergency Shelter Policy Board – comprised of mandated representatives of the national partner agencies and other local emergency food and shelter providers. Our role is to facilitate the application and reporting process. The Local Policy Board utilized a paperwork review of required FEMA documentation for monitoring.

In retrospect, this approach was not enough. We regret this deeply. We have learned that any program – no matter the funding source – that involves our United Way in any manner must meet the same rigorous standards of the practices we use to distribute the funds we raise locally.

We look forward to hearing from you and appreciate your continued support.

Gary Auman, Board Chair and Allen Elijah, President
United Way of the Greater Dayton Area