tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836796729001959312024-03-15T18:10:20.850-07:00Blog United with United Way of Pierce CountyOur goal is to lift 15,000 local households out of poverty and into financial stability by 2028, one family at a time. We ensure basic needs are met; break down barriers to connect families to critical resources and navigation services; and build strong families by helping people face financial challenges to break the cycle of poverty. To learn more visit www.uwpc.org.United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-14705233755878108512020-02-10T11:22:00.000-08:002020-02-10T11:22:47.764-08:00Valerie, A Story of Hope<div align="center" style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">By Guest Blogger, Trina Hahn, 2-1-1 Behavioral Health Navigator at United Way of Pierce County</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">I started working for 2-1-1 a year ago and have the incredible opportunity to speak with members of our community
every day. 2-1-1 provides our community with accessible resources and also provides a platform to tell their story
to someone who will listen. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">This
is “Valerie’s” story. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">‘Valerie’ first called 2-1-1 shortly after I started
working here. Our conversation started out like any normal call. I asked her
for some information and what kind of resources she was seeking. When ‘Valerie’
told me that she was looking for self-defense courses, she broke down and I
became very concerned. She was distraught. She was a victim of domestic
violence and was struggling...struggling to find someone who would listen to her
story and nobody was hearing her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Trapped in her home, battered and afraid, ‘Valerie’ was
still able to pick up the phone. She called for help even
though she had gone through every resource she was given by law enforcement and
had received no help. She felt that she had hit a dead end. She was scared…afraid
for herself and for her child. ‘Valerie’ was trapped
inside, afraid to leave because her abuser was her neighbor. She feared
confrontation and the danger that she would be putting herself in if she left. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">With an injured hand as a result of her last encounter with
her abuser and a crippling fear of the threat outside, ‘Valerie’ was unable to
work. She was at risk of not only the physical threat posed by leaving, but the
risk of not being able to provide for herself and her child. On top of the fear
of being unsafe, her mind was busy with how to pay for rent, food, utilities
and basic needs for her and her child. She believed her situation was not being
taken seriously. And I believed her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">‘Valerie’ wanted to take matters into her own hands. She
was afraid that she would not be protected by the police and was desperate for
resources that would help her take control of the fear she faced leaving her
home. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.33px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I could hear
defeat in her voice...</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">“I feel so helpless and I just
want to give up.” </span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">She was helpless and she didn’t want to feel that way anymore. I didn’t
want her to feel that way either. Together I knew we could make changes that
would give her confidence in herself. I wanted her to feel hope. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">2-1-1
Steps in</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">‘Valerie’ and I talked for about an hour. I wanted her to
know that she was heard, and I wanted to address every unique situation she
presented me with a thoughtful answer. In addition to resources
for things that may help support her financially, I didn’t want the reason she
originally called to get lost in a maze of other referrals. I looked for
self-defense courses in the area. Even though I was unable to find direct
referrals for courses she could take for free, I didn’t want her to lose her
drive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">I gave ‘Valerie’ information about the community centers in the area and
encouraged her to speak with Metro Parks. If these community centers did not
offer self-defense courses, I told her not to give up and I suggested that she
think about starting something of her own. ‘Valerie’s’ drive for change was
infectious. If she was able to speak with Metro Parks and start participating
in self-defense courses with other victims of domestic violence, people would
benefit from her strength. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">I wanted other people to hear her story. Many others
were in her shoes- helpless, afraid, alone and unheard. I realized the
potential in her to go forward and use her experience to change our community.
Now all that we both felt was passion and motivation. I told her that if there
were gaps in resources for domestic violence victims and survivors that she
could become an advocate for change in our community. Valerie’s story was
powerful, and I didn’t want it to get lost. I didn’t want her to give up on
help. I knew that her story and strength could help inspire other people. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">A Year
Later</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">A year later, I answered the phone as I do every day. I
introduced myself to my caller and before I was able to finish my sentence I
was interrupted by a shriek of delight and a familiar voice shouting back at me.
It was ‘Valerie’! It seemed like fate had brought us back together. She and I
quickly began talking like old friends and discussed her progress since the
last time we talked. I was so thrilled to hear the happiness in her voice while
she told me the latest developments in her story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">She was so excited to be speaking to the
same agent who had listened to her while she was in crisis, especially when
nobody else seemed to be listening at the time. I felt proud. This time, no
tears. Her voice was strong and powerful. I could feel the sparkle in her eye
through the phone. Valerie meant business. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;">“I’ve grown
a lot from the beginning," she said. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">She wanted to connect with others who
were experiencing the same crisis she had. I was excited to give her
information on peer support and told her how she could get involved by sharing her
story with not only people I knew would listen, but who would benefit from
hearing her story and her journey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">She told me how much she had fallen in love with the law
and how she was spending great amounts of time using the law library and
researching different Federal and State laws. ‘Valerie’ dreamed of becoming
involved in legal services one day and I strongly encouraged her to do so. We
took a few moments discussing different options about how to get that started,
now or in the future, and how her passion would benefit many if she became
involved in criminal justice. She was so energetic and enthusiastic about how
the law could help people who have suffered domestic violence and other
injustices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;">“That’s what I do! I advocate. I see a need
and I try to fill it the best I can.”</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">The
211 Gift</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">A part of our job at 211 is to conduct follow-ups with our
callers, not only to give them resources but to ensure they were able to access them. We call back to see if our referrals were able to provide
assistance and if not, why, and what barriers can we break through problem
solving so our callers are able to get the assistance they need. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">When I called ‘Valerie’
back I wanted to ensure that all of
her basic needs were being met and that her and her child were safe. She told
me about her assistance with rent, utilities and
food, so they were no longer a stress factor in her life. We talked about Metro Parks
and the program she was starting to develop. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; margin: 0px;">“I put it
together and presented it to Metro Parks and it was accepted by them! I am
still working on it!”</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">I was so impressed with the initiative that ‘Valerie’
had taken. Even though she was struggling and trying to find assistance for
herself, she had still taken the time to call Metro Parks and inquire about self-defense courses and yet still found the energy from within to
start the process of developing a program for our community so others feel
empowered and safe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">This is not an easy or quick process, yet ‘Valerie’ has
devoted her time to find a way she can move this
program development along. Just knowing that this was something she was
thinking about and working on was unbelievable to me. She had gone above and
beyond for her community, and that has inspired me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.33px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">‘Valerie’ dialed 211 and expected to be let down the way many before had let her down. Instead, she was
connected to people who believed in her mission and the power one voice has to make an impact.
Valerie walked away from our first conversation with tools in her belt that she
was not expecting to gain from calling 211. Now, ‘Valerie’ knows she has a
resource to call whenever she is in need, or wanting to connect others to help. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">“You have always been such a blessing every time I
call.”</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 17.33px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">211 is a call for help. Sometimes help comes in ways you
don’t expect. ‘Valerie’ did not get the resources she was originally looking
for...that happens and that is okay. Like many of our callers, ‘Valerie’
was given so much more than what she was looking for. Sometimes the help you
need is help finding your voice and the encouragement to advocate for yourself
to make change. </span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Stories like hers are why I am so proud of the job I do.
211 connects people to resources for </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">help, and in this case it connected me to ‘Valerie’,
who not only wanted help for herself but to help build a safer, healthier and
happier community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Get connected. Get answers. Make change. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; margin: 0px;">Would you like to support 2-1-1? Click here to give locally to <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/give"><span style="color: blue;">United
Way of Pierce County</span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; margin: 0px;"> ****</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; margin: 0px;">United Way of Pierce County operates South Sound 2-1-1, which
connects nearly 90,000 contacts each year in Pierce, Thurston and Lewis
Counties.</span></div>
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United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-75963692816322390112019-10-21T12:20:00.000-07:002019-10-21T12:20:00.204-07:00Celebrating National Financial Goal Day<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p> By guest blogger, Jeff Dade, Director, Family Stability Initiatives, United Way of Pierce County</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: italic;">I</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: italic;"> did it again! I promised myself I wouldn’t use the card this
time. How am I ever going to make headway on this credit balance or get the new
tires I need? I’m horrible with money!"</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;">"</span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My girls will never have it as bad as I did growing up. I’ll do
whatever it takes to make sure they have the best of the best. I’ll figure out
how to come with the money for bills later."</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: italic;">I</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: italic;"> can’t believe this bank. I’ve been a customer for years and they
won’t forgive this little mistake. Sure, I’ve had a lot of NSF’s recently, but
doesn’t loyalty mean anything anymore?"</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;"> "</span><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No, I don’t want to see my credit. That stuff is confusing and it
probably doesn’t matter anyway. I’m pretty sure mine is bad."<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’ve spent 25 years in finance with the last five, focused wholly on financial well-being and these comments are paraphrases that clients have consistently shared. Coaching thousands of people
has given me a rare view into a “forbidden” world. Somehow it gets passed on
that we must always show a strong front when it comes to money. Yet, virtually
everyone has money problems. For some that may just mean making critical
decisions, but others face dire situations daily; many of them with long-term
repercussions. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In honor of National Financial Goal Day I’d like to quickly
share a few things with you: </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1) My personal message, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">2) A definition for
financial well-being and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">3) Some strategies to move forward. Let’s begin!</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1) </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shame OFF you! You are resilient, whole, and able to make changes
in your life. If you’re like me, you didn’t grow up with any financial
education other than what not to do (and I still did it). Remember that money
is emotional and money shame unsettles us, keeping us from making our best
choices or seeking help. Finally, you are never weak for accepting financial
guidance. In fact, it’s a point of pride for the affluent to regularly have
multiple advisors their lives.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2) </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ‘s <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/financial-well-being-america/"><span style="color: blue;">national survey and research</span></a> coalesced to
define American financial well-being. It says that we feel the most financially
capable when we:</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">·</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">have control over day-to-day, month-to-month finances</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">·</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">have the capability to absorb a financial shock</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">·</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">are on track to meet financial goals, and</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">·</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">have the financial freedom to make choices that allow one to enjoy
life</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Makes sense, right? Most folks read that and nod
their heads, but it’s not enough to just state the truth. What are we going to
do about it? Here’s a very quick snapshot for clarity and self-assessment.
Visualize your life and consider this path below:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPK4_xBUluno49J-MxHzqwRwrlDmt_QDCjZEH789rBJrfzWRpwTdHXq547p0-ojOot7ZVj3lov4Co0JNHM5boZcok8QAVfRzVTtJCplrvQTbW8G8S7j_L4mxED_yAwND1e8Ozl_n7fvoY/s1600/National+Goal+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="135" data-original-width="619" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPK4_xBUluno49J-MxHzqwRwrlDmt_QDCjZEH789rBJrfzWRpwTdHXq547p0-ojOot7ZVj3lov4Co0JNHM5boZcok8QAVfRzVTtJCplrvQTbW8G8S7j_L4mxED_yAwND1e8Ozl_n7fvoY/s640/National+Goal+art.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #44546a; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/bcfp_financial-well-being_pathways-role-financial-capability_research-brief.pdf" target="_blank">Figure 1 CFPB</a></span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #44546a; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3) </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At United Way's Center for Strong Families we adopt an <i>Earn,
Keep, Grow</i> attitude and offer free financial and employment coaching
along with benefits screening at seven locations throughout Pierce County. Our
staff is trained with robust national industry standards so that they can be
your trusted partner. There’s no judgment, just good work that matters and
a <a href="https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=5c5ccd7d51fb494b9ed5f6d645528eaf"><span style="color: blue;">proven track record</span></a>. Since 2016, our clients have
continued to make the decision to commit themselves to their own financial
well-being and self-sufficiency in areas like budgeting, credit upgrades, debt
reduction, savings development, cash management, and more.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, back to those four measures of financial
well-being. Here are some ways to make them actionable right now:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Use a <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-1020-make-budget-worksheet.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">budget form</span></a> regularly together with
automation (online bill pay, banking apps, etc.) to control and maintain your
mental money picture<span style="font-size: 18px;">. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Start as
small as you need to, but open that savings account and ask HR to make a
separate direct deposit into it every payday. You’re allowed to use your
emergency fund as a buffer, but don’t negate its existence by transferring all
the time. Set it and forget it…until you need it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">If you don’t state your goals, how will
you ever know you made it? Think about what you REALLY want. At the end of our
lives, most of us value people and experiences over stuff (yes even over cars).
Does your money reflect your real values?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Find accountability
partners. Take some time to discuss this with people you trust, then write your
goals down. You can even post them around the house for reinforcement. This
will help you to live without regret and buyer’s remorse.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I hope this message helps you or someone you know. We’re dedicated to the financial self-sufficiency movement, but we know we can never be fully successful without your help. Share this with someone you know. Start conversations at home, work, church, and the gym. Shining the light on financial well-being and making it commonplace takes the power of money shame away. Let us know if we can help and best of luck as you personalize your financial goals today. Learn more about our <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/strong-families-1" target="_blank">Center for Strong Families</a>.</span></div>
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United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-63100343812948040582019-10-01T10:09:00.003-07:002019-10-01T10:09:15.951-07:00Read United Wraps Up for the Summer <br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">By guest blogger, Allison Loft, Volunteer Engagement Manager, United Way of Pierce County</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fall is here in all its glory, but don’t forget to savor the
memorable moments of summer. Summer highlights at United Way of Pierce County included
supporting the Hunger Free Pierce County Collaboration meal sites with books,
activities and snack packs. For the past five years United Way has helped prevent ‘the summer slide’, when students can lose up to two months
of learning over the summer. <i>READ United:
Summer</i> is designed to keep children engaged and excited about reading and
learning over the summer months. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTjstP_lKXEVi3xXD7iaQQCqB7405tw6nM6i01t7d3CIJAtx5Atj-rWRgnC6qcOCY3xqalVcc0TS05C0mSuf9MiDhIK6QpFnPbTBltEk3b0yU2dxWBHye0SE0bZNGfmQaUsfkN_DNfzJP/s1600/Summer+Reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTjstP_lKXEVi3xXD7iaQQCqB7405tw6nM6i01t7d3CIJAtx5Atj-rWRgnC6qcOCY3xqalVcc0TS05C0mSuf9MiDhIK6QpFnPbTBltEk3b0yU2dxWBHye0SE0bZNGfmQaUsfkN_DNfzJP/s320/Summer+Reading.jpg" width="267" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">United Way staff and
volunteers visit free summer meal sites in high-need, low-access areas to read
with kids and give away books for the children to keep and read at home
anytime. The impact made over the 2019 summer at meal sites through <i>Read United: Summer</i>. With the help of
six corporate partners, community volunteers and two interns, Read United:
Summer 2019 engaged:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> 236 children participated at four sites</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1,036 new books were
distributed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">90% of children reported that the program helped them
focus on reading</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More than 1/3 of the children who
participated, reported that they did not have new books at home before this
program. </span></li>
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We also provided supplemental snack packs for
the children to take home with them. Thanks to the efforts of our corporate
sponsors and volunteers we were able to assemble <b>3,050 snack packs</b> which were
distributed throughout the summer. They were a BIG hit, as 100 percent of the
children reported the snack packs made a difference during their day. Thank you
to our sponsors and volunteers for helping us lift 15,000 local families out of
poverty. For more information on <i>Read United: Summer</i> and other volunteer
opportunities, email <a href="mailto:volunteer@uwpc.org">volunteer@uwpc.org</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2019 Summer Highlight</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This year, Brown & Brown participated in Read United:
Summer by sending volunteers every week to Salishan, where over 30 children
participated every day. One Tuesday, Leslie from Brown & Brown volunteered
and was inspired by one young man’s love of reading. 'Sam', a 14 year old who
participated in the summer activities, told Leslie about how much he enjoyed
reading a certain book and was excited to have his own copy. He and Leslie
visited about different books they enjoyed and Sam made a lasting impression on
Leslie. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9J1sYl6KT1MdPOWLSGzhPt2t_9kHPp8pu5-gCRDBPLB1XgolfT3k_PAr-fncwLk0wvG05NhGh1uKYwZq5KMaZryOIfYRkzux2fk9XaaNwEHArVW2hyLTau9bHUaThts3UfA3lvQIEUWce/s1600/Leslie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="425" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9J1sYl6KT1MdPOWLSGzhPt2t_9kHPp8pu5-gCRDBPLB1XgolfT3k_PAr-fncwLk0wvG05NhGh1uKYwZq5KMaZryOIfYRkzux2fk9XaaNwEHArVW2hyLTau9bHUaThts3UfA3lvQIEUWce/s200/Leslie.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next day she reached out to United Way to see if she could give him
a whole set of the books that he enjoyed,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“…<i>I have had a few opportunities in
my life to see someone so happy and excited to own a book and it has made a big
impression on me every time. Thank you so much for sharing your enthusiasm.
It’s so wonderful to see the excitement and love of books in someone who
obviously loves to read so much,</i> ” said Leslie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sam was amazed when he received the gift from
Leslie a few weeks later with a note, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>“I thank you for the books that you gave to me. I
was surprised that someone took the thought and care to gift me with something
so incredible. It was refreshing to know that there are good people out there
in the world. The book set is awesome and the start for my own library. My mom
has a dream of getting a house of our own and creating a library in it.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What a difference one person can make! Visit <a href="http://uwpc.org/">uwpc.org</a> to find
out how you can join us for volunteer opportunities throughout the year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-37492449154384582372019-09-04T10:31:00.004-07:002019-09-04T10:35:49.796-07:00Ride United is Here!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By guest blogger Danielle Robertson, South Sound 2-1-1 Transportation Specialist</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Thank you for calling
South Sound 211, how can I help you?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I need transportation
assistance today to get to my medical appointment at 2pm. I have had to cancel
the past two appointments because I couldn’t find transportation.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I sit listening to the urgency in the caller’s voice and
I learn that my caller is unable to safely get to the bus from where she lives
and does not have the money to pay for a transportation program such as Lyft. I
stare at the screen of transportation resources that my caller is not eligible
for, preparing myself to tell my caller that there are not transportation
options that can help get them to their appointment today at 2 pm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If only there was a program that was designed specifically
for this situation…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Thank you for calling
South Sound 211, how can I help you?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“My car won’t start
and if I am late to work one more time, I will lose my job. I need to be there
in a half hour.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once again, I find myself taking a sharp breath preparing
myself to tell another caller that there is not a transportation resource that
is able to provide transportation right now to get them to work. The only
option that is able to provide immediate transportation is the bus or a paid
ride sharing program like Lyft. I sit there knowing that if this caller is
unable to get to work and loses their job, they won’t be able to afford rent
and could become homeless. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If only there was a program that was designed for this
situation…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Thank you for calling
South Sound 211, how can I help you?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I couldn’t make it to
my appointment to receive utility assistance because the bus does not run where
I live. I missed my appointment. Our utilities were shut off for a week and
half. Now I have to pay a late fee and reconnection fee in addition to the
utility bill. All of this could have been prevented, if I had only had
transportation to get to my original appointment” <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If they only had transportation. Their utility bill would
have been paid on time. They would not have had their utilities shut off and
have to replace the food that went bad. They wouldn’t be scrambling to find the
money to pay these late fees and reconnections. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If only there was a program that could have prevented this
situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ride United to the Rescue!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kdmz2omI0nZY99ZsbQOsl_Lw7PLDSMUhX6tcbYRNDRyruMHbu7Xp8BGUOvxDEIDn_QR9T9gbe0QC6su3C9lRvWf44ta64T_2IQTZxpnSvLxTotK80Fqz97nZnerQdgYITxV3Mh-2nHqo/s1600/Small+cell+phone+w+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kdmz2omI0nZY99ZsbQOsl_Lw7PLDSMUhX6tcbYRNDRyruMHbu7Xp8BGUOvxDEIDn_QR9T9gbe0QC6su3C9lRvWf44ta64T_2IQTZxpnSvLxTotK80Fqz97nZnerQdgYITxV3Mh-2nHqo/s320/Small+cell+phone+w+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Transportation remains one of the largest barriers facing
211 clients who are trying to secure employment, access medical care, obtain
healthy food, and escape emergencies and crises. Without reliable
transportation people struggle to complete the most basic daily activities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That is why Ride United was created.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In June 2018, Lyft partnered with United Way and 211 to
launch a pilot program to address this gap in resources. When eligible
individuals call 211 and express a transportation need, a 211 specialist
assesses their need, looks for available resources, and if none are available,
they are able to utilize Lyft’s Concierge portal to dispatch a free round trip
ride on behalf of the individual. This summer, Ride United expanded to
twenty-five 211 communities across the US, including South Sound 211, to
start providing free Lyft rides for qualifying individuals seeking to meet the
highest unmet needs in our communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We are excited about the partnership between United Way and
Lyft to add Ride United as a resource available to individuals in our
community. This is a wonderful opportunity to provide even better service in
the area of transportation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This means that people living in 5 targeted Tacoma zip codes
(98404, 98405, 98408, 98409 and 98444) can receive an on-demand round trip Lyft
ride when no other transportation option is available for:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Medical Related Transportation Needs</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Medicare Appointment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Non-Emergency Medical Appointment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pharmacy/ Prescription Pick Up</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Non-Emergency Hospital Visit</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Employment Related Transportation Needs</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Job Interview</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Job Training</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Job Fair</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pre-job Requirements</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One Time Work Trip</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Public Benefits</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Department of Social and Human Services</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Social Security Administration</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rental Assistance Appointment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Utility Assistance Appointment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WIC Appointment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tax Preparation Services</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Financial Coaching</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Medicaid/CHIP Benefits Access</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Housing Benefits Access</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ride United Works Wonders</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the past year, United Way has seen great success and
benefit in partnering with Lyft through Ride United. Across the nation, 211’s
are able to provide transportation when there were no other options for people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Houston, a 66-year-old needed assistance with
transportation to her last physical therapy appointment and a follow-up
appointment with her physician. She explained that she’d suffered from a stroke
and lost the ability to care for herself with daily tasks, including brushing
her teeth, washing, and getting dressed. Even a simple task became seemingly
unmanageable. She shared that her son usually drove her to the appointments,
but had finally started a new job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The local </span>211 was able to provide her with a ride to and from her appointments
to ensure she received the care she needed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Denver, 211 was able to assist a disabled veteran who had
been homeless through the Ride United program. This individual had been
homeless for some time and was only able to move with the help of a
walker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing he was in need of
transportation to the Veteran Services Center in order to get assistance
applying for housing and other essential services, he called 211 for help. When
he was told that he would receive a ride and get the help he needed, he was
very happy, thankful, and hopeful that things were beginning to change for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The value and need for transportation is often overlooked by
most people who have reliable transportation, but for those who do not have
reliable transportation it becomes a barrier and affects their lives in
multiple ways. South Sound 211 is excited to be able to provide transportation
to individuals in our community in a new way that can change their lives and
help remove barriers for individuals and families in Pierce County. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To learn more visit uwpc.org/get-help-now</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-68109217621924630082019-08-21T13:58:00.001-07:002019-08-21T13:58:12.817-07:00South Sound 2-11: Get Connected. Get Help. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">By
Guest Blogger, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Walter Neary</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">, Content Manager, Internal Communications at</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> MultiCare</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieho4MSIkWpOMjghWgGh62dn9rtKpHXRenPVCbv57W29SXnwTFzDGZeNU1ywHsZCsSyA294ZBiJw6XWDBQU8XJBMnlMHO4yXMDkl41uf0a6Uo5jNb_I_cRjGxnzUg7WPaxhbW2P45h-vEu/s1600/MultiCare+intranet+cover+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="1119" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieho4MSIkWpOMjghWgGh62dn9rtKpHXRenPVCbv57W29SXnwTFzDGZeNU1ywHsZCsSyA294ZBiJw6XWDBQU8XJBMnlMHO4yXMDkl41uf0a6Uo5jNb_I_cRjGxnzUg7WPaxhbW2P45h-vEu/s640/MultiCare+intranet+cover+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Thirty
seconds into the phone call, there is a piercing scream that would give you
tinnitus in your ear if you don’t already have it. J’nai Starks smiles. This
isn’t new to her when she answers a call to South Sound 2-1-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">A
child began screaming while her mother is on the phone. Of course, the mom must
pause in her conversation with Starks. “I’m sorry I don’t know what just
happened,” the mother says to Starks as the mother makes sounds consistent with
comforting a child. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“It’s
OK. I have children. I can wait for you,” Starks says. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
mom settles the child, and the call to 2-1-1 continues. The Parkland woman had
just started receiving food aid, and workers had suggested she call 2-1-1 for
other services that might help her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">When
you support the United Way, you support this 2-1-1 service. United Way is well known
for allocating funding to nonprofits with a proven track record of lifting
people from poverty. But United Way also operates a service used by countless
MultiCare patients and their families: the information resource 2-1-1. By
calling 2-1-1, the same way you’d dial 911 in an emergency, a caller can get an
enormous amount of advice and resources to provide support in difficult times.
2-1-1 is operated in South Puget Sound by United Way of Pierce County and supported
statewide by a broad variety of United Ways including United Way of Spokane
County.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Starks
is not only building empathy during the call, but also filling out a form about
each caller that then taps a database of thousands of resources. The names,
numbers and hours of social service agencies that might help this particular
caller fly up on the screen. On her second screen, Starks cuts and pastes those
resources for a text message she’ll be sending the mom. It will be a
personalized survival guide for someone dealing with poverty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Thank
you. I don’t know what to ask for because I don’t know what is out there,” the
mom says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Starks
is one of a dozen operators in the mini call center at the time of this visit.
Some of them have more than a crying baby to deal with. On the other side of
the room, another conversation is pausing for a different reason. The caller
must be distraught, for the 2-1-1 specialist can be overheard telling the
caller, “It’s OK. Take a long, deep breath for me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“We
get that a lot,” Penni Belcher says later. Belcher is the Director for South Sound 2-1-1 at
United Way of Pierce County. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">United
Way is presiding over a revolution in how they provide 2-1-1 service. The new
2-1-1 is not your father’s 2-1-1 or even your big sister’s 2-1-1. Lately, the
organization wants to get to know people when they call. And in a new twist,
there are times when 2-1-1 is just as likely to <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">call
someone who might otherwise call in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Getting to know you</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
2-1-1 specialists are in a call center. They’re not selling anything, far from
it, but they’re sitting at cubies and conducting call after call. So that’s why
this new approach is so surprising.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">In
most call centers, you want to make the sale and get the customer off the phone
so you can take the next call and make another sale. In the old days of 2-1-1,
it was totally appropriate to get one question – What’s the food bank closest
to me? – and answer it and boom, all done and good. Next call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Today,
2-1-1 specialists are told to trust their instincts and try to determine if
there might be reasons someone wants the food bank or whatever resource they’re
looking for. Have they lost their job? Are their bills overwhelming? Are they
about to be homeless?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">And
so, Belcher’s team is drawing out conversations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“We
want folks to call in because we want to have a conversation with them. We want
to hear their story. We want to dive deep and understand what’s going on
throughout the household so we can offer wraparound services and build that rapport
and trust,” Belcher says. “This is about supporting the person during the
conversation, not about spelling out the name of the street that a resource is
on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">So
how do you get to know someone on the phone when they’re just asking for one
thing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“Usually
our people start with ‘Can you tell me more? Can you tell me why you need help;
did you lose your job? What happened that you had to pay this unexpected bill?’”
says Denise Cervantes, Transportation and Training Associate. “We might ask
them<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to tell us more about what
happened, find out why they don’t have money for their rent. “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">So
to become a 2-1-1 specialist, you must be able to do more than just look up a
food bank address quickly. When hiring, “We look for a high level of energy and
personability, the ability to have deep conversations that go on for a long
time with people who they don’t know,” Cervantes says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">So
you heard it right. This is a call center that actually wants its calls to be
longer. Of course… some people just want the address. And that’s just fine. But
on the longer calls, 2-1-1 usually finds it can recommend more services than
the caller had first predicted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“A
lot of times, people may call about bills or particular services. You may not
find out, until you dig deeper, that they need child care to help lift
themselves out of their situation,” Belcher says. ”We allow people to tell
their story. We’ve trained our people to listen more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s
been eye opening.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">2-1-1 calls you</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">There
are a couple of reasons that 2-1-1 might be the one calling you. For one thing,
there’s a great emphasis on measuring their results. So when 2-1-1 refers
someone to a place, 2-1-1 will follow up with a call to see if the person
actually visited or called.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">But
the most innovative reason to call is a pilot program where 2-1-1 is trying to
prevent homelessness. It’s part of a program established by Pierce County to
try to help families at risk of homelessness. The program has been going on for
years now through in-person visits. Someone identifies the household at risk,
and someone from a social service agency then visits the person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s
exactly what United Way of Pierce County is doing, but they’re not visiting.
They are calling people from the call center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">One
of the people making the calls is Elvia Beltrane. Beltrane used to be one of
the specialists helping people who call in, but now in the pilot her role is
called “Housing Solutions Navigator.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Beltrane
calls people and in a conversation that could take hours, works to identify
solutions to their situation and most importantly, help people understand that
they have it within themselves to find answers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“When
I hear expressions of self-doubt, I try to encourage them that there’s ways of
dealing with their situation. When I hear signs of self-doubt and self-pity,
it’s my cue to try to boost them up,” Beltrane says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">She
uses the example of a pregnant woman who was living in a car with her first
child, who’s now 19. She had originally called 2-1-1 to get resources. The
staff flagged her as someone homeless, and Beltrane called her. She helped the
woman set some goals and identify temporary solutions; the woman and her
daughter now have a place to live and the woman is working in a call center in
Lacey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">“The
other vital piece besides listening is to work with them on their goals and
their next steps. We talked about how we will we take what we’ve learned today
to build momentum to get out of this current situation,” Beltrane says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">What
that means in practical terms is that people are staying in touch and letting
Beltrane know how they’re doing, even after they’re no longer homeless. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Belcher
says, “Families are staying in contact with Elvia longer-term, I’ve seen her
get messages like, “Hey Elvia, I wanted to let you know I just got my GED. Or
I’ve got a job interview. There’s a relationship where she’s been supporting
them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">This
is different than the old 2-1-1 where the employee had to be careful to spell
out street names and was just trying to offer a resource. Now United Way of
Pierce County is offering communications and empathy – and more assistance and
support to those who need it most. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Would
you like to support 2-1-1 and the United Way’s attack on poverty? Click here to
learn how to support the <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/give" target="_blank">United Way campaign</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">United Way of Pierce County operates South Sound 2-1-1, which connects nearly 90,000 contacts each year in Pierce, Thurston and Lewis Counties.</span></span></div>
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<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-86758742065667700502019-07-16T08:41:00.002-07:002019-07-16T08:55:03.546-07:00Curbing the Summer Slide: Read United At Meal Sites <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summer break is highly anticipated and celebrated by most children. However, for children who rely on school for meals and reading enrichment, it can be a challenge. Did you know that children can lose up to two months of learning over the summer break? For children in high-need areas with no access to books or summer learning activities, the loss can be even greater. Read United: Summer is designed to keep children engaged and excited about reading and learning over the summer months. United Way of Pierce County staff, interns and volunteers visit free summer meal sites in high-need, low-access areas throughout the summer to read with kids and give away books for the children to keep and read at home anytime!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the first time, United Way of Pierce County is helping to ensure children are receiving supplemental snacks to feed their bodies in addition to books to feed their minds over the summer! On United Way Worldwide’s Day of Action in June, 3,050 Summer Snack Packs and 150 Summer Learning Packs were assembled. We are grateful to our corporate sponsors and volunteers, whose support made this project possible. The snack packs, which include healthy packaged items and shelf-stable milk, will be distributed each week to 150+ children at the Read United: Summer sites in Tacoma, Lakewood and Franklin Pierce school districts. Children in attendance will also have the opportunity to sign up for ongoing engagement for 6-8 weeks and receive a Summer Learning Pack to keep them motivated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Research on book deserts, areas that lack of access to print reading materials, show that the summer months drastically limit book access in high-poverty neighborhoods, according to Urban Education. The effects of the summer slide are cumulative: losing months of learning each summer can place children an entire grade behind their peers over the duration of their elementary education and researchers estimate that by the time a struggling reader reaches middle school, summer reading loss has accumulated to a two-year lag in reading achievement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Join us and make a difference for a child in need this summer. By bringing together caring individuals, resources and summer feeding and reading programs,you can take advantage of a great opportunity to support summer learning and cultivate a love of reading with children. This is a multi-disciplinary approach with Hunger-Free Pierce County to enhance the educational component of their work. Through effective partnerships, we trust more children can be impacted by this approach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more information about Read United, please email volunteer@uwpc.org or register for a lunchtime volunteer session here</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://uwpc.galaxydigital.com/need/?s=1&need_init_id=89" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">volunteer session here</a><br />
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<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-90433462373929191962019-07-01T10:42:00.004-07:002019-07-01T10:42:42.550-07:00A Fresh Start for Melissa<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="83kon" data-offset-key="5hvld-0-0" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
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<span style="color: #2f3638; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We recently received a letter of thanks for South Sound 2-1-1 support. Elvia, one of our amazing team members, got this lovely thank you that we want to share with you. Without your support we would not be able to help tens of thousands of Pierce, Thurston and Lewis County residents every year! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvZzK38ds1yXUTQ17PQf-dkuCfTrGMSF7nAWBdqeecId3NBbZN22wbRKAlfMVSGe2QXu4hnnNhDsJmEXZRGM9l8IGHy5py3WmHGnjsADEP8GBK4FWUcyueHY9RwrYup-LDGSJJFj7XI3r/s1600/Melissa+photo+for+public.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="470" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvZzK38ds1yXUTQ17PQf-dkuCfTrGMSF7nAWBdqeecId3NBbZN22wbRKAlfMVSGe2QXu4hnnNhDsJmEXZRGM9l8IGHy5py3WmHGnjsADEP8GBK4FWUcyueHY9RwrYup-LDGSJJFj7XI3r/s320/Melissa+photo+for+public.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #2f3638; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"My name is Melissa. I have a 19 year old daughter named Stephanie who I had when I was 16. Now I’m having a baby boy due on August 13th. We were leaving a domestic violence situation and were homeless, living in a car, when I reached Elvia at 211. She provided many resources that helped me to meet our needs, including a gift card to help me get some things for the baby. I was able to find a more consistent job and an apartment for us!
With the financial help that was provided, we were able to move into our new home on June 15th.... in time for my baby boy! I am so grateful for the help and fresh start for me-- and more importantly my children.
Thank you so much!"
Melissa</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3brfl-0-0"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To learn more about South Sound 2-1-1 visit our <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/stable-individuals-south-sound-2-1-1" target="_blank">web page</a>, download the <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/sites/uwpc.org/files/2018%20South%20Sound%202-1-1%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">annual 2-1-1 report </a>or make a <a href="https://ssl.charityweb.net/uwpc/" target="_blank">gift to support</a> our work!</span></span></div>
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United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com95tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-5399985820730261412019-05-08T09:50:00.004-07:002019-05-08T12:46:24.608-07:00Paying it Forward with 2-1-1<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">By Guest Blogger, J'nai Starks, South Sound 2-1-1 Workforce Navigator </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEqTanvYZntPbiFP0Oek_xvAqi2mPpx0QxnAwaz0WNvxMQKNsfBBmfJ7k3R0a8Of-1HDzhqkqw27b3zu0tutWlrUjuEgOyIQ8l2myLJ2l7bL1VD_cRYJ3G6H2M3bPXrlufuAOXvOoths6/s1600/J%2527nai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEqTanvYZntPbiFP0Oek_xvAqi2mPpx0QxnAwaz0WNvxMQKNsfBBmfJ7k3R0a8Of-1HDzhqkqw27b3zu0tutWlrUjuEgOyIQ8l2myLJ2l7bL1VD_cRYJ3G6H2M3bPXrlufuAOXvOoths6/s320/J%2527nai.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I have always
been a person that has a passion to help people in need. Even in grade school,
I always made a point to speak to our janitors because I knew that there is
more than what you see on the surface. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Everyone has
feelings and is important to someone else. In fact, without workers like
this, our infrastructure would crumble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I have carried
this attitude throughout my life. In my late teens and early 20’s I would go
out and feed homeless people on my own. Taking my own money and making sack
lunches, and not just PB & J sandwiches either, but full-on lunches. The
look on their faces when they opened those bags filled my heart with happiness
and gave me hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I myself have
been in crisis and there was nowhere to turn. This left me in a position of feeling
hopeless. One day, I saw a sign somewhere that said just that, “Nowhere to
turn? Call 2-1-1.” So, I did. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I
was connected to resources to help me in my time of need. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I personally
know the struggle of the 2-1-1 caller being vulnerable and feeling shame in
asking for help. That’s why I know I must always bring compassion, empathy and
empowerment with me every day to work so I can be that bright spot in someone’s
day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Many times, I
have had someone call in tears, to say they don’t know what to do-- or where to
turn. By the end of that call, I have identified resources and
provided words of encouragement so they know to keep fighting and also to know,
that this storm will pass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">One person I
remember very well is Gary. He was scared and crying and worried about his
health. He wanted to know where to go to get a health test. During that call,
Gary shared that he was homeless and living in his car. He also told me, he
didn’t want to live anymore, because life has gotten so hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I wanted Gary
to know that it was going to be ok and life was worth living. <span style="color: red;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>So I took the
time to talk to him but mostly I listened. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of our job involves listening so we can
find the best solutions for each person. <span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I encouraged
Gary to be strong and whatever challenges he faced-- to know he can get thru
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of our call he was
laughing and told me he had the will to live. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Gary said he
felt that no one listened to him, but I took the time to let him vent, speak
his heart and listen to him as he explained his life to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Not only did I
provide resources for where he can go to get a health test but I also provided
resources to Gary over the phone and thru email which included shelters, safe
parking, local food pantries and gas vouchers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Gary responded
to me later that day saying: “You gave me hope this evening<span style="color: #1f497d;">,</span> your voice made me feel like I was not alone
anymore. This is a testament to your courage and ability in your job and your
unwavering support for broken people. You gave me hope and it instilled. I
cannot express how deeply your words meant to me. You took away my fear
regardless of the pending outcome.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">One week later,
I followed up<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>with Gary and he told me: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Everything is going great! Your help, helped! So
far, I'm doing much better and I guess I had to go through all of that to
sharpen me more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have utilized church<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>services for: Gas, a phone card and food pantry
services-- so far my health is better! And my test was negative.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">That is just
one of many stories. Which is why I do what I do and why I love it. Without
2-1-1, many lives would be at stake financially, emotionally and
physically. Each of us are here on earth to do our part – and building up
our community to be the best that it can be, by being a member of the 2-1-1
team, I am given the opportunity to do just that every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I love working
at 2-1-1.<span style="color: red;"> </span>To know that I am helping our
community, one member at a time warms my heart and makes me want to be a better
person every day. Thank you for your time and I hope each of you are doing
your part as well.</span></div>
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<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-37398758521272148802019-05-08T09:43:00.002-07:002019-05-08T09:43:11.189-07:00My Story...So Far <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By Guest Blogger Markiss Cooper, owner/partner, iHAUL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I became a
father at the early age of 16. I was soon paying child support, which is tough
when you’re a kid and you’re still in high school. In no time at all, I was
$3,000 in debt and that debt just kept growing. I dropped out of high school so
I could work. As you can imagine, that debt stacked up and I was on an uphill
battle just to survive, much less find a path forward.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Fast forward, I
got my high school diploma and started community college where I earned my
associates degree. During that time, I got married and we have a wonderful 7-year
old daughter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I moved to
Tacoma where I worked in a charter school where things were very tumultuous. My
uncle introduced me to Tim at Sound Outreach and with Tim, who runs united
Way’s Center for Strong Families. Right away, I connected with Tim—he’s someone
I can really talk with. I got myself set up with a financial coach, went
through literacy training. I grew my savings while I improved my credit score.
These may seem like small things, but they grew into bigger things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">For example, my
credit score went from the low 500s to the high 700’s. Once I understood more
about what I could do with the assets I had, then it opened up my eyes to other
possibilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I was so proud
the day I could buy a 2012 Sierra pick up. Because you see, I had always been
entrepreneurial and taken on odd jobs to help people move things and it was Tim
who planted the seed in me. What if I could start my own business?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">That’s exactly
what I did. In January 2018, iHAUL, was launched--the hardest working logistics
partner in South Puget Sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s true.
Today, I am running my own business. It’s a small start-up with big ideas. We
provide White Glove Delivery Service, Room-of-Choice Service for Residential
and Commercial Deliveries. Each of my team members are expertly trained,
hard-working and honest home delivery movers, who are just as dedicated to
their work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">They’re like
most people who struggle but work hard. I am proof that you can reach your
goals and I am grateful for United Way’s Center for Strong Families and for
Sound Outreach for taking a chance on me. It was also one best decisions I’ve
ever made. Besides marrying my wife and having our family together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-1829268649697646372019-05-08T09:36:00.003-07:002019-05-08T10:39:05.143-07:00Nourishing our Community<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">By Guest Blogger, Sue
Potter, Executive Director, Nourish Pierce County. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOZX-1yrn1ekoifwZYNXiSKDhmfnYHdNZ9tIVT_ZfC8sl0x8MvxMTmEzrXNEiCYwoRt3JrezuHCQsExhs7QtRMW9sRwBoSxVQcQGGUZ3pKvp4cLhnF5pCvmpXlHX_25ltB-s_1HO_Ht4x/s1600/Nourish-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOZX-1yrn1ekoifwZYNXiSKDhmfnYHdNZ9tIVT_ZfC8sl0x8MvxMTmEzrXNEiCYwoRt3JrezuHCQsExhs7QtRMW9sRwBoSxVQcQGGUZ3pKvp4cLhnF5pCvmpXlHX_25ltB-s_1HO_Ht4x/s320/Nourish-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sue Potter (right)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Nourish is the
largest network of Food Banks in the County, operating 24 distributions
sites. Our reach is vast. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Last year,
one-third of all food bank visits in the county are to a Nourish food bank. In
fact, 7% of Pierce County visited a Nourish food bank at least once last year.
We couldn’t reach that many people in need without partners like the
United Way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I’d like to publicly thank United Way for
the generous donation of a refrigerated vehicle. It sounds so simple, but let
me tell you, it has helped us to redistribute thousands of pounds if fresh
produce to over 61,000 food bank customers. The addition of a refrigerated box
truck, brings the total number of vehicles in the refrigerated vehicle fleet to
five. These vehicles are used for food rescue, meal delivery, gleaning and
perishable donation pickups, resulting in nearly <b>250,000 pounds of food and
the equivalent of more than 220,000 meals</b>. Thank you all for making it a
priority to move people out of hunger in our community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Having fresh
produce has helped us to improve the variety of nutritious food options. Fresh
fruit and produce at food banks is The Gold Standard and because of United Way,
we meet this standard. The latest truck in our fleet is gold and we lovingly
refer to her as Goldy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I want to tell
you about Debbie, who still tears up when she talks about her trips to the
Nourish Pierce County food bank. “It’s just temporary … just temporary,” she
says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">She and her
husband recently suffered through a series of difficulties and suddenly found
themselves not able to make ends meet. Since she lost her job, they’re on one
income for five people.. She was working in a warehouse and making a decent
wage, but physical limitations and trying to “keep up with the kids” left her
out in the cold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Adding to the
woes, both her car and her husband’s car died on their way to work just a few
weeks apart. After 12 years without car payments, they now have two. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">She tells us,
if it wasn’t for the food bank, we would have to decide between food and paying
our expenses. This is a godsend. The food they get here lets them know they are
going to have enough food to last you a week or so.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1P0_h_tXsiYMaXCEiBBu1WELbdjZl1pQFH3JjVvukhCTwysO4HYiVMpKNSDijyDZ_3DvyP4SVr1quzwFnhLbB-D5_6zm_0JZV0UpNZzFkyMG0-KJA9GREoxrQj0fMXS1K8eKP36oYOFY_/s1600/Goldy+the+Box+Truck-+jpeg+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1513" data-original-width="1473" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1P0_h_tXsiYMaXCEiBBu1WELbdjZl1pQFH3JjVvukhCTwysO4HYiVMpKNSDijyDZ_3DvyP4SVr1quzwFnhLbB-D5_6zm_0JZV0UpNZzFkyMG0-KJA9GREoxrQj0fMXS1K8eKP36oYOFY_/s200/Goldy+the+Box+Truck-+jpeg+sm.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Goldy' the newest in the fleet</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Debbie and her
family are one of thousands of people in our community who would not have food
if it wasn’t for the support of<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>partners
like United Way of Pierce County. They are one of the driving forces behind
Hunger-Free Pierce County. And by driving, in my case, I mean literally. United
Way has funded mobile food delivery in the County. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-25729211767625880232019-03-21T10:50:00.001-07:002019-03-21T10:50:47.251-07:00Innovative Cooking Skills Program Addresses Hunger in Pierce County<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="font-weight: normal;">National Nutrition Month contribution by guest blogger, Shawn Paton, Director, Community Building & Investments, United Way of Pierce County</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a growing body of evidence that supports the theory
that when people eat well, they stay healthier and are better able to control
chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease or perhaps avoid them altogether. </span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Those who are food insecure are more likely to develop chronic diseases, which
means higher health care costs for both insurers and individuals.</span></b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The problem
with healthy eating, particularly for those who are food insecure, is that
healthy foods are not easily accessible and/or are not affordable. Even for
those who have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, some lack the right
tools, skills and knowledge to prepare healthy meals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's why United Way of Pierce County works with <b>food bank partners,
the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Washington State University
Extension’s SNAP Ed team</b> and <b>Emergency Food Network</b> for <i>Colorful Cooking Made
Easy</i>, a nutrition education program designed to help those who struggle
with food insecurity eat healthier. Trained volunteers do cooking
demonstrations at food banks with the fresh produce,
allowing visitors to try what they have prepared. Food bank visitors are able
to watch how easy it is to prepare a healthy meal and possibly try something
new. Trained volunteers also teach cooking classes and lead grocery store
tours, helping participants with meal planning, shopping on a budget,
understanding nutrition and developing cooking skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmH8l2gcQqGwG5Q09rUnEtH_ZZZun4lpJzOXLVvwJ-GLThPBWB64HNPw5sfg0qtkn_kYDhk9WpuBJYPv3WvOc1yDIeFAFmDZiLqVsa_WgGd86FWC_q0KSU-dP-5i86x89fg7LFtBmfBvc/s1600/Cooking+Demo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1039" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmH8l2gcQqGwG5Q09rUnEtH_ZZZun4lpJzOXLVvwJ-GLThPBWB64HNPw5sfg0qtkn_kYDhk9WpuBJYPv3WvOc1yDIeFAFmDZiLqVsa_WgGd86FWC_q0KSU-dP-5i86x89fg7LFtBmfBvc/s320/Cooking+Demo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Colorful Cooking Demonstration</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last month, we partnered with a
Family and Consumer Science Teacher at <b>Bethel High School </b>and<b> Cooking Matters</b>
to host the very first Colorful Cooking 6-week series for students. A trained
volunteer leads the class, teaching students cooking skills and nutrition
information tailored to fit their interests and needs. Students attending the
class will bring home a bag filled with the ingredients for what they prepared
in class each week to practice the recipes at home and also promote the healthy
eating with family members. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are looking for opportunities to host Colorful
Cooking classes at locations where there is a high need for healthy food and
nutrition education but with limited resources, with a focus on caregivers to
children from birth-5 years old. This is a crucial developmental stage for
young children. Promoting healthy eating with caregivers will have a positive
impact on their own health along with creating a healthy food environment for
the kids in their care. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To
find out more about Colorful Cooking Made Easy, visit our<a href="http://uwpc.galaxydigital.com/signature-projects/hunger-free-pierce-county-collaborative/nutrition-education/" target="_blank"> volunteer opportunity site</a> . </span></span></div>
United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-76756468234623628432019-02-12T09:41:00.002-08:002019-02-12T09:41:23.703-08:00Helping Families Set Financial Stability Goals<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>By Guest Blogger, Corey Mosesly, </b><b>Director, Family Stability
Initiatives, United Way of Pierce County</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poverty is often described as an individual experience or personal
challenge. For example, someone not having enough money to meet basic needs
including food, clothing and shelter. It can also be associated with being sick
and not being able to see a doctor or pay for medications; not having access to
educational opportunities; lack of social support networks; and a quality of
life below the living standard for the area. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also know that sometimes a job is not enough. Many
American households can’t afford the basics of housing, food, health care,
child care, and transportation, despite working hard. Even among those who are
employed and often have more than one job, they struggle with monthly expenses
that exceed their income. They are fighting an uphill financial battle that,
without room to build savings, grows more unsustainable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The experience of poverty and financial instability area also
fluid as households move back and forth from financial crisis to stability depending
on their income, assets and expenses. That’s the reality facing millions of
underemployed residents who are walking a financial tightrope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best way I’d like to describe the complexity of
persistent poverty, low-wage stagnation and financial instability is to
identify the all of the core factors that help provide economic stability. Many
organizations have created versions of a “self-sufficiency matrix” that takes a
comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to fostering economic mobility. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">EMPath’s Bridge to Self-Sufficiency® is one notable theory of
change that describes a person’s advancement from poverty to economic
self-sufficiency as a journey across a bridge supported by five critical
pillars—family stability, well-being, education and training, financial
management, and employment and career management. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For families experiencing financial instability, the range
of possible areas to consider working on are broad. I've created a modified
version of the bridge to help quickly assess where households are on a scale
from crisis to thriving. The assessment includes eight core areas of financial
stability: housing, mobility, family, health, social network, debts, savings,
education, and career. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQKX8o1fsiN7vGp5hmbWTevNpFqTfQTnS8TvDadOMOdBKfO_ZXBg0gZ_EXLsTlMIHjBO0iFXM5In3Et5C3I9ut4AmFaaUcSHR7VMiWniQiJnLMJ_hHO0BHx9thTbVE1b4ZzFxkDnsc4v6/s1600/2019-02-12_9-39-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="1043" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQKX8o1fsiN7vGp5hmbWTevNpFqTfQTnS8TvDadOMOdBKfO_ZXBg0gZ_EXLsTlMIHjBO0iFXM5In3Et5C3I9ut4AmFaaUcSHR7VMiWniQiJnLMJ_hHO0BHx9thTbVE1b4ZzFxkDnsc4v6/s640/2019-02-12_9-39-19.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often individual goals can be in multiple areas at the same time,
so sometimes you need to step back, have a conversation with the client about
the big picture for their lives, and then determine what areas to really focus
on. Over time people can review their progress where they are now to when they
started tracking. This also broadens what success looks like based on the
individual’s goals, rather than one set income metric. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poverty and financial instability are complicated. People’s
lives are complicated and they are the experts. Moving toward
economic stability should be based on individual goals and hopefully they live
in a community that can support their efforts. That why United Way is here.
That's why our staff and thousands of volunteers take up the call to Live United.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com277tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-58999628142528778652019-02-12T09:19:00.001-08:002019-02-12T09:19:18.950-08:00Tax Credits and Free Volunteer Income Tax Prep Services Make a Big Difference for Hard Working Families<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>By Guest Blogger, Kelvin Ceasar, Community Impact Manager, United Way of Pierce County</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s tax
season and for many, the duty to settle our annual tax obligation generates
feelings of dread, fear, irritation as well as other negative feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, for many families, especially those
that struggle to make ends meet throughout the year, tax season is often a time
of relief. It’s an opportunity for people to address many of the financial
burdens weighing on them during the year. That’s because the Earned Income Tax
Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit help moderate to low-income families
keep more of the money they earn. In some cases, they may even receive a larger
return than the amount withheld from their earnings during the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These
credits help hard working families pay for reliable transportation, childcare,
groceries and other essentials as well as funding family savings plans for
emergencies or future goals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here in
Pierce County and across the country Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
workers give their time preparing taxes for free to households that meet the
income limits or special circumstances including low- and moderate-income
households, seniors and people living with disabilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOOdV54Tw1rBdYVrRBqmkS4WAx8LRKeEN7G5eyJZlfeWiyFLblE9pp_e9A6KkftvNgcNhd62Uc95f2iaHsEFcFkofc3arltPYNDrhAbJv_o8BuNw1R5AXv9HmCbXoB3CHCuujYFGqr2SF/s1600/VITA-Free-Tax-Prep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="822" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOOdV54Tw1rBdYVrRBqmkS4WAx8LRKeEN7G5eyJZlfeWiyFLblE9pp_e9A6KkftvNgcNhd62Uc95f2iaHsEFcFkofc3arltPYNDrhAbJv_o8BuNw1R5AXv9HmCbXoB3CHCuujYFGqr2SF/s200/VITA-Free-Tax-Prep.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The VITA
program, run by the Internal Revenue Service, provides training for volunteers.
In turn, IRS-certified volunteers prepare taxes accurately and ensure that
people receive all deductions and qualifying credits, as well as education
about financial services and available community resources. VITA tax sites throughout Pierce County are available up to April 15 and can found <a href="https://associatedministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Free-Tax-Prep-2019-003.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> or you may dial 2-1-1 to learn more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>In Pierce
County alone, 5,000+ households annually are served at preparation sites across the
county.</b><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The result-- millions of dollars
go back into our community through tax credits and refunds, which not only
helps families directly but also stimulates the economy.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Several
years ago, I spent a tax season as a VITA volunteer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The training and preparation were thorough
and I was fully prepared when the time came to prepare tax returns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During that tax season, I met many people who
were working hard every day but still struggled to make ends meet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This population has been formally identified
as Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed (ALICE). <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ALICE represents the men and women of all ages and races who get up each day to go to work, but who aren’t sure if they’ll be able to put dinner on the table each night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many shared
their stories of challenging financial situations they faced and told me how
much of a difference that annual refund made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It really felt good when I was able to show someone the “bottom line” of
his or her tax return that revealed a significant tax refund. At those moments,
I felt pride knowing that a government program was making an immediate
difference for families. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>South Sound
2-1-1, Associated Ministries, Sound Outreach, Goodwill </b>and<b> AARP Foundation Tax-Aide
</b>have partnered with the Pierce County Asset Building Coalition to provide
tax preparation services. For households making less than $55,000, they
can get free tax assistance and file free at one of 25 sites
throughout Pierce County from late January through April. Volunteers will
prepare client taxes free of charge, determine if they qualify for EITC and find other credits to boost their bottom
line. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For
households making less than $66,000 a year, they can access <a href="http://myfreetaxes.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext;">MyFreeTaxes.com</span></a> to
file their taxes free. The site provides easy, fast, secure federal and
state tax filing online through software partner, H&R Block.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am proud
that I am a partner in this work and proud that United Way continues to
advocate on behalf of individuals and families in our community.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-66833507486219157902019-02-01T08:52:00.003-08:002019-02-01T08:53:36.671-08:00Paying Tribute to Local Leaders: Black History Month in the Making<h2>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paying Tribute to Local Leaders: </span></b><b style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Black History Month in the Making</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></h2>
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">by Dona Ponepinto, President and CEO, United Way of Pierce County</i></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb7Vgiq1piBKwXXTuvA8EAgpZUglLaCaVUJrhjPjrBjlxj408P42z_kXUsowZ5K0pieeVSItGEUOdGCwqB7B8Od6zEDF2iXbaWKPGmhEZGkxYgyxgvueJ_ZAUA3X6Or4o8UGePUfzOTp6/s1600/Black+history+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="1017" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb7Vgiq1piBKwXXTuvA8EAgpZUglLaCaVUJrhjPjrBjlxj408P42z_kXUsowZ5K0pieeVSItGEUOdGCwqB7B8Od6zEDF2iXbaWKPGmhEZGkxYgyxgvueJ_ZAUA3X6Or4o8UGePUfzOTp6/s320/Black+history+Collage.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">February is Black History Month and while there are a number of incredible past and current leaders across our country, this month we would like to acknowledge the many African American members of our community who are making history in Pierce County. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Below you will find just a few of the impressive accomplishments of men, women and organizations that have made their mark and are leading positive change in our community today. This is by no means a complete list, but it includes educators, spiritual leaders, politicians and passionate people lending their voice and power to create positive change.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Black Collective </b>is a community of black people dedicated to civic engagement through volunteer service. Since 1968, they have advanced the political interests of black people, improve the educational outcomes of black students, provides social justice advocacy to black individuals and communities and increased black economic development. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Melanie Morgan </b>is a Democratic member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing District 29a. As the only woman of color serving on the Franklin-Pierce School Board, Melanie was instrumental in the passage of the district’s $157 million bond measure in 2016 and two school levy renewals in February 2018.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Melannie Denise Cunningham </b>is the Greater Tacoma Peace Prize Laureate a/k/a/ 253 Peace Queen, for her exemplary work promoting racial reconciliation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Dr. Carla Santorno, </b>Superintendent Tacoma Public Schools where she initiates and directs projects that positively affect students’ academic achievement and general well-being. Acting upon the strong belief that every learner can achieve and ultimately succeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Dr. Isiaah Crawford</b> is president of University of Puget Sound, a recipient of national awards and he has been published on topics including post-traumatic stress, racial inequality, HIV/AIDS, sexual abuse, visual impairment, poverty, depression and more.<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Dr. Ivan Harrell, </b>President of Tacoma Community College strives every day to lead a group of professionals in providing the best environment, programs and services students need to complete their academic and career goals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Willie Stewart </b>was hired by Tacoma School District in 1960 and assigned to Gault Junior High to teach life science and physical science. Stewart taught at Gault until 1966, when he was promoted to assistant principal. He was later hired at Lincoln High School as assistant principal. In 1970, he became that first black principal in the Tacoma School District.1.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Mabel Edmonds </b>is Vice President for Instruction at Clover Park Technical College. she provides leadership for the College's Instruction Department, which includes Baccalaureate Degrees, Professional Technical Degree and Certificate programs in a variety of career fields, Academics, Transitional Studies, eLearning, Library, Northwest Career and Technical High School, and Workforce Development/Continuing Education/Contract Training.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Andrea Cobb </b>is Executive Director of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning, where she acts as the State’s Educational agency’s chief research officer. She leads efforts to connect policymakers, schools, families and communities with research and information about effective educational improvement strategies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Lyle Quasim </b>has held leadership positions in public health and administration in Tacoma, Pierce County and the state of Washington. In 1995, he became the first African American to head Washington's Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). ). For 7 years he was Chief of Staff for Pierce County Executive, John Ladenburg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Keith Blocker </b>is a Tacoma City Council Member (D3) and he is currently the director of middle school programs for the non-profit Peace Community Center, providing academic coaching, life skills training, and early college preparation to students at Jason Lee Middle School.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>T’wina Nobles, </b>President and CEO at The Tacoma Urban League, is devoted to empowering African Americans and other disenfranchised groups to enter the economic and social mainstream. For 50 years the Tacoma Urban League has worked in a variety of ways to strengthen and support the local African American community. T’wina is also a board member on the University Place School Board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Mary Moss </b>is Councilwoman (Position 1) on the Lakewood City Council. Lakewood is the second largest city in Pierce County and is host to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) and Camp Murray.<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Victoria Woodards</b> is the current mayor of Tacoma, Washington. She formerly served on the city council for two terms and served as the President of the Tacoma Urban League. Woodards grew up in Tacoma and attended Lincoln High School. Woodards previously served in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Lewis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Marilyn Strickland </b>left office as Mayor of Tacoma after 8 years, where she was active in the U.S. Conference of Mayors and brought national attention to Tacoma. Today she is president and chief executive of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Harold Moss </b>was the first African American to serve as mayor of Tacoma, Washington. He was also the first to serve on the Tacoma City Council and Pierce County Council. He has been active in the Tacoma community since the 1950s when he was a member of the local branch of the NAACP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jim Walton </b>was the Director of Tacoma’s Human Relations Department in 1970 and in 2003, he became the first black city manager. In 2018, he was awarded the Community Health Care Humanitarian of the Year. He also serves on the board of United Way of Pierce County.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jessie Baines, Jr. </b>is the Commissioner of Metro Parks helps help shape the future of the parks he grew up in, He also helps low-wage workers develop career advancement plans through the Tacoma Urban League.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Aaron Pointer </b>was a pro baseball player for more than a decade that included playing for the Houston Colts, which later became the Astros, Chicago Cubs and later the Tacoma Cubs, a farm club. He serves as the President of the Metro Parks Board of Commissioners.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tom Hilyard </b>is Program Development Specialist in Tacoma’s Human Development Department. He served on the Pierce County Health Council, instrumental in writing the Federal Urban Health Initiative grant, which stabilized clinic funding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tom Dixon </b>started the<b> Tacoma Urban League </b>in 1968. For 50 years the League has worked in a variety of ways to strengthen and support the local African American community and is devoted to empowering African Americans and other disenfranchised groups to enter the economic and social mainstream.<b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Kelly Richardson</b> is Tacoma Poet Laureate and is a writer, artist, and educator whose work explores the intersection of race, class, and gender with specific emphasis on themes of love, loss and longing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Reverend Toney Montgomery</b> is a spiritual leader at Fathers House Church and serves as the chair for the Tacoma Ministerial Alliance. The organization works collaboratively with many other community and faith-based organizations by advocating for freedom of worship and social and economic equality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Reverend Gregory Christopher </b>is the pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Tacoma and president of the local chapter of the NAACP. In 2017 went to Washington D.C. ready to face arrest during a demonstration supporting the Affordable Care Act. Capitol police took him and 46 other demonstrators away in handcuffs. He continues to fight for affordable care for all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The Black Education Strategy Roundtable </b>is a volunteer-led coalition that actively advocates for and providing information to policymakers at all levels about the disparate conditions of educational achievement for Black students in the state of Washington, which impacts all facets of life and our communities.</span><br />
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United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-75882364740789639842018-11-12T11:24:00.000-08:002018-11-13T10:28:35.534-08:00Washington State is one of THREE states that will not get fresh milk for their food banks until April 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyCLS79vzBDKvMCO9pFLOTkbbg7Hs2l2BZXZv-scGJ8fQ_Yi8MpDi5FlNCvR6dPvW0R4-I4AXN9YVGKdfXETX-qwY2M24WeFkxmszAEPFNfGOaxMEjCPFfJCd3H68CkkbAkKM_YrnaaHC/s1600/image3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1413" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyCLS79vzBDKvMCO9pFLOTkbbg7Hs2l2BZXZv-scGJ8fQ_Yi8MpDi5FlNCvR6dPvW0R4-I4AXN9YVGKdfXETX-qwY2M24WeFkxmszAEPFNfGOaxMEjCPFfJCd3H68CkkbAkKM_YrnaaHC/s320/image3.jpeg" width="282" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Lindsay Morgan Tracy<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">According to the </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/health-and-wellness" id="LPlnk886007"><span style="color: #0563c1;">National Dairy Council</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">, “The body of science indicates that eating nutritious dairy
foods — such as milk, cheese and yogurt — improves bone health, especially in
children and adolescents. They are also associated with a reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and lower blood pressure in adults.”</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Thank you for letting me share this
piece. Last week after the amazing Poverty to Possibilities summit, I took some
of the leftover muffins to a food bank that was open on the evenings so that
their clients could enjoy them. (As a side note, I love it when food banks are
open during nontraditional times during the week as we know so many folks are
working during the day and can’t hit up a food bank that’s only open 9am –
4pm).</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">As we recently learned in the </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/linds/Desktop/UWPC/18UW_ALICE_Report_WA_refresh_Hires_5.10.18_Final-1.pdf"><span style="color: #0563c1;">ALICE report</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">, 42%
of our county is struggling to make ends meet or they are in poverty. This is
up 10% from two years ago. This is staggering. When many households have to
choose to pay rent, utilities or food, they choose to pay rent/utilities and
will head to a food bank to get food. </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Now back to my night after the UWPC
event. I headed to a food bank and got there 10 minutes before it opened. I met
with the warehouse manager and weighed the food and a high school volunteer
immediately started putting the muffins in individual baggies. As I looked up
from the scale, I noticed tons and tons of cereal on the top shelves. OODLES of
cereal?!</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">My contact was busy working to
accommodate me and our last minute donation and help manage expectations from
the many volunteers in the food bank. Then I couldn’t help but notice the
influx of people into the food bank. Now, this food bank isn’t in an urban
area. It’s rural so people have to take the time to get there. My contact was
busy helping volunteers look for specific items, such as chicken soup as a mom
was looking for some - - either boxed or canned - - for her little girl who was
sick. “Sorry, we don’t have any this week,” I heard. Ugh. </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Then I learned that there is no milk
in the state for the food banks. This caused me to pause. The area in the
warehouse that had tons of cereal would be distributed to clients but with no
milk. This made me think that it’s just like giving crayons to kids and then
telling them there was no paper. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
learned that Washington State was one of three states that did not receive bids
from local milk vendors therefore it’s very likely that there will be no fresh
milk for our food banks from last month to March 2019. While there are plans to
work with the dairy industry to get local bids, this is a gap with our food
partners that many people do not know about. </span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">What can we do?</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Help fundraise with “Dollars for
Dairy” for your local food bank - <a href="https://uwpc.galaxydigital.com/diy-projects/" target="_blank">here</a> is an example of what you can do.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Ask your legislators what they can do
and ask for a timeline.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Make a monetary donation designated for milk to your local food bank.</span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Volunteer time at a food bank.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Work with United Way’s Hunger-Free
Pierce County initiative to stay abreast of the work.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">Dr. Michael McAfee challenged us to
be dogged about our work. YES! He also said we are here because our
institutions have lost their capacity to serve. He was spot on. I got up at 4am
to write this as I know those folks in the food bank are my people. They need
to be of all our people as Dr. McAfee said.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 10.5pt;">As I left the food bank, I noticed so
many kids outside happily playing in the dark while their parents or caregivers
received food. And then I got in my truck and slowly started to drive away from
the small food bank. It reminded me of the end of the movie Field of Dreams.
There were so many cars in the parking lot and more cars pulling up with their
lights on. As the camera pans up and out, the cars continue for miles. While
the cars didn’t continue for miles in my case, it was lengthy and one where I
hope anyone would be truly uncomfortable. But more importantly, I want people
to act and advocate. I will.</span><span style="color: black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-91880792439621987782018-07-03T10:29:00.002-07:002018-07-10T13:00:55.949-07:00Free Summer Meals for Kids Kicks Off in Pierce County<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPPxPFlKEe60HHiDnvMvUWRIa56QGlMfP5lkJzK1ITzx4m4U-CRJUFsY7F_SPsvY1B02r8HSmCtS3Ytz6CiNCt1I_pBmKv7Fq275jolrVoiK3_gnCzbAoHZ1ff9hNTR8G0c20BzN5ttNK/s1600/CenturyLink+at+United+Way%2527s+Day+of+Action.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPPxPFlKEe60HHiDnvMvUWRIa56QGlMfP5lkJzK1ITzx4m4U-CRJUFsY7F_SPsvY1B02r8HSmCtS3Ytz6CiNCt1I_pBmKv7Fq275jolrVoiK3_gnCzbAoHZ1ff9hNTR8G0c20BzN5ttNK/s320/CenturyLink+at+United+Way%2527s+Day+of+Action.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The CenturyLink team takes a break with Rhubarb,<br /> the Rainier mascot.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">One in six children
struggles with hunger and many children who rely on school meals, struggle to
get enough to eat during the summer months. This fact is unacceptable to United
Way of Pierce County as well as many local health and human service partners
that are fighting hunger. Together, they are helping to provide kids with
nutritious food at various sites during the summer months (from June 25-August
30).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">More than 100 children, families and volunteers turned out for the
kickoff event held at the Drake Apartment complex in Tacoma, sponsored by
<b>CenturyLink</b>. It brought employees from across CenturyLink<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>departments together to learn more and by
rolling up their sleeves to dig into the work—with activities focused on
activities with books and serving food. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>“We are glad we
had the opportunity to help United Way celebrate the worldwide Day of Action,
and we had a great time helping the children at the Drake Apartments with
summer learning activities! We are thrilled with this partnership because it
brings home the work that needs to be done to support children and families in
Pierce County.”</b> --Robert Betancourt, Manager, Regional Operations,
CenturyLink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In addition to o</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">ffering
free, nutritious meals, several of the sites provide an incentive for children
to participate in summer enrichment programs, which means that children are not
only well fed, but engaged in academic and recreational activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“The
Summer Meals program ensures that low-income children continue to receive
nutritious meals when school is not in session,” said Lindsay Morgan Tracy, Vice
President, Community Impact and Engagement for United Way of Pierce County. “</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Last year,
Summer Meals partners served more than150,000 meals, but because of barriers to
accessing sites, like transportation, limited walkability and awareness, only
20% of the children who qualified for free school meals, were able to
participate in the program.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Raising awareness and advocating for important food assistance programs
like <b>SNAP</b> are part of the hunger puzzle. Earlier this year, United Way along
with many partners worked with legislators to ensure that <i><b>Breakfast After
the Bell </b></i>(House Bill 1508)<i> </i>passed to </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">help address student hunger and increase
family financial stability by making breakfast part of the school day – just
like lunch.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Summer Meals is a federally funded program providing free lunches and
sometimes breakfast and snack, for any child 18 and younger who lives within a
qualified school area or neighborhood area. To qualify, schools must have 50%
or more students signed up for the free and reduced price lunch program. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The majority of sites receive federal reimbursement for qualified
sites. There are challenges with serving schools and neighborhoods where there
are hungry children, but not enough to meet the 50% USDA threshold. Some
nonprofit organizations are using the private pay model to ensure children are fed,
while others partners host serving sites where there are hungry kids, but the
sites do not qualify under USDA guidelines. These sites receive funding through
private donations and grants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Summer Meals partners are: Bethel School District, Boys & Girls
Clubs, Clover Park School District, Families Unlimited Network, Food Backpacks
4 Kids, Franklin Pierce School District, Metro Parks, Orting Food Bank, Pierce
County Library System, Prairie Ridge Community Center, St. Leo Food Connection,
Sumner School District and YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">To learn more,
visit </span><a href="http://www.piercecountysummermeals.org/"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">www.piercecountysummermeals.org</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> to find sites, locations, dates
and times or you may call</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">
South Sound 2-1-1 by simply dialing 2-1-1 for more information.<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-1597642682420244432018-06-08T08:26:00.001-07:002018-06-08T08:26:15.032-07:00Sew Kind! The Gift is in the Giving<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKOGuJB0SoyomI7ELgP4NT5BK3tyNwNnK4bGhV2Yhd7fgSLd1KYUaDz9bnRnGKrQgYhw12or_icI3-kbNvxoj0hNea5yqbqjfSlsKuxgDMuiofGV44a7JqQSY7sGsmUjPRKsDSYtSXbdk/s1600/20180517_082147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1600" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKOGuJB0SoyomI7ELgP4NT5BK3tyNwNnK4bGhV2Yhd7fgSLd1KYUaDz9bnRnGKrQgYhw12or_icI3-kbNvxoj0hNea5yqbqjfSlsKuxgDMuiofGV44a7JqQSY7sGsmUjPRKsDSYtSXbdk/s320/20180517_082147.jpg" width="320" /></a>A quilt is a special gift, one that can spread comfort to those in need. Just take a look around our own community and think, ‘who needs a quilt?’ Homeless shelters, women’s shelters and hospitals are a great place to start.<br />
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United Way of Pierce County has been procuring items for individuals and families in need in our community for many years and there are a number of local businesses and donors who have contributed. <br />
<br />
However, few of the donations are as personal as the gift of homemade quilts pieced together by two secret sewing angels, who have taken their passion in pursuit of providing comfort.<br />
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As you can imagine, it takes time, effort and money to make these quilted blankets. However, the quilting duo (who chose not share their names) think everyone deserves sweet comfort, especially members of our community who may be forgotten or overlooked.<br />
<br />
The women are members of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Tacoma where their church sponsors a group called ‘Sew Kindness.’ <br />
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“We have been members of this sewing group for approximately twelve years. In the beginning, our group was quite large but now there are just a few of us left. The church generously donates a space to meet, set up and work each week. They also provide us with an area to store all of our sewing supplies.”<br />
<br />
For the past several years, they have applied for and received grants through the Thrivent Financial Group, which is a Lutheran financial and insurance company based in Minnesota. They receive these grants through a special program they call Thrivent Action Team Projects. These monetary stipends assist in accomplishing community-based project goals and objectives. <br />
<br />
“We feel very blessed to be able to receive these funds to pay for supplies and materials for our quilting group. Although we have no knowledge of who receives our blankets, we know that through United Way of Pierce County’s Gifts In Kind program, they are being distributed to deserving families in need.”<br />
<br />
According to Phyllis Roepke, Sr. Associate, Gifts In Kind, United Way of Pierce County, “There is just nothing that compares to the comfort of a handmade quilt that has been pieced together with love.”<br />
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On a related note, we are sad that Phyllis will be retiring in June after more than 10 years with United Way, but we are so happy that she will be pursuing personal dreams. Phyllis has made a herculean effort in acquiring donations from companies that include the Men’s Wearhouse, IKEA, Bed, Bath and Beyond and other regional businesses as well as member organizations like churches and women’s groups and of course, local families.<br />
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Pete Grignon, CFO, United Way of Pierce County noted, “Phyllis brings joy and enthusiasm to the job that is hard to replace. She has organized our annual holiday toy and book drive as well as getting beautiful professional attire that boosts job seekers’ confidence. She will be missed and never forgotten.” <br />
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If you or someone you know would like to make a gift of new or unused clothing, office furniture, home furnishings, appliances, toys, bedding and toiletries, please contact us at 253-597-7485.United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-76362285129815769332018-06-06T15:00:00.003-07:002018-06-06T15:00:39.202-07:00Community-Minded Students Inspire Others through Leadership<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Willie Stewart became a pioneer in 1970 when he
was named to lead Lincoln High School and he became the Tacoma School
District’s first African American principal. </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He made a name for himself by setting the
standard for success by living his true purpose and having a positive impact on
the lives of people by uplifting them and inspiring them to think and act in
ways that they may not have considered before. His leadership in the Pierce
County community is truly inspiring.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEf8TS-EW9YiWpHdLCQfrswtBpGiMzj7U2kTF1Le9kkLL3ja6hGAJ-B7gIKscu_Aq_ChzYx7E_E_SWBbzZGYydVAhD7UQHaQD9cEU6ZyBXjmkaEHj4PfhZYH078wsYNUP_otRJai4l0jlV/s1600/scholars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1285" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEf8TS-EW9YiWpHdLCQfrswtBpGiMzj7U2kTF1Le9kkLL3ja6hGAJ-B7gIKscu_Aq_ChzYx7E_E_SWBbzZGYydVAhD7UQHaQD9cEU6ZyBXjmkaEHj4PfhZYH078wsYNUP_otRJai4l0jlV/s320/scholars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Willie
Stewart and his friend, Karl Anderson, co-founded the </span>Willie Stewart Community Service
Scholarship <span style="color: black;">19 years ago to honor the
commitment and dedication of students across Pierce County who give back to
their community. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">On
May 31, United Way of Pierce County was proud to commemorate Willie Stewart’s
contributions to Pierce County, during an awards ceremony. </span>The scholarship ceremony recognized 19
high school seniors who have given back to their community, locally and
globally, through volunteer service. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Stewart
noted in his remarks that after he served in the Army and later became
Superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools, he realized the importance of </span><span style="color: #212121;">serving your community. He
wanted to find a way to recognize the hard working students who
dedicate their time and energy to community service. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #212121;">“There is no other place I
would rather be than right here honoring these youth who give us hope and
who deserve to be recognized.”</span></b><span style="color: #212121;">-- Willie Stewart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hats off to: Reese Anselmi, Rimpal Bajwa, Kelsey Bell, Aaron
Crook, Callisa DeHut, Alyssa Gries, Samantha Griffith, Madeline Lambert,
Michelina Luong, Sidney Mueller, Lina Park, Kelly Phan, Angel Reddy, Mackenzie
Richards, Eve Robinson, Alexis Tisby, Spencer Wesenberg, Hannah Wisti and
Caroline Yi.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One recipient said
she was 'delighted to receive the scholarship in the first place and it
also helps to relieve some of the financial burden on me and my
family.' All students and families shared that they were both honored and
glad to meet Mr. Stewart. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQQan8_hMcf8SgYUWqZG6Fv1SEMFt6LnbmUZOLz7fDC4p18rd2zWZd0OyqmTyaQZ8zKEC8tAkAXJe4ycVPqMEQnxkf_-Pmkam6rqNeHGATUi4sqoDXm2zY3Q_POvVNERbGB7nFqAdXgiB/s1600/Alexis+with+Willie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1389" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQQan8_hMcf8SgYUWqZG6Fv1SEMFt6LnbmUZOLz7fDC4p18rd2zWZd0OyqmTyaQZ8zKEC8tAkAXJe4ycVPqMEQnxkf_-Pmkam6rqNeHGATUi4sqoDXm2zY3Q_POvVNERbGB7nFqAdXgiB/s200/Alexis+with+Willie.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">One
parent noted that this scholarship is a unique opportunity to show
appreciation for the efforts of these students to engage with the
community, beyond participating in their school activities and ‘I hope it
continues so my younger </span><span style="color: #212121;">daughter</span><span style="color: black;"> can apply.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's
impressive today to see so many young people taking charge to lead positive
change. We salute the fine young people who accepted the Willie Stewart award
and we are eager to hear how they will choose to use servant leadership to
improve conditions for others.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-89307086832634516402018-03-11T10:00:00.000-07:002018-06-21T10:53:47.550-07:00AmeriCorps Gets Things Done<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Celebration of National Community Service Week, we salute our AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) members who complete a year of national service at United Way of Pierce County. VISTA members serve as a catalyst for change, living and working alongside community members to advance local solutions. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsoI2m5YOlJ00JGILljPG4fzKcwyo4qDISt6zkiojNFlPcRn-pYzaZ21Ygzd1PzVla88dfVpbECrlihyphenhyphengNSDvmOZTsIBBF_YNoobu5aHUZcbzyFWP5DbCKC4hB62sqVBYMAuM71APo2T7/s1600/Michaela+and+Natasha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsoI2m5YOlJ00JGILljPG4fzKcwyo4qDISt6zkiojNFlPcRn-pYzaZ21Ygzd1PzVla88dfVpbECrlihyphenhyphengNSDvmOZTsIBBF_YNoobu5aHUZcbzyFWP5DbCKC4hB62sqVBYMAuM71APo2T7/s320/Michaela+and+Natasha.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Michealea and Natasha at Walker High School</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Michealea Lemons</b>, the Education VISTA and <b>Natasha Laitila</b>, the Hunger-Free Pierce County VISTA, network with community leaders about how to address issues of poverty within Pierce County. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Michealea assists in managing the Education programs at United Way, which include READ United: Afterschool, READ United: Summer Learning and Lil Readers. She also attends community meetings and outreach fairs to inform locals about community service opportunities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Natasha assists in organizing and managing cooking demonstration volunteer programs for food banks, creates and builds collaborative relationships among 30+ organizations by facilitating the Hunger-Free Pierce County Collaborative, Power Packs Partners Network and Pierce County Summer Meals. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmR-hz501N7XflJX0i5VrAKWdEfwgRLybCJiMqESvVdWtg6mxDrvyVyDdJAMZRpn5LmAa0W3fRiPLwx9-WfiWhZAuG6NBEcRRv57C6h0pw-j74I6SR3POw-dc3xztd5sbblAES9lDSHoo/s1600/ACGetsThingsDoneGraphic-02152018-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmR-hz501N7XflJX0i5VrAKWdEfwgRLybCJiMqESvVdWtg6mxDrvyVyDdJAMZRpn5LmAa0W3fRiPLwx9-WfiWhZAuG6NBEcRRv57C6h0pw-j74I6SR3POw-dc3xztd5sbblAES9lDSHoo/s200/ACGetsThingsDoneGraphic-02152018-01.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By connecting the community with United Way, our VISTAs are creating a partnership that will have long lasting benefits. Through their efforts, they are helping to lay a foundation for sustainable programming and community engagement. Both VISTAs are gearing up for United Way’s Summer Meals and Summer Learning Programs-- focused on feeding children in high need, low resource areas, simultaneously provide books </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvOex_qv8rstazAE6pIQNS_iPQxvTw8mb2D_5v8lHRZHF6MZBEXtGhDayzSqk3_LULb2Vk70nOVyYtSvTBgFFgtgz7NfNqQVFFUrGWwECYvknfzU-qA9IMP6Ecm9Avrx1fj9gzvSfyvZ7/s1600/WA-StateGraphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1200" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvOex_qv8rstazAE6pIQNS_iPQxvTw8mb2D_5v8lHRZHF6MZBEXtGhDayzSqk3_LULb2Vk70nOVyYtSvTBgFFgtgz7NfNqQVFFUrGWwECYvknfzU-qA9IMP6Ecm9Avrx1fj9gzvSfyvZ7/s200/WA-StateGraphic.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to read and volunteers facilitate the work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">LIVE United with our VISTA's and United Way of Pierce County by visiting <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/" target="_blank">uwpc.org</a> or <a href="mailto:volunteer@uwpc.org">volunteer@uwpc.org</a> to see how you can give back to the community. </span><br />
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United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-63111527813361782412018-03-06T12:24:00.001-08:002018-03-06T12:24:20.663-08:00Go Further with Food<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Submitted by Guest Blogger Shawn Paton, Director, Volunteer Engagement, Community Building & Investments, United Way of Pierce County</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwYvyRDXaFuv88Dru7Qsk-hwZ0KMleTygEDPvVrlgy0wvTee27DhhuzNM20iy4lKaEbUI8m6ImlaO8UT2zsdXLUNKs9C0_ehdP-Bjm2VTeE3lTfj-i85jxAnt9SK_Sf9EFHTwyRIVCkpW/s1600/Nutrition+Ed+Month.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="838" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwYvyRDXaFuv88Dru7Qsk-hwZ0KMleTygEDPvVrlgy0wvTee27DhhuzNM20iy4lKaEbUI8m6ImlaO8UT2zsdXLUNKs9C0_ehdP-Bjm2VTeE3lTfj-i85jxAnt9SK_Sf9EFHTwyRIVCkpW/s400/Nutrition+Ed+Month.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Pierce County, where obesity and chronic disease diagnosis
rates are higher than the national average, nutrition education is an important
piece to increasing the health and well-being of our residents. Health-related
issues directly attributable to food insecurity include: asthma, COPD, type 2
diabetes, obesity, arthritis, gout, lupus, fibromyalgia, as well as anemia and
hospitalizations for children. Indirect health costs related to hunger include
dental issues, increased doctor and emergency room visits and increased need
for prescription medications.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What contributes to poor nutrition? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One in six
households in our community cannot afford enough food for all household members
to lead healthy lives. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some families lack transportation, so they are unable to
access grocery stores or even food banks. For those living in food deserts--
where the closest food source is a corner store or mini-mart featuring high
priced, unhealthy food options-- it is difficult to find affordable,
high-quality fresh food. For some, the barrier is knowledge about how to plan
meals, shop on a budget or prepare healthy meals at home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the past, cooking skills were passed down from generation
to generation, but this trend has been broken, with many parents working
multiple jobs to make ends meet leaving little time for home-cooked meals, resulting
in millions of people across the country lacking even the most basic food
preparation skills. <b>The Hunger-Free Pierce County Collaborative</b> is working
together to help all Pierce County residents lead healthier lives through
nutrition education projects.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Colorful Cooking Made Easy</i></b> is a nutrition education program
featuring trained volunteers who perform cooking demonstrations at local food
banks, teach cooking and nutrition classes and lead grocery store tours all
designed to help families learn how to shop for and prepare healthy meals from
scratch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Skills taught during Colorful
Cooking Made Easy programming include meal planning, shopping on a budget,
healthy cooking and help to make healthy eating a daily reality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hunger collaborative food bank partners are also working
to help individuals and families understand the importance of selecting
healthier food options by making it easy for food bank visitors to find those
options among the various products available. Colorful Cooking Made Easy food
bank cooking demonstrators take fresh produce in stock at the pantry that day
and create healthy, delicious and simple meals, providing clients with the
recipes and ingredients to take home and prepare themselves. The emergency food
system is also working to increase the amount of fresh produce, dairy and
proteins available for food bank clients.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can you help change the story for individuals and
families in Pierce County? There are many ways to get involved in the fight
against hunger in our community. Host a food or dairy drive. Hold a soup kit
making project. <a href="https://uwpc.galaxydigital.com/signature-projects/hunger-free-pierce-county-collaborative/nutrition-education/" target="_blank">Volunteer</a> to lead a cooking class or grocery store</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> to learn
more and to get involved!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b></b>United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-83139156427692217092018-02-28T13:06:00.000-08:002018-02-28T13:06:00.837-08:00Breakfast After the Bell-- A Small Victory for Kids<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Guest Blogger: Shawn Paton,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Community Investment, Strong Families & Basic Needs, United Way</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSY8pcZqwSxM5ZhhFNDEEkPsIU0W-GiJfXvHTOF1F83tf4rZcWXHy9aBQWykzJ2_3QHA3mwFT929OyoVr7s61zhgOhjk7DqNOJ51Gh0-apBJb-y4CJlZjjw469WBErhru2XykWt41D8AI/s1600/Breakfast-After-the-Bell.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="550" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSY8pcZqwSxM5ZhhFNDEEkPsIU0W-GiJfXvHTOF1F83tf4rZcWXHy9aBQWykzJ2_3QHA3mwFT929OyoVr7s61zhgOhjk7DqNOJ51Gh0-apBJb-y4CJlZjjw469WBErhru2XykWt41D8AI/s320/Breakfast-After-the-Bell.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A bill that United Way’s across the state have advocated for
with legislators for a number of years will soon be signed into law! Breakfast after
the Bell moves school breakfast service from before school, when many children
do not have the opportunity to participate prior to the start of class, to
after the start of the school day, so it is available to all kids regardless of
how early they arrive at </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In Pierce County, more than 50,000 students are enrolled in
free and reduced-price school meal programs. Children struggling with hunger
have more health issues, miss more days of school and may have behavioral
issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Making sure that these kids have
breakfast means children who arrive at school hungry aren’t forced to wait
until lunch to eat. Breakfast gives these kids the energy to focus and do
better in school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many of these children rely on free school breakfast and
lunch to provide foundational nutrition during the week, so Breakfast after the
Bell is a victory for hungry children! However, these same children are at risk
of going hungry on weekends and school breaks when free school meals aren’t
available. That is why United Way of Pierce County supports the Power Packs
program, providing food packs on weekends and over school breaks for those
children most at risk of not having enough food at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Despite the economic boom in our region, hunger is a growing
issue. </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our food bank partners report that nearly 70% of households they serve
have at least one working adult. Forty percent of their clients are under 18
years of age.</b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Food bank visitors report having difficulty making ends meet
because of rapidly increasing housing costs, child care costs and more. Some
working families make too much to qualify for free and reduced-price meal
programs, but because of other household expenses, they are not able to afford
school lunches or even to put enough food on the table at the end of the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">United Way is working in partnership with the Hunger-Free
Pierce County Collaborative to fight hunger in our community. Visit <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/hunger-initiative">http://www.uwpc.org/hunger-initiative</a>
to find out how you can get involved! </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-78328403204486477002018-02-07T10:13:00.003-08:002018-02-07T10:44:35.106-08:00Reflections on a Day of Advocacy <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Guest Blog by Lindsay Morgan Tracy, Vice President, Community Impact, United Way of Pierce County</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On February 1, 2018, a contingency of United Way of Pierce County advocates, descended upon our state’s Capitol in Olympia to talk about legislative priorities and concerns. A group of fifteen staff, friends and board members, spent the day meeting with our legislators or their aides to talk about keys issues that are important to our community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVsC840yoS0VzWcdw_iQYOMvlgZgNlRQ_LH4X4Fx11R5uk7nso9QbbHlXTHZxmP7E-B48h8_wV0yOM59vI7U83lHXKCLxkEDW58XeUgUHe3fzH3FgA-Li_VjXn3Nq0_G48GRmS7_SDwPt/s1600/Dona+and+Matt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVsC840yoS0VzWcdw_iQYOMvlgZgNlRQ_LH4X4Fx11R5uk7nso9QbbHlXTHZxmP7E-B48h8_wV0yOM59vI7U83lHXKCLxkEDW58XeUgUHe3fzH3FgA-Li_VjXn3Nq0_G48GRmS7_SDwPt/s200/Dona+and+Matt.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the key themes at our <i>From Poverty to Possibilities</i> event was the importance of being fully engaged in policies and advocacy efforts that impact the stability of Pierce County. Our attendees highlighted the need to assess and review policies that are keeping people poor or even incentivizing them to stay in poverty (a/k/a the Benefit’s Cliff). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW22nIbDixF2IhpFejwbiVQSxkRxJebEOM2pkg5OfpnyOYKoZQ1UjSWlM-h1_DOqG7wpyNGpwbLfXu0oD7gJwhwjU5Ln6rocn1HmR7LW97kckQ059xNbSupNV8_ux_ERyq-rpYN_HeHeZh/s1600/Group+shot+on+steps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW22nIbDixF2IhpFejwbiVQSxkRxJebEOM2pkg5OfpnyOYKoZQ1UjSWlM-h1_DOqG7wpyNGpwbLfXu0oD7gJwhwjU5Ln6rocn1HmR7LW97kckQ059xNbSupNV8_ux_ERyq-rpYN_HeHeZh/s320/Group+shot+on+steps.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spending a day on Capitol Hill takes commitment for all who take the time. It is a significant commitment from the business community that allowed their employees to take the day to champion causes important to the greater good of our residents. Special thanks to </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WSECU, State Farm, Western State Hospital</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CHI-Franciscan</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> for allowing your staff to participate in this good work!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As our group divided to conquer our 20 meetings, we received a lot of feedback from our political leaders. While we don’t spend a lot of time in Olympia, this trip reinforced the fact that our work is continuing to be heard by Washington State leadership. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A few of the key takeaways include:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our legislators love the fact that <b>2-1-1 is a life changing</b> and often lifesaving program that many aides refer to constituents when they call their representatives/senators and let them know they need help. This was heard repeatedly throughout the day. It’s hard to even imagine how the aides would respond if South Sound 2-1-1 didn’t serve the Pierce, Thurston and Lewis communities.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our Pierce County <b>legislative leaders work well together</b> and they consistently all meet (as Republicans and Democrats) to discuss bipartisan ways to move forward - - this is rare at a statewide level and nationally.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Corey Mosesly’s leadership in a bill with <b>Representative Laurie Jinkins</b> continued to get support <b>(HB2730)</b> for business tax credits to reduce cost barriers for adults attending college to further their careers. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Legislators truly enjoyed having kids there to learn about the legislative body of work. In fact, last year, Matt Levi’s daughters were instrumental in advocating for <b>Breakfast After The Bell</b>, which had just passed on January 30! The girls were thrilled and even more impressive—legislators remembered them from last year and continued to encourage them to champion for important causes. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also learned that our <b>Strong Family legislation</b> was not fully supported, as some legislators desired more accountability in the language of the bills. They were very articulate with their reasoning and we appreciated their time to discuss specifics with us so we could learn what we could do to ensure movement.</span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRoo1kD0YlYFwU7LE2ivGnLXZOOIXmNS9M4fvvWqsJ1Zl8ZuxbED_RVtITcG8iZf0wCXQtzbDO9WQgmRADFIf0NGU_lPHIPYiNSDwqqeSd-fYV7ewpDi8eOEuDRs5jfhNwhk0rc2nG1lh/s1600/Eban+Tracy+with+the+Guv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="918" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRoo1kD0YlYFwU7LE2ivGnLXZOOIXmNS9M4fvvWqsJ1Zl8ZuxbED_RVtITcG8iZf0wCXQtzbDO9WQgmRADFIf0NGU_lPHIPYiNSDwqqeSd-fYV7ewpDi8eOEuDRs5jfhNwhk0rc2nG1lh/s320/Eban+Tracy+with+the+Guv.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The day ended with a reception at the Governor’s Mansion where our President & CEO, Dona Ponepinto served as the emcee. After Governor Jay Inslee’s address, one of our younger delegates (yes, my son, Eban) got a picture with him so he could write his very own blog for school about his Day on the Hill with United Way of Pierce County.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Learn more about our <a href="http://www.uwpc.org/sites/uwpc.org/files/2018AdvocacyAgenda1.29.18.pdf" target="_blank">2018 State Policy Agenda</a> or visit uwpc.org/advocate to stay abreast with current issues. Check out additional <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/uwpc_liveunited/albums/72157665439403098" target="_blank">photos</a> from the day!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-13558268139801457752018-01-22T14:30:00.001-08:002018-01-22T14:30:14.048-08:00New Year, New You: Opportunities for Change <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guest Blog by Allison Loft, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Education and Engagement Manager, United Way of Pierce County</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is your New Year’s resolution? Be more organized? Lose weight? Find a new job? Volunteer? Save money? Travel more?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find myself this time of year, after putting away decorations, washing extra loads of guest laundry and recovering from a lack of sleep and too many holiday treats…looking ahead to a year of opportunity. Many of us are fortunate to have a roof over our heads, enough food and clothing and a healthy family. However, 1 in 3 working families in Pierce County struggles to make ends meet let alone make New Year’s resolutions. Struggling parents mean struggling children and children who grow up in poverty are more likely to be poor as adults, while those who grow up in families that are more affluent are more likely to be affluent later in life. While even a few years in poverty can have a significant impact on a child’s economic trajectory, the risks are particularly high for those who experience many years of poverty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Armed with this knowledge, United Way of Pierce County is working to bring health & human service providers, schools, faith-based groups, government agencies, policymakers and the private sector together for the purpose of collaborating to collect, share and analyze data and information regarding inter-generational poverty. The goal is to use this information to implement a two-generation approach designed to stabilize high-need families and, ultimately, to reduce the incidence of children in our community who remain in the cycle of poverty into adulthood.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This approach will require a commitment to serving low-income families in Pierce County in the most efficient and effective way possible, even if it means thinking outside of the box. It means moving from transactional human service providers toward becoming an integrated system of services that focus on the whole person, the whole child and the whole family/household. It will also require a central 'backbone' organization to facilitate and support these collaborations, and that is where United Way of Pierce County comes in. Two-Generation programs, like the model shown below, have incredible promise for breaking the cycle of poverty, and it is time to put this knowledge into practice to see how two can indeed, be better than one.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodmds7LPkRPkWe3cmwh12dpo-HC_u5oaVpghMI0NFjFbGw5wub0BUwO2hkOQBdKZ1kl0T9KGLKU7XpaDEoD5IBanhw4Nq5f-A0rpTBiSjxliYzsxxSkZMALWTVHyP1obY1J7jfHq2eGr_/s1600/graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="1226" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodmds7LPkRPkWe3cmwh12dpo-HC_u5oaVpghMI0NFjFbGw5wub0BUwO2hkOQBdKZ1kl0T9KGLKU7XpaDEoD5IBanhw4Nq5f-A0rpTBiSjxliYzsxxSkZMALWTVHyP1obY1J7jfHq2eGr_/s640/graphic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Model from The Aspen Institute</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We look forward to collaborating with the community to help inform us as we develop our Two-Gen approach. While this work has just begun locally, the opportunity for hope and progress for Pierce County families abounds. If you would like to get involved now, many volunteer opportunities are available to help children and families, please visit our volunteer website at https://uwpc.galaxydigital.com/ or email volunteer@uwpc.org.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s to a happy, healthy, prosperous and hopeful 2018!</span></div>
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United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-39862478578779438962018-01-18T13:12:00.000-08:002018-01-18T13:29:41.714-08:00A Day On, Instead of a Day Off<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Celebration
of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, United Way of Pierce County hosted a Day of
Service to create both hygiene kits for homeless teens and literacy kits for
children in our community. The event was coordinated by AmeriCorps VISTA
members Michealea Lemons and Natasha Laitila. AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in
Service to America) members bring their passion and perseverance where the need
is greatest-- to organizations that help eradicate poverty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Being a
teenager and working hard to be successful in school is difficult enough.
Imagine the additional challenges that not having a stable place to call home
creates. These hygiene kits provide essential items to help these student who
may be </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">couch surfing or are forced to live in cars or tents while trying to
stay in school. And certainly literacy kits provide children from
low-income families with tools to encourage reading and enhance learning skills
in their home environments,” said Shawn Paton, Director, Community Investment, Engagement & Basic Needs, United Way
of Pierce County.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A total of<b> </b>200
hygiene kits for both male and female students, were assembled by 10
enthusiastic volunteers. Both sets of hygiene kits included granola bars, Top Ramen, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, conditioner,
socks, combs and washcloths, but the female hygiene kits also included feminine
hygiene products. The kits are being distributed to various Care Closets through
our partners serving Bethel, Franklin Pierce, Clover Park and Tacoma School
Districts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The 150 literacy
kits were assembled by 12 volunteers and included two different Dr. Seuss
favorites: <i>Ten Apples on Top</i> and <i>Cooking with the Cat</i> as well as an
activity for each book, including a memory match up game and a felt fabric
project focused on food groups. Another group of six volunteers created
inspirational cards to include in the kits. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <o:p></o:p></span>the literacy kits will be
distributed to pre-K children through LIL Readers and to first and second graders through our READ United after-school program.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All 32 volunteers
and staff were active and engaged on this “Day On.” Many volunteers appreciated
the fact that United Way’s day of service was held on a weekend since they
wanted to volunteer, but had to work on Monday . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A few high
school students participated to complete community service hours while others
were looking for a short term one-time event. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“We’re
always happy to have support and we realize people have limited times and
objectives, so we try to construct events based on needs and interests,” noted
United Way AmeriCorps VISTA program staffer, Michealea Lemons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paton adds,
“We are thrilled to have Michealea and Natasha here as part of our extended
team at United Way. Their service improves the lives of others. They’re not
just building their future careers, Michealea and Natasha are helping to build
up our community while helping others engage in work that is essential to
addressing the barriers of poverty.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One volunteer
team included a mom and her two boys who worked for United Way in another state
and they just moved here over the summer. “They were really excited to help out
with United Way again and even stayed after to help with clean up and take
down,” Lemons said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to
Lemons, “The turnout was good and many of our volunteers were willing to
participate in future days of service. It’s inspiring to have a wide range of
ages as people come together to lift up others.”</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To learn more
about upcoming volunteer opportunities or if your company would like to create
a team building volunteer engagement, </span><a href="https://uwpc.galaxydigital.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get Connected </a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">today </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">or contact Shawn Paton at 253-277-4263.</span></div>
United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-683679672900195931.post-25282284751977619492018-01-08T14:00:00.000-08:002018-01-08T14:00:30.454-08:00Everyone Counts, No Matter Where They Live<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Homeless is
not a noun. </b>It is an adjective describing a temporary condition that people
fall into when they can’t afford <span style="background: white;">to pay a place
to live, or when their current home is unsafe or unstable. Job loss, physical
and mental disability, various hardships—including personal and drug addiction
can accelerate people’s slide into poverty-- and for some, eventual
homelessness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white;">A homeless person is an individual without permanent
housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, mission, single room
occupancy facilities, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable
or non-permanent situation.</span>
Being homeless does not define a person. <span style="background-color: white;">The lack of housing, access to healthcare and supportive services, then
act as others barriers that keep individuals from moving into “homefullnesss.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>What the Point of the Point-In-Time
Count?<br />
</b>Discovering how many
people are currently homeless in Pierce County…how many of them are families,
youth or veterans…how many are disabled…The answers to these questions and more
are answered by the Pierce County Point-In-Time (PIT) counts. A PIT count is an
unduplicated count on a single night of the people in a community who are
experiencing homelessness-- that includes both sheltered and unsheltered
populations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that communities
receiving federal funds from the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants
program conduct a count of all sheltered people in the last week of January
annually. Electronic administrative records are used to enumerate people living
in emergency shelters and transitional housing. Unsheltered counts are required
every other year, although most communities conduct an unsheltered count
annually. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
unsheltered counting efforts, outreach workers and volunteers are organized to
canvas Continuums of Care to enumerate the people who appear to be living in
places not meant for human habitation. During the point-in-time count, Pierce
County is required to identify whether a person is an individual, a member of a
family unit, or an unaccompanied youth under the age of 18 or age 18 to
24. In addition, we must identify if a person is chronically homeless,
indicating long-time or repeated homelessness and the presence of a disability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An Eye-Opening Volunteer Experience:
Friday, January 26, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within
Pierce County’s 1806 square mile boundaries, the task of counting can
individuals can be daunting. Pierce County is looking for volunteers for the
2018 Point-In-Time Count on Friday, January 26th, 2018.The U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Washington State Department of
Commerce require communities to conduct a one-day Point-In-Time (PIT) Count to
survey individuals experiencing homelessness. <o:p></o:p>PIT Counts are one source of data among many that help us understand the magnitude and characteristics of people who are homeless in our community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>“Homelessness is a community issue.
Morally and socially, we are all affected. I look forward to seeing you at this
year’s PIT Count. This is such important work and your efforts will be greatly
appreciated,” </b>said, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dona Ponepinto, President & CEO, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">United Way of Pierce
County.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Volunteers</b>
will be stationed at meal sites, day shelters, events such as Project Homeless
Connect, and Department of Social and Health Services offices throughout Pierce County and will complete surveys of
people experiencing homelessness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Donations</b>
are given to anyone who is experiencing homelessness on the night of the PIT,
and provides a starting point for the conversation to complete the survey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Items
Needed:</u><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Hats, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Gloves, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Scarves, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Socks, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Hygiene
Kits: Shampoos, Conditioners, Soaps, Razors and Feminine Products, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">First
Aid Kits, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Blankets, </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Warm
Winter Jackets and </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Packaged,
easy to carry food: Granola Bars, Bottled Water, etc. </span>For donation drop-off locations email <a href="mailto:PCPointinTimeCount@co.pierce.wa.us" target="_self"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">pcpointintimecount@co.pierce.wa.us</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>PIT Count Volunteer Criteria</u>: </b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Must
be at least 18 years of age; </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Must
attend a Point-in-Time Count Training; </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Search
for unsheltered homeless within designated locations; </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Survey
individuals experiencing homelessness using a mobile app; </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Provide
individuals who have been surveyed with incentives as available and; </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">At
least one member on the team must have access to a smart phone, tablet, or
laptop with Wi-Fi.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To sign up
visit: <a href="http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4003615/2018-Point-In-Time-Count-Training-Registration">http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4003615/2018-Point-In-Time-Count-Training-Registration</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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United Way of Pierce Countyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04908475229187944830noreply@blogger.com0