Premier Partners support Pierce County

By: Cristiana Ventura, Resource Development and Marketing Intern

United Way of Pierce County collaborates with hundreds of businesses to make Pierce County a better place to live. Those who make extraordinary and wide-ranging contributions to our community are recognized as our Premier Partners. Their quality workplace campaigns, community service, in-kind support and sponsorship help create opportunities for a good life for all. 

Special thanks to our Cornerstone Partner Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound. As our largest funder, their efforts in the community embody the spirit of LIVE UNITED and they consistently exceed expectations.

United Way of Pierce County Premier Partner campaigns include:

Albers & Company

Cole Graphic Solutions

DaVita

Korum Automotive

Niagara Bottling Company

Pierce County Government

Russell Investments

Tacoma Public Schools

U.S. Bank

Workforce Central

Baxter-Hobart

Columbia Bank

Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound

McGranahan Architects

Nordstrom

Puyallup School District

Sound Credit Union

Tacoma Public Utilities

U.S. Oil & Refining Company

CAR TOYS

Comcast

Heritage Bank

MultiCare Health System

NuStar Energy

The Rescue Mission

State Farm Insurance Company

Tacoma Rainiers

United Parcel Service

CHI Franciscan Health System

Coordinated Care

Intel

Mutual of Enumclaw

Parametrix, Inc.

RockTenn

Sumner School District

Target

Wells Fargo Bank

City of Tacoma

Costco Wholesale

Jesse Engineering Company

The News Tribune

PCS Structural Solutions

The Russell Family Foundation

Tacoma Pierce County Health Department

TrueBlue, Inc.

Weyerhaeuser

Learn more about Premier Partners and Workplace Campaigns

Collaborative Efforts Fight Against Hunger

Hunger related issues prove vast in our county. Even at our South Sound 2-1-1 call center, food access and services are our top requested need. With this knowledge, the 
Hunger-Free Pierce County Collaborative is working to bring community leaders together to identify the most promising opportunities for increasing food security and food access in Pierce County. This Collaborative seeks to end hunger in Pierce County and will do so by bringing leaders together to meet our neighbor's needs.

United Way of Pierce County's role in this Collaborative is to: facilitate collaborations (10+ community partners), provide technical assistance, and measure collective impact.

As a collaborative, we are now able to have the most organized and broad-reaching effect on getting people the food they need in Pierce County. With around $250,000 of investments that have gone directly into the community, thousands of people have already been impacted by this group.

Hunger-Free Pierce County Collaborative is working to end hunger by focusing on:

• Hunger relief
• Providing basic needs
• Building sustainable food systems

Objectives for these goals include:

• Effective advocacy
• Supporting grassroots solutions
• Involving and educating the community

Check back regularly to see the initiative at work! We will actively post updates on projects, investments, and the impact of HFPCC's work.

7 Ways To Keep Your Kids Learning This Winter Break

by Cristiana Ventura, Resource Development and Marketing Intern

With a busy holiday schedule, making the time for learning is difficult..but your child's school skills can be easily lost over weeks of no school! Here are seven easy ways to keep your child sharp this winter break.

1. Make a library goal list
Switch up your usual library trip and have your child make a goal list of all the things they want to read or learn about during their two weeks off. Maybe it's two mysteries, a book about dinosaurs, one non-fiction, one fiction? It's up to them! This way your child can learn to do research and can become intentional when picking out books to read, instead of only finding ones with a fancy covers.

2. Utilize travel time
Holidays=Traveling. Put the time you'll be sitting in the car or waiting for your flight to good use. Some may go straight to the smart phone or portable DVD player to occupy the children- but situations like this are perfect for learning! Of course keep a book on hand, but there are other ways to learn: challenge your child to count in any situation (how many black suitcases are on the baggage claim carousel, how many out of state license plates can can you find, etc. ) Click here for more subtle thinking games to play as a family.

3. Explain leisure reading
Some kids end up avoiding reading because they may only "read" textbooks in class- no fun! But leisure reading is fun, casual, it is a choice! Explain to your child what book you are currently reading and why you wanted to read it. When you visit the library, ask for a tour, your child will see the variety of books out there, the recommended ones and where to find what he or she is looking for.

4. Bake together
Following a recipe can be a reading lesson- and a math one too! Read the ingredients and the instructions with your child, maybe even make a grocery list. Once you're ready to start, explain measuring for dry ingredients and liquids. Talk to them about measuring cups and the differences between them.

5. Role model your reading
Bring something to read everywhere you go. Back up your reasoning by the material you read. Explain how you learned something, or why something is the way it is and where you learned that information.

6. Visual Motivation
Make a chart showing who is reading what book and how many pages they have completed. It is a great way to stay on track of how many days are left of break and how many pages of reading can be fit in to that time!

7. More than books
Books aren't the only way to keep your child sharp this winter break. More easy ideas include: writing and mailing letters, turning on subtitles during movies (let's be honest, you can't ignore them), counting ornaments on all the trees, following winter craft instructions, etc.!

UW Tacoma Students Do Their Part

Demanding school assignments and work shifts can make a student’s life jam-packed. But on Saturday, October 10^th, UW Tacoma students made the time to serve their community collectively.

The University of Washington Tacoma is dedicated to serving diverse students and prides itself on being an urban serving institution. With that, the University seeks to collaborate, and connect with local organizations within education and student affairs with every chance it gets.  

Nearly 75 students came out to participate in UW Tacoma’s very own Day of Caring. Their day began at 8AM in the new University YMCA Student Center, and students strolled in with coffee desperate faces. Representatives came to speak about their local organizations and why their work is vital to our Pierce County community. Much of the day consisted of reflecting on why volunteering and community mobilization is important and how students can do their part.

From there, the volunteers went in groups to their assigned organizations. Tasks were varied by each site; some students put together family food packs, planted trees, sorted and organized pantries, and some even painted the facility.

Students worked through tough projects, the pouring rain and treacherous drives. But when all is said in done, they loved learning about local organizations and doing good for our community. 

A handful of passionate volunteers ended the day seeking to regularly volunteer and to get connected with more agencies. Che H., a sophomore at UW Tacoma said “this work isn’t pretty-but I love serving my city”. 

Participating Organizations

Families Unlimited Network

Tacoma Rescue Mission (Women’s & Family Shelter)

Puget Creek Restoration Society

Write@253

Nearly 1,200 Volunteers Answer the Dare to Care, Participate in United Way’s Day of Caring

by Nicole Milbradt, Sr Marketing Manager

Numerous companies are spending the day showing they care about their community as part of United Way of Pierce County’s Day of Caring, including the entire staff and student body at Tacoma’s School of the Arts. Additionally, people throughout Pierce County are dared to show they care by doing something – anything – that shows how they LIVE UNITED.

In total, nearly 1,200 volunteers are spending the day assisting nonprofit organizations all over Pierce County through Day of Caring. This year’s annual volunteer event features 50 projects and 32 teams. Projects include harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables for local food banks, hosting a carnival for adults with disabilities, weeding rain gardens, preparing and serving food to those in need and designing a mural for a local garden.

The estimated value of the hours that will be donated on September 18th is nearly $161,000 dollars.

Participating Organizations

Albers & Company

APA Engineered Wood Assoc.

BNY Mellon

Brown & Brown of Washington

Carlisle Transportation

City of Lakewood

Cole Graphics Solutions

Columbia Bank

Community Youth Services

DaVita

Divas2Die4

Evergreen Personal Injury Counsel

Global Metal Works & Erectors/McSweeney  Steel

Harborstone Credit Union (photo at right)

Heritage Bank

Korum Motors

McConkey

McGladrey

McGranahan Architects

Multicare Health System

Mutual of Enumclaw Insurance Co.

NuStar Energy

Providence

Regence Blue Shield

Rally Point 6

Tacoma School of the Arts

The Modified Dolls

Tacoma Public Utilities

TrueBlue, Inc.

Umpqua Bank

Unico Properties

US Bank

University of Washington Tacoma

Wells Fargo Bank

Weyerhaeuser

WSECU

However, if people can’t join a Day of Caring project, they can still participate in the Dare to Care. Mow an elderly neighbor's lawn, volunteer at a local agency, hold a food drive, write a letter to your congressman, donate to charity, advocate for an issue you care about, sign up to help out in your child's classroom, practice random acts of kindness... just show you care about the community! Participants are encouraged to post a photo or video on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UnitedWayofPierceCounty. People are also encouraged to include the hashtag #DareToCare and then dare their family and friends to do the same.

Show us you care about your community. We dare you!

#DareToCare… What’s It All About?

by Nicole Milbradt, Sr Marketing Manager

1. Dare To Care is a movement to help people see how easy it is to make a difference in someone’s life.
2. By sharing it on social media, we have the chance to inspire others to look for ways they can impact our community.
3. Encouraging people to do the Dare during the month of September combines all those little things to make a big difference.
4. Including a trendy hashtag makes you look cool and brands all the different efforts going on to support the movement.
5. Challenging your friends, family and co-workers to take the Dare means more good things will happen!
6. And it gives you a chance to pay them back for that ice bucket thing!
7. You get to share in the joy of giving back.
8. People who really need your help, get it!
9. Looking for ways to help people might just become a habit.
10. It shows how powerful we can be when we come together!

So get out there, do some good and challenge others to get on board!! #DareToCare