Back 2 School supply drive sends 1,208 kids back to school

by Lindsey Burks, Marketing Intern

Each year as the summer comes to an end, the staff at United Way of Pierce County and the Volunteer Center gear up for the annual Back 2 School supply drive. Backpacks begin to pile in, stuffed full of school supplies, and excitement grows as donations arrive. This year's campaign was successful thanks to generous donors, and the volunteers who gave their time to build the backpacks. This year’s Back 2 School campaign included hundreds of incredible donors and volunteers and dozens of local companies. Ernie Music was one of those donors – he inspired us and exemplified what it means to LIVE UNITED.

Ernie is a decade-long friend and supporter of the United Way of Pierce County's Back to School Campaign. His commitment to the campaign is rooted in his experiences as a child starting the school year off feeling like "something was missing" because he did not have everything off of the school provided list.  Ernie generously donates $500 every year so that children of limited means have the tools they need to succeed and they feel accepted. He says, "I wanted to give them something, say something, be their friend, or do all these things - I wanted them to feel accepted. Accepted not for what they did not have, but accepted for the person they were and would become." Ernie is an example of all who fight for children and the education they deserve. He noted that, while his donation may not "fix the problem", it might make a few more children want to go to school, want to learn, and maybe grow up to help society improve, instead of becoming more of the problem.

For some, the Back 2 School supply drive is a team effort.  The team at General Plastics in Tacoma has made the Back to School a company wide effort and competition between departments. This is General Plastic’s second year participating in the drive and this year the team collected and assembled $8,130 worth of school supply-filled backpacks for Pierce County kids.

Thank you to all of the donors, volunteers and local companies who participated in the 2013 Back 2 School campaign! For the kids who receive the backpacks it means more than just having the supplies they need for school; it is about feeling accepted and ready for success. Your kindness and generosity are an inspiration – thank you!

 

Peanut Butter Toast

by Lindsey Burks, Marketing Intern

At the age of five, I experienced my mom going into diabetic shock for the first time. I awoke on a normal kindergarten morning to find her still lying in bed, even though the digital clock told me she was running late for work. As my older sister and I tried to coax my mom awake, we realized that she was having one of the scary episodes that Dad always handled- an insulin reaction. With my dad already on his way to work, we watched in fear as her eyes rolled back and she spoke unidentifiable words. Then it hit me - Dad had always told me that peanut butter toast was the magic diabetes cure. My sister stood next to my mom in a panic while I ran to the kitchen to find a stool that would boost me up to reach the toaster and peanut butter. Mom always said that I was much too little to use a knife so with my hand, I smeared a glob of peanut butter onto a piece of toast and ran back to the bedroom. After force-feeding my mom bites, her blood sugar rose and she came to. My sister and I could finally breathe again.

Type-1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, affects both children and adults at any age. Each year, more than 15,000 children and 15,000 adults - approximately 80 per day - are diagnosed with type-1 diabetes in the U.S. To put that in perspective of cost, T1 diabetes accounts for $14.9 billion in healthcare costs in the U.S. each year (Juvenille Diabetes Research Foundation). Those numbers make it clear that type-1 diabetes management is crucial. Just as important is type-2 diabetes prevention and management. In 2012 the total cost of diagnosed diabetes, including type-1 and type-2, reached a record high of $245 billion. It is evident that type-2 diabetes is far more common, and actually accounts for 90-95 percent of diabetes diagnoses in America (American Diabetes Association). The two main causes of type-2 diabetes are obesity and lack of exercise, so the first steps in prevention are weight management and regular physical activity.

Although my mom has lived with type-1 diabetes since she was 12 years-old, it is a constant battle to manage her diabetes. It is imperative to seek help if you are struggling to manage diabetes, experiencing pre-diabetes, or if you need assistance with prevention. Specialists in the South Sound 2-1-1 Center refer callers who may be at risk for diabetes to Diabetes Prevention Education courses within their areas. They also refer callers to places that can provide diabetes testing, and clinics that can diagnose and treat diabetes. South Sound 2-1-1 refers individuals who already have diabetes to local clinics, support groups, senior centers that provide foot care, and programs that provide financial assistance for medication and supplies. Resources like recreational programs and camps for children with type-1 diabetes are also available.

If you or a loved one would like to receive more information on how to prevent or manage type-2 diabetes, or how to manage type-1 diabetes, contact the South Sound 2-1-1 Center by calling 2-1-1 or send an email to 211@uwpc.org. They are happy to mail educational brochures out to callers upon request.

Building Good Karma

by Lindsey Burks, Marketing Intern

I sat in the Tacoma Public Utilities cafeteria chest-deep in daydreams when a bubbly woman with wild hair flagged me down. I was there to meet Theresa Niemi and get her thoughts on volunteering but what I took away was a greater appreciation for one of Tacoma’s largest companies- Tacoma Public Utilities.

Theresa is an Oregon native with a charitable heart. She focuses on helping senior citizens, children, animals and the hungry. Most would consider helping one of those groups to be enough but Theresa is quick to refer to herself as “a speck” in terms of how impactful her volunteering is.  She notes that there are other people whose pockets run much deeper than hers so she gives her time. When asked what inspires her to keep volunteering, Theresa credits it all to karma.

“I believe in karma and that saying; do unto others as you wish others would do unto you… You’re doing something good and there’s no monetary compensation, so I know that I’m devoting my whole day’s pay to help those in need. It’s just a rewarding thing, and you hope that you’re helping one person at least. That’s all that I ask- that my volunteer hours helps one person. If I help more than that, that’s just a bonus.”

With significant volunteer experience under her belt and a philanthropic spirit, Theresa found her place at Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU). For nearly 20 years, TPU has been involved with United Way of Pierce County’s annual Day of Caring event and Theresa will take the lead as the coordinator for the fourth time this September. The TPU team is a group of generous, civic-minded people and committed friends of United Way of Pierce County.

The volunteers from TPU use vacation days to participate in United Way of Pierce County’s Day of Caring. This fact stunned me because it really demonstrates the team’s commitment to give back to their community. Theresa explained that the employees use their own vacation time because it wouldn’t be fair to the rate payers if the company gave them the day off because that is money out of their pockets. For a third year in a row, Theresa and her team will head out to Mother Earth Farm in the Puyallup Valley this coming September 20th. They all look forward to helping harvest fresh, organic fruits and vegetables for local food banks, get a couple nibbles in and say hello to their favorite farm cat.

Beaming with pride, Theresa spoke to me about her coworkers who are always giving back. She said that the consensus at TPU is “….to donate… even though the economy impacts some of the pockets here.” This collective generosity among the employees at TPU makes it easy to understand why the company has won numerous awards from United Way of Pierce County, most recently the 2012 Community Partner of the Year award.

Do you want to be a part of Day of Caring 2013 and build some good karma? Check out the available projects and submit an application at http://www.uwpc.org/DaysOfCaring.htm.  Send your questions or concerns to lindseyb@uwpc.org.

 

What I've learned from "my kids"

by Bethany Opstedal, Sr. Youth United Associate

What is it that creates a volunteer spirit? Why do teens care so much? I think many outsiders have a perception that students are “voluntold” and so they find an organization to volunteer at. With increasing competition for scholarships and college entrance it’s a resume booster for sure - but that is not why teens volunteer.  The students I work with through Youth United continue to amaze me year, after year, after year.  These students have a giving natures, caring attitudes and willingness to do whatever is needed for the greater good.  Seeing how involved many of these young adults are sort of puts the rest of us to shame.

“My kids”, as I affectionately refer to them, come out of the woodwork from all over Pierce County asking for service projects.  Some are interested in early childhood development; some are interested in health care…for others it is animals or the environment or assisting seniors.  I cannot even begin to name all the areas of focus and passion these remarkable teens have.  I don’t always have enough volunteer work for the number of request I receive.  I am lucky enough to join them at various volunteer projects and witness first hand their smiles and delight as they give back.  It is truly
heartwarming and inspiring.

I strive to be a better person for these kids - “my kids”. We should all strive to be better for them, to support them and to learn from them. They are not the leaders of tomorrow- they are the leaders of today.

I challenge you- what can you do to support a teen volunteer? What can you do to give back yourself? How can you make a difference in this community?

www.volunteerpiercecounty.org

 

 

Homeless but not hopeless

by Tammy Brown, Community Impact Manager - Strengthening Families

When people hear the word “homeless”, images of dirty beggars and sickly addicts flash across the widescreen of their mind in bold high definition color. Embedded deep within the circuits of their brain are thoughts of criminals, prostitutes, liars, drug dealers and thieves. To those who know no better, homeless individuals are likened to an incurable, contagious disease that is to be avoided at all cost.  However, the reality of the image and issue of homelessness, for those who have not bought into the media hype or stereotype, is much different.

The real image of homelessness belongs to people just like you and me. It could be our neighbor, our co-worker or friend. Each one of us may be only one paycheck, one major illness or one life-changing event away from losing everything. And then, there are the children; the innocent victims of circumstances beyond their control.

According to Washington OSPI data, there were 2,835 students identified and served under the McKinney-Vento Act in Pierce County during 2011-2012, which is only a portion of the real number of students who are homeless. The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence”. The Act goes on to give examples of children who would fall under this definition as:

• Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations 
• Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
• Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations
• Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
• Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
• Children and youth awaiting foster care placement
• Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc.)
• Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations

Of the 2,835 identified homeless students, 288 of those were seniors in high school, with kindergartners coming in a close second at 269. Now stop for just a moment think about the short- and long-term effects on a child who does not have a consistent or stable place to sleep at night and think about the effects being homeless has on that child’s social, emotional and cognitive progression.  Now add in other potential factors such as hunger, neglect or abuse. When you add it all up, these children have major obstacles to overcome to achieve success academically and in life.  The good news is many of these children do just that; they overcome and succeed. At a time when 30% of students do not graduate from high school, the fact that these homeless youth graduate and go on to higher post-secondary education is something to be celebrated.

For the past two years United Way of Pierce County has recognized this major achievement by providing laptops, backpacks and basic college necessities to homeless students through the Off-to-College Campaign. These students were identified by the McKinney-Vento Liaison in their school district. They confirmed the student was graduating and had firm plans to attend some type of higher post-secondary education (technical college, community college, university). A total of 31 homeless students from five school districts (Bethel, Clover Park, Puyallup, Sumner, and Tacoma) have now been recipients of this program due to the generous donations and support from the community. This is a small, but significant way our community has come together to help homeless youth and propel them into a better and brighter future.

As you lay your head on your pillow tonight, take a moment to count your blessings and remember those who may not have a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. Remember the children. They may be homeless, but they are not hopeless. 

Together, we can provide hope and make a difference in the lives of homeless youth. Give. Advocate. Volunteer.

Tough Decisions Lie Ahead During This Legislative Session

by Nicole Milbradt, Sr. Marketing Associate & Events Manager

As the state legislative session opens, Washington State has some tough decisions to make. First on the list are the recommendations of the McCleary decision.

 

In January of 2012, the Washington State Supreme Court upheld the King County Superior Court decision in the caseMcCleary, Venema, and NEWS v. Washington State, concluding the state was failing to meet its constitutional obligation to adequately fund basic education for Washington’s students. In 2009 and 2010, the state legislature passed Substitute House Bill 2261 (ESHB 2261) and Substitute House Bill 2776 (SHB 2776), which include plans to provide all-day Kindergarten classes in public schools and reducing class size for Kindergarten through third grade classes to 17 students per classroom (from an existing average of 25). Additionally, the bill would increase funds for maintenance, supplies and operating costs as well as fully funding transportation for students to and from school.

 

However, because of budget cuts in the 2011-2013 biennium, the court found the state has yet to make measurable progress toward fully funding basic education. The court ruling in the McCleary case requires the Legislature to make the implementation and funding for the reforms laid out in ESHB 2261 their top priority. The anticipated cost of the implementation is more than a billion dollars during the approaching biennium, with additional costs being covered in future years

 

No one would argue that making education a priority is a bad thing. However, if more of the limited budget dollars available are earmarked for education, another area will have less to work with. Many are concerned that the decreased funds will hit human services the hardest.

 

The number of people seeking human services spiked during the recession and is slowly receding. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Basic Food program saw a 60 percent jump in 2010 to nearly 158,000 people served in Pierce County alone. Without vital funding from the state, many of these services would not be available.

 

United Way of Pierce County includes advocacy in its work to help sustain Pierce County services. United Way’s community champions have identified key human service issues and will work to educate and inform legislative leaders of the impact cuts to services could have.

 

With so many deserving causes, one thing is certain. The legislature will have several tough decisions to make during this 105-day session.