Author: Marketing Department

23 Jul

Little Kids, Big Futures: Home Visiting

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News, Women United
Lizandro, his family and his family’s Home Visiting Nurse, Josephine.

Since 2014, Women United has allocated over a half a million dollars in grants through its Little Kids, Big Futures Philanthropy Fund to support early literacy programs across Lake County. The fund gives members the opportunity to allocate their own money to the specific programs they believe in.

Today, we are continuing our blog series that takes a deeper dive into each of the programs receiving funding this year, thanks to Little Kids, Big Futures. Next up, Success by 6‘s Home Visiting Program in North Chicago, Waukegan and Zion.

Home Visiting is a simple but powerful concept: Provide in-home early intervention for families with infants and preschool-age children who struggle with poverty and have a hard time accessing health and community services.

United Way of Lake County identifies eligible families and sends help directly to them! Each family is assigned a Home Visiting caseworker and nurse. The caseworker and nurse help mold the family into a team. The team meets often, and parents learn new skills and connect to other community resources — all aimed towards the goal of improving the children’s academic and social skills and identifying, treating and managing any health care needs before they become critical.

Women United has supported this program with $38,000 in funding since 2017.


Alma and her family in their house in Waukegan, IL.

In 2010, Alma and her family qualified for the Home Visiting program. Home Visiting gave Alma the solid foundation she needed to succeed in school. And, her mom added, “Alma used to be very shy. Home Visiting gave Alma confidence about her abilities.” Alma continues to excel in school and her confidence shines brightly. Alma’s teacher says Alma is a model for her peers, “She is eager to learn and raises her hand for everything!”

Women United has a deep affinity for the North Chicago, Waukegan and Zion communities, providing resources and funding to increase the service available for children and families.

“Women United was pleased to be able to fund this important collaborative Home Visiting program between United Way, One Hope United and the Lake County Healthy Department for families with young children,” said Diana Nielander, Affinity Group Manager. “We truly understand the importance of providing in-home, individualized wrap-around services for some of our county’s highest-risk families.”

The results are clear. Home Visiting children demonstrate significant improvements in school readiness. Specifically, our community’s professional educators report that children should be at least “in progress” in key kindergarten readiness skills when starting school. The data show that of the children who start in Home Visiting, only 11% of them rate as ‘in progress’ in these skills. But by the end of Home Visiting, 99% are ‘in progress’ or better in skills needed to succeed in kindergarten. Why? Because the program helps parents increase their engagement in caring for their children, and in turn, the children get the care they need to thrive!

Women United strengthens the community through philanthropy, leadership and volunteerism while creating a meaningful sense of belonging. Through this powerful network of 100 women, we leverage our ideas, expertise, resources and passions to ensure children living in Lake County’s most vulnerable communities are prepared for kindergarten and ready to succeed.

Women United has a huge hand in Home Visiting growth and success. Interested in learning more about Women United? Join members on August 22 at 6 – 7:30 p.m., in Libertyville for a Wine & Learn event, an informal gathering for prospective members to learn more about what it means to be a member and what Women United does. Email Janice.Scarbalis@uwlakeco.org to RSVP and we will send you the exact address of the meeting location or visit our event page on Facebook.

23 Jul

Little Kids, Big Futures: Early Learning Clubs

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News, Women United
Women United members visiting Early Learning Clubs in Waukegan, IL.

Since 2014, Women United has allocated over a half a million dollars in grants through its Little Kids, Big Futures Philanthropy Fund to support early literacy programs across Lake County. The fund gives members the opportunity to allocate their own money to the specific programs they believe in.

Today, we are continuing our blog series that takes a deeper dive into each of the programs receiving funding this year, thanks to Little Kids, Big Futures. Next up, Early Learning Clubs in Waukegan.

Early Learning Clubs (ELCs) are one-shot two-hour sessions designed to ignite the spark of learning that occurs naturally between parents and children. Everybody comes to an upbeat, lively session held at the Waukegan Public Library and discovers what any adult who takes care of children can do, while the kids are very young, to make sure they’ll be ready when it’s time for kindergarten. They receive creative and fun tools to teach their children things such as colors, shapes, counting, recognizing letters, and even reading skills.

A parent and his two children learning together at an Early Learning Club Site.

“If you ask me how often you should work with your child I will tell you every day. When walking outside, identify colors with your child. Together with your kids, think of words that rhyme with items while grocery shopping. At the breakfast table, help your kids find shapes, letters and colors on the cereal box. Every day is filled with simple and fun teachable moments,” said Laurie, part-time preschool teacher in Wadsworth who volunteers her time to teach an ELC in Waukegan.

Women United has a deep affinity for the Waukegan community, providing resources and funding to increase the service available for  children and families.

“Women United was excited to provide $8,000 in funding to bring Early Learning Clubs within the heart of the community, at the Waukegan Library,” said Diana Nielander, Affinity Group Manager. “It not only provides a great social environment where families naturally congregate, but it gets families connected early to books and reading.”

Women United strengthens the community through philanthropy, leadership and volunteerism while creating a meaningful sense of belonging. Through this powerful network of 100 women, we leverage our ideas, expertise, resources and passions to ensure children living in Lake County’s most vulnerable communities are prepared for kindergarten and ready to succeed.

Interested in learning more about Women United? Join members on August 22 at 6 – 7:30 p.m., in Libertyville for a Wine & Learn event, an informal gathering for prospective members to learn more about what it means to be a member and what Women United does. Email Janice.Scarbalis@uwlakeco.org to RSVP and we will send you the exact address of the meeting location or visit our event page on Facebook.

23 Jul

Little Kids, Big Futures: HUGS/North Partnership

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News, Women United

Since 2014, Women United has allocated over a half a million dollars in grants through its Little Kids, Big Futures Philanthropy Fund to support early literacy programs across Lake County. The fund gives members the opportunity to allocate their own money to the specific programs they believe in.

Today, we are continuing our blog series that takes a deeper dive into each of the programs receiving funding this year, thanks to Little Kids, Big Futures. Next up, our HUGS Initiative in Waukegan.

Women United members at a Baby Talk event in Waukegan.

HUGS stands for Heroines United for Giving and Support. It’s a special community engagement initiative of Women United where our members embrace a school, project, or community for two to three years with the resources and care it needs to succeed. Then, we move on to “hug” another deserving program.

Women United has already “hugged” the Green Bay Early Learning Center in North Chicago and Baby Talk in Waukegan.

Women United members at Baby Talk session.

“The HUGS Committee partners with Lake County organizations in order to donate our time and resources to better enhance their programs. Our members really like to dig in to find ways to further the goals of that organization and serve our Lake County community,” said Patrice Maloney-Knauff, WU Chair and HUGS Committee Co-Chair. 

Now Women United’s HUGS Committee has started a new partnership with North Preschool, located within North Elementary School in Waukegan. This public program is a year old and is aimed at the children most in need of a preschool experience to ensure they’re ready for kindergarten.

How will we “hug” North Preschool?  Women United members will:

  • Read in the classrooms.
  • Buy and donate teacher-requested and age-appropriate books.
  • Support value-added programming that goes beyond what the public school can provide — such as an end-of-school family send-off picnic (with tips and materials to prevent the “summer slide”), parent workshops, holiday events, and teacher celebrations.

We’re in the early stages, so we’re still learning how to meet North’s needs, but we are beyond excited to begin this partnership.

Our first opportunity to connect with students at North Preschool was on the national “Read Across America” day in March. It was great fun to be with the little ones and help instill a love for reading in their hearts.

“The North Pre-K learning community strongly believes that collaborating with Women United/United Way will provide our families with diverse learning experiences,” says Ms. Maribel Carrion, a teacher at North Preschool. “We can’t wait to dive in!”

Women United has a deep affinity for the Waukegan community, providing resources and funding to increase the services available for Waukegan children and families.

Interested in learning more about Women United? Join members on August 22 at 6 – 7:30 p.m., in Libertyville for a Wine & Learn event, an informal gathering for prospective members to learn more about what it means to be a member and what Women United does. Email Janice.Scarbalis@uwlakeco.org to RSVP and we will send you the exact address of the meeting location or visit our event page on Facebook.

22 Jul

Little Kids, Big Futures: Kindergarten Countdown Camps

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News, Women United

Lois Ryan, Women United member, with a student attending KCC in Waukegan.

Since 2014, Women United has allocated over a half a million dollars in grants through its Little Kids, Big Futures Philanthropy Fund to support early literacy programs across Lake County. The fund gives members the opportunity to allocate their own money to the specific programs they believe in.

Today, we are continuing our blog series that takes a deeper dive into each of the programs receiving funding this year, thanks to Little Kids, Big Futures. Next up, Success by 6‘s Kindergarten Countdown Camp (KCC) in Beach Park, North Chicago, Round Lake and Waukegan.

KCC is a free summer learning program for incoming kindergarten students with limited to no preschool experience. Think of it like kindergarten boot camp! KCC teaches these little ones the basic skills they need to start school prepared — skills like adjusting to a classroom setting, following directions and rules, recognizing shapes, letters, and numbers, and of course, counting to ten and writing their names.

This initiative was proven successful in Waukegan and now has expanded into two more communities to reach more kids. Women United has supported KCC with a total of $132,000 in funding and a pledge of $65,000 more in 2019, allowing KCC to serve 120 children each summer.

In addition to contributing their money, Women United members have volunteered their time as Reading Buddies and Teacher Assistants. Volunteers read in small groups that gives each child the special attention they need. These efforts echo the true mission of Women United, which is to ensure that children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

Children graduating from a Kindergarten Countdown Camp.

“It was fun to interact with the children and see the excitement on their faces as they got engrossed in the story,” said long-time Women United member, Lori Cruz.

A few years ago, 5-year-old Jessie attended KCC in preparation to start school. Jessie’s parents also took part in KCC’s Parent Event to learn how they could help Jessie prepare for kindergarten. At the Parent Event, parents learned about school readiness skills and received tips and resources for teaching their child at home.

“My dream is that my children will succeed in life,” said Tapia, Jessie’s father. 

Women United has a deep affinity for the North Chicago, Round Lake and Waukegan communities, providing resources and funding to increase the services available for children and families.

Women United strengthens the community through philanthropy, leadership and volunteerism while creating a meaningful sense of belonging. Through this powerful network of 100 women, we leverage our ideas, expertise, resources and passions to ensure children living in Lake County’s most vulnerable communities are prepared for kindergarten and ready to succeed.

Women United has a huge hand in KCC’s growth and success. Interested in learning more about Women United? Join members on August 22 at 6 – 7:30 p.m., in Libertyville for a Wine & Learn event, an informal gathering for prospective members to learn more about what it means to be a member and what Women United does. Email Janice.Scarbalis@uwlakeco.org to RSVP and we will send you the exact address of the meeting location or visit our event page on Facebook.

19 Jul

November 2018 e-Newsletter

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: Newsletter

Sold-Out Power of the Purse Raises $59.8k for Early Literacy Programs

On November 4, Women United held their 13th annual Power of the Purse fundraising event at the Royal Melbourne Country Club in Long Grove. Over 200 women joined together for an afternoon filled with a champagne brunch, an assortment of games to win purses, jewelry and much more. This year’s event raised $59,800, which is a 20% increase over last year.

Power of the Purse raises funds for Women United’s Little Kids, Big Futures Philanthropy Fund, to support six critical early literacy programs that will ensure the foundation for strong and successful academic futures for children in Lake County. Since 2014, Women United has granted $370,000 to worthy early literacy programs. Power of the Purse ensures that more children receive the support they need to be prepared for kindergarten and are ready to succeed.

To view photos from this year’s Power of the Purse event, click the button below.

Help Brighten Children’s Futures this Giving Tuesday

All of the funds raised on Giving Tuesday, November 27, 2018, will go towards expanding our Home Visiting Program to reach more families throughout Lake County.

Home Visiting delivers free early intervention services to the home of families with infants and preschool-age children who are struggling with poverty and who have limited access to health and community services. Funding will support more high-risk families in North Chicago, Waukegan and Zion with their most critical needs.

The Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County will be matching 100% of Giving Tuesday donations up to $5,000. A matching gift means that your impact will double for children and families that need and deserve our help.

Save the date for #GivingTuesday on Tuesday, November 27,
to help brighten children’s futures in Lake County.

Learn more about Home Visiting here and click below to learn more about our Giving Tuesday campaign.

Check Out Our Holiday Opportunities

Looking for giving and volunteer opportunities this holiday season? View our Holiday Opportunities Guide! It’s an easy-to-use guide filled with holiday volunteering and giving opportunities through the Lake County community.

Donate as an individual or unite your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to spread the holiday cheer with children and families in need and deserving of our help. Click the button below to view this year’s guide.

Happy Holidays!

As we approach the holiday season, we’d like to say thank you for supporting our mission to create lasting change in our Lake County community.

None of our work would be possible without donors, volunteers and supporters—like you. From all of us at United Way of Lake County, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

Staff Spotlight: Shareny Mota

Recently, we welcomed Shareny Mota to our United Way family! We are thrilled to have her as our new Initiative Coordinator for Success By 6. Shareny’s role is to collaborate with the community and encourage healthy child development and readiness through our early learning programs.

Learn more about Shareny and her work at United Way by clicking below.

Support United Way As You Shop This Holiday Season

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support United Way of Lake County (UWLC) every time you shop, at no cost to you. You’ll find the exact same shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of your purchase to our organization.

Before you begin shopping, select United Way of Lake County in Gurnee, IL to receive donations from eligible purchases. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation to UWLC!

Click below to select UWLC as your AmazonSmile charity of choice.

Connect With Us On Social Media

Want to keep in touch more often than just our once-a-month newsletter? Become a part of our social community by following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram, where you can see what’s new, share your thoughts and be among the first to know about all the ways that United Way is creating lasting change in Lake County.

 

19 Jul

December 2018 e-Newsletter

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: Newsletter

Forbes Ranks United Way as America’s #1 Top Charity

Forbes recently released its list of America’s Top Charities and United Way is #1. Forbes ranks the charities based on several financial-efficiency metrics, proving again that a donation to United Way is going to do the most good for the most people! Click here to view Forbes’ list.

United Way was also ranked #1 on The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s new list of America’s Favorite Charities. Click here to learn more.

Your Gift Makes a World of Difference in Lake County

If you choose just one charity worthy of your heart, time and generosity this year, please choose United Way of Lake County.

Your gift to United Way of Lake County funds vital programs, like our Kindergarten Countdown Camp, where children are able to build key kindergarten skills, such as recognizing shapes and letters, counting and writing their names. Getting off on the right food is everything.

You can also support the new 2-1-1 Lake County, a 24/7 helpline (call, text and chat) for local residents needing assistance with everything from food, shelter, clothing, job training, physical and mental health services, elder care and more. Connecting people to the right services at the right time makes a world of difference.

By supporting United Way of Lake County, you help create lasting change by focusing on long-term solutions, not short-term charity. And your gift goes further this year thanks to NRG, who will be matching 100% of all donations up to $7,000.

Please give today by clicking the button below.

Thank You, Keurig Dr. Pepper and American Hotel Register Company

We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to Keurig Dr Pepper and American Hotel Register Company. American Hotel graciously received, stored and moved 55 pallets of sporting goods and apparel donated by Keurig Dr. Pepper (nearly 5 semi-trailer loads) that were distributed to more than 30 agencies, schools and park districts across Lake County in just 3 days.

Our special thanks to the American Hotel Register team at the Chicago Regional Distribution Center and our community partners who participated in this event.

Pictured (left to right): Dennis Burke (UWLC), Danielle Mallizzio (DC General Manager, American Hotel Register), Michelle Crombie (UWLC), Julie Baker (VP HR, American Hotel Register), Deidre Schwartz (Director Corporate Social Responsibility, American Hotel Register).

Celebrate the Season of Giving

We are happy to share that we raised $10,836 on Giving Tuesday this year! These funds will be used to sponsor more families in our Home Visiting Program that provides free early intervention and health care services to the highest-risk families in Lake County.

We would like to thank the individuals who made a Giving Tuesday gift and recognize our matching gift sponsor, Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, for pledging to match all new or increased gifts made up to $5,000.

If you missed out on Giving Tuesday, consider making a tax-deductible, year-end gift to support our programs. Click below to make a gift or learn more.

Meet Our New Staff

Recently, we welcomed Bobbi Selvik to our United Way family! We are thrilled to have her as our new Manager of Community Impact. Bobbi’s role includes providing year-round volunteer engagement opportunities as well as implementing the Young Leaders United group.

Learn more about Bobbi and her work at United Way by clicking below.

File Your Taxes for FREE with MyFreeTaxes

Tax season is right around the corner and we are excited to offer the MyFreeTaxes Program to Lake County residents once again.

MyFreeTaxes is an easy, safe, and free way to file your taxes online. Available for residents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, you can file your federal and state returns for free at MyFreeTaxes.com. United Way promotes MyFreeTaxes to help support the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community, and maximizing your tax refund is a key step towards that goal.

The income cap for tax season 2019 will be $66,000 for individuals and households. Similar to last year, MyFreeTaxes will use H&R Block’s premium product. Stay tuned for more information in January!

Learn more about MyFreeTaxes by clicking the button below.

Happy Holidays!

As we approach the holiday season, we’d like to say THANK YOU for supporting our mission to create lasting change in Lake County. None of our work would be possible without donors, volunteers and supporters—like you.

From all of us at United Way of Lake County, we wish you a safe and happy holidays!

Connect With Us On Social Media

Want to keep in touch more often than just our once-a-month newsletter? Become a part of our social community by following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram, where you can see what’s new, share your thoughts and be among the first to know about all the ways that United Way is creating lasting change in Lake County.

 

 

19 Jul

March 2019 e-Newsletter

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: Newsletter

UWLC Hosts Countywide Reading Day in Honor of Dr. Seuss

On March 1, over 95 volunteers participated in a county-wide volunteer effort to read to over 1,140 students in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Read Across America Day. Volunteers read to students, ranging from pre-K to 3rd grade, at Glen Flora and North Elementary in Waukegan, Pleviak Elementary in Lake Villa and Green Bay Early Childhood Center in North Chicago.

Click below to view photos from this special day!

211 Gains Support of Local Hospitals

United Way has continued to gain support from local partners and individuals to help bring 211 to Lake County. Most recently, Advocate Aurora Health, NorthShore Highland Park Hospital, and Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital joined our amazing list of 211 partners. Once launched, 211 will connect residents to various resources including health care and other critical services to improve and save lives, so we are proud to have the support of local medical institutions.

Click below to sign-up to receive our 211 e-newsletter so you can stay up-to-date on the pending launch in Lake County.

Now Available: 2019 Program Overview

Our 2019 Program Overview is now available. Click below to view the amazing work being accomplished in Lake County!

Better Together is Back in Session

Our Better Together program is back in session and always welcomes new families! Better Together is a parent and toddler class where they learn, play and develop school readiness skills together. Each session is from 10 – 11:30 a.m. at Green Bay Early Childhood Center.

Click here to view all of the upcoming sessions.

Learn more about Better Together by clicking the button below.

..

Volunteer Opportunity: Kindergarten Countdown Camp

Do you enjoy spending time with 4 and 5-year-olds? Our Kindergarten Countdown Camp has a summer volunteer opportunity! Volunteers are needed to assist the program’s teachers in a variety of classroom tasks and work with the students who are struggling. Volunteers must be willing to commit 2-3 days a week for at least 5-6 weeks between June 10 and July 19.

Click below to learn more about this important opportunity.

United Way of Lake County is Hiring

Want to join our team? Apply today!

Click below to learn more.

Don’t Stress! You Can File Your Taxes With Ease

No need to stress. United Way and HR Block have teamed up to bring you free tax prep you can trust. File your state and federal taxes for $0 at MyFreeTaxes.com.

 

19 Jul

February 2019 e-Newsletter

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: Newsletter

United Way Volunteer Inspires Waukegan Students

Karen Jones-Abbott retiree, long-time supporter of United Way, and Women United member-recently visited Robert Abbott Middle School to share her wisdom and passions with the students.

Karen taught the students to walk into a room, shine a smile and introduce themselves with confidence. She shared her success story, which all started with the love of problem solving. She encouraged the students to try something new and take risks to discover their own interests and passions.

Karen is part of a series of speakers focused on helping students Stay in School and realize the direct connection between academics and future success.

Interested in being a Career Speaker too? Click here to learn more.

View photos from this event by clicking below.

United Way – One of the World’s Most Innovative Companies

United Way was named #5 on Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019, in the nonprofit category! The list honors those businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive in today’s volatile world.

We’re very proud of this honor and grateful for our donors, volunteers, advocates and partners who helped us get to this point!

Waukegan 8th Grade Students Explore College of Lake County Opportunities

United Way understands how critical it is to expose middle school students to career and college possibilities as they prepare for high school. Through a partnership with College of Lake County (CLC), TRiO/Educational Talent Search and Robert Abbott Middle School (RAMS), students learned about TRiO summer opportunities and support programs for a positive transition from middle school to high school.

The students attended a Career Degrees and Certificates Fair. CLC faculty members and Tech Campus students created hands-on and interactive stations where the RAMS students could learn more about careers such as Fire Science and Technology, Nursing and Emergency Medical Technology, Mechatronics, Laser Photonics and Engineering, Hospitality and Culinary Management, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, General EMPS Information, Legal Studies, Health and Wellness, and Digital Media Design. The 8th graders and their teachers were amazed with the variety of opportunities available at CLC.

RAMS students also had the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with CLC students from various student clubs. Members of Sister 2 Sister, Men of Vision, Exito Program, Student Government/Phi Theta Kappa, and the EXPLORE program encouraged the 8th graders to create college experiences that are well rounded and meaningful. The students also learned about what Dual Credit is and how it will benefit them in high school as well as in college. The trip allowed the 8th graders to get a glimpse of what college feels like both academically and socially.

Click below to view photos from the event.

STEM for Girls in Lake County

United Way strives to help youth navigate their career path towards graduation. One avenue to accomplish this goal is to provide opportunities for young girls to be exposed to STEM related fields. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM is important because it pervades every part of our lives. Studies show that girls lose interest in math and science during middle school, and STEM interest for girls is low, compared to boys.

So on February 23, over 240 girls from 7th through 12th grades and their parents attended College of Lake County’s STEM for Girls event. The girls participated in fun, hands-on sessions focused on science, technology, engineering and math.

UWLC helped coordinate this event by providing volunteers with careers in the STEM field. During lunch, Karen Jones from Chocolate Chips Association and a group from Astellas, represented by Keya Pitts, Dominique Talbert, Debra Sutkowski and Angela James, were on hand to talk with the girls about STEM related career prospects. These volunteers demonstrated what STEM careers look like in the real world, discussed with the students and parents how they can also thrive in STEM related fields, and encouraged the girls to pursue their career goals.

View our Facebook post for more photos by clicking below.

..

Success By 6 Summer Internship Opportunity

Know a college student looking for a summer internship?

This position will support the efforts of United Way of Lake County by assisting in the implementation of the Success By 6 Program and its initiatives as well as assisting with other Community Impact initiatives. The ability to speak English and Spanish is strongly preferred. View the position description here.

Want to apply? Send your cover letter and resume to Rita at Rita.Zaluzec@uwlakeco.org.
Click the button below to learn more about all internship opportunities.

United Way of Lake County is Hiring

Want to join our team? Apply today!

Click below to find job descriptions and learn more.

File With My Free Taxes – It’s Free!

No need to stress. United Way and HR Block have teamed up to bring you free tax prep you can trust. File your state and federal taxes for $0 at MyFreeTaxes.com.

 

19 Jul

January 2019 e-Newsletter

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: Newsletter

Waukegan Kindergarten Readiness Improves From 6% to 57%

During fall 2018, United Way of Lake County conducted the fifth Kindergarten Readiness Assessment in Waukegan. United Way has conducted this assessment every three years in Waukegan since 2006. Twelve years ago, a baseline assessment showed that only 6% of the children in Waukegan Public Schools had the skills needed to be successful in kindergarten. The results were a call to action for United Way to launch the Success By 6 Program, designed to promote healthy early childhood development to ensure children enter school ready to succeed.

Today, based on the same assessment, we are thrilled to announce that the percentage of Waukegan children who arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed in school has increased from 6% to 57%!

The Success By 6 Program is very excited to continue its efforts to increase kindergarten readiness in Waukegan and is grateful to everyone who made this 2018 assessment possible. A special thank you to the teachers, staff and principals at Waukegan School District! This wouldn’t have been possible without your support.

Learn more about the Success By 6 Program by clicking below.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

There are several upcoming volunteer opportunities that you or your company can get involved in. Here are three examples of upcoming one-time opportunities:

STEM for Girls

When: Saturday, February 23, 2019 (11:45 a.m. – 1:10 p.m.)

Where: College of Lake County Grayslake Campus

STEM for Girls is a free event for girls in grades 7 through 12 who are interested in STEM Programs. During the Lunch and Learn, volunteers will share how STEM degrees impact their companies. Volunteers representing a STEM related company come and share with girls and their parents about STEM careers, internships, and scholarship opportunities at their companies.

Host a Job Shadow Half-Day with High School Students

This is a unique opportunity for companies to have a personal engagement with high school students over one morning. Educations Talent Search/TRIO at College of Lake County has requested four job shadow opportunities for their partnering high schools: Waukegan High School, North Chicago High School, Round Lake High School, and Zion-Benton Township High School.

ETS/TRIO serves first generation college-bound students. This event will allow students to visit companies to learn more about professional work life. This interaction will allow students the opportunity to engage with volunteer professionals, ask questions and learn to network. A typical outing includes 30-40 students “job shadowing” 15 company employees.

Dr. Seuss Readers

Join us on March 1, 2019, to participate in Dr. Seuss’ Birthday and Read Across America Day. Volunteers will be “guest readers” and share their love of reading with kindergarten through third grade children.

Interested in volunteering? Contact Bobbi Selvik at Bobbi.Selvik@uwlakeco.org.

View our full list of volunteer opportunities – both one-time and ongoing – by clicking the button below. 

211 Coming Soon to lake County

At the end of 2018, United Way of Lake County announced that our goal to launch 211 in Lake County has been reached!

211 is a powerful information referral service, equipped with tools to solve problems of all magnitudes including crisis and disaster phone calls and texts. Currently, 94% of our country has an established 211 program but less than 30% of Illinois residents have access to 211 and Lake County, IL residents do not have any access. Thanks to the support of many local partners, United Way will change that in Spring 2019 when we launch 211 in Lake County!

But our work is not over! Working together, we can provide this vital service for many years to come and ensure that all 703,000 Lake County residents have access to critical information and resources. Together, we can ensure that Lake County’s 211 system transforms the way our residents find help.

If you’d like to make a gift to help sustain 211 in year two, please click here.

Thank you to our following partners who are supporting the 211 implementation in Lake County:

Learn more about 211 Lake County by clicking the button below.
Want to receive updates about 211 Lake County via email? Click here to sign-up.

Host a Dr. Seuss Book Drive

On March 1, we are celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Read Across America Day. For the last several years, we have organized an event in which volunteers visit local schools and read Dr. Seuss books to students.

This year, we are collecting Dr. Seuss books that will be donated to schools in Lake County in honor of Read Across America Day. You can help us by hosting a book drive with your friends, family or co-workers to collect new or gently-used Dr. Seuss books by Friday, February 22. We need books in both English and Spanish.

To coordinate a drop-off, contact Karla Medina Alamar at Karla.Alamar@uwlakeco.org or (847) 775-1010.

..

New Board Members Spotlight

United Way of Lake County recently welcomed new members to the Board of Directors. hear from Paul Lotharius and Steve Carlson about why they decided to join UWLC’s Board. Click the buttons below to read their full Q&As.


“Joining the UWLC Board is a way of feeling connected to, and a part of, something that is bigger than just me and my family”.

-Paul Lotharius, President/CEO of HeatlhFitness at Trustmark Companies

“Working to bring 211 to Lake County, I’ve become acquainted with the many remarkable, dedicated people in the United Way organization”. 

-Steve Carlson, Lake County Board Member

Marketing Internship Opportunity

Know a college student looking for a Marketing/Communications internship? Interning with United Way is a great way to get hands on experience, learn new skills and make a difference in your community, all while building your resume.

Want to apply? Send your cover letter and resume to Rita at Rita.Zaluzec@uwlakeco.org

Click the button below to learn more.

Women United Invites You to the Next Wine & Learn

Start off 2019 with new friendships, connections and a renewed purpose! Join us on January 31 at 6 p.m. in Libertyville to learn more about membership with Women United and the way we mobilize our efforts to support early childhood literacy.

Together we strengthen Lake County through philanthropy, leadership and volunteerism with a flexible program structure that enables busy, successful women to engage at whatever level works best for them. Be a part of something bigger this year.

Want to Join? Please RSVP to Janice at Janice.Scarbalis@uwlakeco.org before January 28.

Learn more about the event on Facebook by clicking the button below.

Thank You, Wolters Kluwer!

Our sincere thanks to Melissa O’Keefe, Jennifer Robertson and the Charitable Contributions Committee at Wolters Kluwer in Riverwoods, Illinois for their generous year-end gift.

These funds will support our vision to assure that Lake County children and families are successful in school, work, and life.

5 Tips Before Doing Your Taxes

In preparation for the tax season, we have put together a list of five key tips to consider before doing your taxes.

Tip #1: Don’t pay to file your taxes.

Find out why and see all five tips by clicking below.

 

16 Jul

Staff Spotlight: Maria Gray

by Marketing DepartmentCategories: News, Staff Spotlights

This Familiar Faces Friday, we are introducing Maria Gray. Maria is the Senior Relationship Manager for our Resources Development department. Learn more about her role, what she likes to do in her free time and how she connects to the programs we offer at United Way of Lake County (UWLC)!

When did you start working at UWLC?

I started working at United Way of Lake County on May 1, 2019.

What is your title and role?

I am the Senior Relationship Manager. I’m part of the Resource Development team and I manage corporate campaign accounts and individual donors.

What made you want to be a part of this organization?

The mission of UWLC has always been one that I admire. I have worked with several non-profit organizations over the years that have benefited from UWLC’s support.

Which of UWLC’s programs do you connect to most and why?

It’s hard to pick one! All the programs at UWLC are great, but I’m the most excited about coming on board as 211 is getting ready to be launched.

What is your favorite part of your job here?

It’s hard to say… I have favorite parts for different reasons. I love having the opportunity to work with such a great group of people. Everyone has been very supportive and they help me feel settled fairly quickly. I also love meeting and talking with out donors and getting to hear their stories!

When you are not at work, what kinds of things do you do with your time?

I love to garden! I miss my huge vegetable garden I used to have in Chicago. Now I’m working on creating a vegetable garden (vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit, etc.) at my new house in Antioch. All of my kids are home for the summer, so they will definitely be helping out.

Thank you for joining us for another Familiar Faces Friday. To meet more people on staff, click here.

Newer postsOlder posts
Show Buttons
Hide Buttons