November 2019 e-Newsletter
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Tag: 211
October 2019 e-Newsletter
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211 Helpline Now Live in Lake County211 has officially launched in Lake County! Anyone in Lake County can now call 211 or text their zip code to 898211 for free, confidential, 24/7 information and referrals to essential services. 211 is Lake County’s one-stop shop for help! Thank you to everyone who attended the 211 launch event. Nearly 250 community members came out to support and learn more about this critical service, including people from across the county representing business, government and nonprofit sectors. We are grateful to our panelists and speakers who shared from their perspective how 211 will benefit our community including real-life stories and the impact 211 is already making. View photos from the event by clicking here. Visit the official 211 Lake County website: 211LakeCounty.org. View our 211 funding partners here and task force members here whose support made 211 possible. Watch our 211 video (available in English and Spanish) by clicking below.
Women United’s Successful No Small Matter ScreeningWomen United of Lake County‘s screening of the documentary film No Small Matter was a huge success! More than 200 community leaders, educators and volunteers gathered at the Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest to rally around the importance of early childhood development. No Small Matter is the first feature documentary to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education. Through poignant stories, the film lays out the overwhelming evidence for the importance of education in the first five years, and reveals how our failure to act on that evidence has resulted in an everyday crisis for American families, and a slow-motion catastrophe for the country. Thank you to everyone who came out to see the film, to the amazing panel of experts who spoke about the importance of quality early care and education, and to the wonderful team of Women United members who were instrumental in bringing this film to Lake County!
Check Out Our Holiday OpportunitiesLooking 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 throughout 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.
Save the Date: Giving Tuesday.
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December 2018 e-Newsletter
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Forbes Ranks United Way as America’s #1 Top CharityForbes 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 CountyIf 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 CompanyWe’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 GivingWe 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 StaffRecently, 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 MyFreeTaxesTax 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 MediaWant 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.
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March 2019 e-Newsletter
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UWLC Hosts Countywide Reading Day in Honor of Dr. SeussOn 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 HospitalsUnited 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 OverviewOur 2019 Program Overview is now available. Click below to view the amazing work being accomplished in Lake County!
Better Together is Back in SessionOur 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 CampDo 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 HiringWant to join our team? Apply today!
Click below to learn more.
Don’t Stress! You Can File Your Taxes With EaseNo 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. |
January 2019 e-Newsletter
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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 OpportunitiesThere 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 GirlsWhen: 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 StudentsThis 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 ReadersJoin 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 CountyAt 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.
Host a Dr. Seuss Book DriveOn 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 SpotlightUnited 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.
-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 OpportunityKnow 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 & LearnStart 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 TaxesIn 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.
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April 2019 e-Newsletter
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Thank You to Our Wonderful Volunteers!In honor of National Volunteer Week, we’d like to say “Thank You” to our incredible volunteers! Our work is simply not possible without our volunteers and we are truly grateful for the dedication, time and the talent of people, like you. Click the button below to view a video of our staff thanking our AMAZING volunteers. We hope it brings a smile to your face!
Volunteer Opportunity: Reading BuddiesWe need volunteers to spend an hour in a classroom reading with kindergartners! 120 children in Lake County will attend a Kindergarten Countdown Camp this summer. Learning the joy of reading is an important piece of this camp and we need volunteers to demonstrate how much fun reading a book can be! Reading with young students brings books to life and shows them how entertaining reading can be. These children come from low-income families – so many don’t have books at home. Introducing them to the concept of books, stories and reading is an important milestone for them as they prepare to enter kindergarten this fall. Click below for more details.
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Volunteer Opportunity: Kindergarten Countdown CampWe are looking for several in-classroom volunteers to assist with our Kindergarten Countdown Camp (KCC). KCC is a free summer learning program for incoming kindergarteners who have never attended preschool nor been in a classroom setting. Quality early childhood programs, like KCC, produce lasting effects for a child – entering kindergarten with the academic, emotional and social skills needed to be successful. Classroom volunteers must be 16 years or older and willing to commit 2-3 days a week for at least 5-6 weeks, between June 10 and July 19. For more details, click below. .
211: One Step Closer to Launch in Lake CountyLast week on social media, we shared the exciting news that we signed a contract with our call center, which means we’re one step closer to launching 211 in Lake County! 211 is a free and confidential helpline that can be easily accessed 24 hours a day, every day of the year, connecting individuals and families to health and human services in their community. The service will connect residents to various resources from shelter and housing options, supplemental food programs, health care and mental health services, addiction support and rehabilitation, crisis counseling and more to help improve and save lives. Want to stay up-to-date on the pending launch of 211 in Lake County? Sign-up for our 211 e-Newsletter below. .
We’re Pleased To Present Our 2018 Annual ReportThanks to your generosity and kindness, we are transforming communities by bringing together people who have the passion, the expertise and the resources needed to get things done. We are proud of all that we have achieved together and extend our deepest thanks for the financial resources our supporters have entrusted us with to create lasting change for children and families in Lake County.
Women United Invites You to the Next Wine & LearnHave you been looking for a way to support the Lake County community and meet some amazing women in the process? Join us on May 9 at 6 p.m. in Lake Forest to learn more about membership with Women United and the way we mobilize our efforts to support early childhood literacy. Women United members 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. Become a part of something bigger! Want to Join? Please RSVP to Janice at Janice.Scarbalis@uwlakeco.org before Monday, May 6. Learn more about the event on Facebook by clicking below.
You’re Invited to our Annual MeetingJoin us for United Way of Lake County’s Annual Meeting event on Thursday, May 16, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.! Enjoy a delicious reception at our Conference Center while networking with other Lake County leaders and advocates. During the event, you’ll hear about United Way’s successful work in the community as we honor outgoing Board Chair, Andrew Warrington, and welcome incoming Board Chair, Carla Zuniga. Registration is free, we just ask that you RSVP by Wednesday, May 15. We hope to see you there! To RSVP, please click below.
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