Tag: Community Fund

26 May

May 2020 e-Newsletter

by Lauren SchwabeCategories: News, Newsletter

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Women United Donates Nearly Two Tons of Hand Sanitizer

In just 3 hours, a team of amazing volunteers labeled, poured, capped and boxed nearly two tons of hand sanitizer. We first want to thank the Women United members and other volunteers for their time and hard work. Shout out to Karen Jones and her nonprofit, Chocolate Chips Association, for loaning the volunteers lab coats and safety glasses. A special thank you to Andrew Warrington at United Conveyor Corporation. This project wouldn’t have been possible without his commitment of warehouse space and the expertise of his engineers who helped coordinate the machinery needed for this project.

“We are pleased to mobilize our membership for this project that gets 450 gallons of hard-to-find hand sanitizer in the hands of Lake County nonprofits and residents,” said Diana Nielander, manager of Women United. “As a result, Northern Illinois Food Bank, Catholic Charities, Waukegan Public Schools, ElderCare and others have hand sanitizer to use while delivering critical programs and can offer it to their clients. We are very proud to be able serve in this way.”

View photos of our amazing volunteers in action, below.

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Leaders United’s Mask Donation Drive

Leaders United, a group of young professionals supporting the work of United Way of Lake County through volunteerism and philanthropy, launched a mask donation drive to support 3,500 Waukegan Public School students and families in need during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The mask drive is running through May 28. Donate unused disposable or homemade masks to help out essential workers and families. Drop off your mask donations at the Waukegan Police Department located at 101 N. West St., in Waukegan.

Read more about the donation drive in the Lake County Journal. Stay up-to-date on what Leaders United is doing by following them on Facebook.

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Lake County’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund

On March 20, we established the Lake County COVID-19 Community Response Fund to support local nonprofit organizations serving Lake County’s most vulnerable neighbors.

Since launching, a total of $453,262 from the fund has been granted swiftly back into the community to 35 local nonprofits so they can continue their work providing critical resources for Lake County’s most at-risk children and families. Additional grants will be awarded on a rolling basis to quickly respond to urgent and evolving needs, as funds are available.

For a limited time, First Midwest Bank is doubling the impact of gifts made to the fund, up to $50,000. That means your gift will count twice. Donations of any amount will make an immediate impact on critical needs in Lake County. United Way covers all administrative costs so that 100% of donations go directly to recipient agencies.

We are so grateful to the hundreds of individuals and organizations who have donated! If you’d like to make a gift in support of the fund, please click below.

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Women United’s Kendra Scott Partnership

Thank you to all of the people who participated in Women United’s virtual Kendra Scott Gives Back event. As a result of your shopping efforts, Women United raised $900, which will support early literacy programs in Lake County. This successful effort is the first piece of an exciting partnership with Kendra Scott, which will include a special in-store event in October.

Stay up-to-date on what Women United is doing by following them on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn..

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Respond to the 2020 Census Today

The next 10 years depends on your next 10 minutes! Answer 10 questions and help bring a decade of funding to Lake County for roads, schools, healthcare and much more. It’s easy, confidential and important. You can respond online at my2020census.gov, by phone at (844) 330-2020, or by mail.

If you need help responding or have questions, call 211 or text your zip code to 898211.

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Have you seen our signs?

Keep an eye out for our six billboards throughout Lake County promoting United Way of Lake County’s 211 helpline.

If you need assistance finding food, shelter, rent or utility assistance, or other essential services, call 211 or text your zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can guide you to available resources. 211 is open to everyone in Lake County, 24/7. You can also visit 211LakeCounty.org.

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New 211 Videos Available

We now have 30-second promotional videos for 211! There are two versions in both English and Spanish. You can view or share the videos on Facebook or view them on YouTube. You’ll find other promotional materials available on 211LakeCounty.org, in the 211 Toolkit. Thank you to everyone who has helped us spread the word about this great helpline!
28 Apr

April 2020 e-Newsletter

by Lauren SchwabeCategories: News, Newsletter

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Thank You to Our Wonderful Volunteers!

April 19-25 is National Volunteer Week. At United Way of Lake County, we appreciate our volunteers all year long, but this is an opportunity to let every one of you know that the time you choose to spend helping others in the community is truly inspirational. 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.

From all of us at United Way of Lake County, thank you for all you do!

If you are looking for ways to help our community during this time of great need, review our list of volunteer opportunities by clicking below.

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Kendra Scott Gives Back Event

Want to shop online while supporting children’s education in Lake County? You can do just that during Women United’s virtual Kendra Scott Gives Back event. All funds raised by Women United will support early literacy programs in Lake County.

On April 23 and 24, visit KENDRASCOTT.COM using code “GIVEBACK7146” at check out and 20% of your purchase will support Women United. Be the first to shop Kendra Scott’s NEW Spring collection while supporting an amazing cause! RSVP at the link below to receive an email reminder when the event is live.

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Respond to the 2020 Census Today

The 2020 Census is happening now! Answer 10 questions and help bring a decade of funding to Lake County for roads, schools, healthcare and much more. It’s easy, confidential and important. You can respond online at my2020census.gov, by phone at (844) 330-2020, or by mail.

If you need help responding or have questions, call 211 or text your zip code to 898211. You can also contact United Way of Lake County at (847) 775-1000.

Help spread the word about the importance of the census by sharing our post on Facebook.

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Reading Success Celebration Continues

In honor of Reading Success’ 10-year anniversary, we interviewed tutors and teachers from three different schools that have seen the great impact of this program. In our last two newsletters, we highlighted North Elementary and Clark Elementary in Waukegan.

Next up is Clearview Elementary. At Clearview, we spoke with volunteer tutor Linda Rambo and third grade teacher Ms. Lewis. Read their first-hand accounts of how Reading Success has helped students develop strong reading skills and improve reading performance so they can be on track to succeed in school.

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Internship Opportunity: 211 and Community Impact

We are looking to hire a “211 and Community Impact Initiative Intern” for Fall 2020 through Spring 2021. This intern will participate in planning activities and implementation of the 211 Program, including:

  • Development of plans and related materials for community engagement.
  • Working with community stakeholders to create partnerships that support the further integration of 211 into community agencies and groups.
  • Attending community events to conduct outreach to individuals on United Way programs.
  • Assist in the data collection, analysis and dissemination of outcomes measurements.
  • Assisting in research on best practices to guide development of strategic plans and assessments for the initiative.

Review the full internship description by clicking the button below.

Interested? Apply by submitting your resume to Robert Szarzynski, HR Director, at Robert.Szarzynski@uwlakeco.org.

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Lake County’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund

On March 20, we established the Lake County COVID-19 Community Response Fund to support local nonprofit organizations serving Lake County’s most vulnerable neighbors.

Since launching, a total of $213,262 from the fund has been granted swiftly back into the community to 14 local nonprofits so they can continue their work providing resources for Lake County’s most at-risk children and families. Additional grants will be awarded on a rolling basis to quickly respond to urgent and evolving needs, as funds are available.

Donations of any amount will make an immediate impact on critical needs in Lake County. With new tax advantages for donating to charities, there is no better time to give generously than now. (See CARES Act article below for more information.) United Way covers all administrative costs so that 100% of donations go directly to recipient agencies.

We are so grateful to the hundreds of individuals and organizations who have donated! If you’d like to make a gift in support of the fund, please click below.

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We Are Here For You!

While our offices remain closed temporarily, we are working harder than ever to help support our community during this crisis. Our staff are working remotely and can be reached at (847) 775-1000.

If you need assistance finding food, shelter, rent or utility assistance, or other essential services, CALL 211 or TEXT your zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can guide you to available resources. 211 is open to everyone in Lake County, 24/7. You can also visit 211LakeCounty.org.

We’re proud to share one of our new 30-second ads for 211. Watch it below. Want to share it on Facebook? Click here.

Questions about COVID-19?

Here’s where you can get accurate, reliable and up-to-date information:

  • Visit the Lake County Health Department website for local updates and to sign up for email alerts.
  • To receive information about coronavirus via text message, text “COVID19” to 211211.

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CARES Act Includes Charitable Giving Tax Break for Donors

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was enacted on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act includes added financial incentives for community members who want to make donations in support of local efforts to combat the near- and long-term effects of the pandemic. A universal tax break for charitable donations was included in the stimulus package and will go into effect for the 2020 tax year.

  • Donors who take the standard deduction may also take an “above-the-line” deduction for up to $300 in charitable donations given in 2020. This effectively allows a limited charitable deduction to taxpayers claiming the standard deduction. For example, if you take the standard deduction and give $300 to charity, you will get a $300 tax break in addition to the standard deduction.
  • For donors who itemize deductions, the limit on charitable deductions – generally 60% of modified adjusted gross income – doesn’t apply to qualifying cash contributions to public charities in 2020; instead the CARES Act allows taxpayers to claim a tax deduction of up to 100% of your Adjusted Gross Income for contributions to qualifying charities.
  • For corporate donors, the limitation on charitable deductions, which is generally 10% of modified taxable income, doesn’t apply to qualifying contributions made in 2020. The new law temporarily lifts the limit from 10% to 25% of modified taxable income for 2020 filings.

Please consult your accountant or tax preparer for more information about these changes, and how they can help you help others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Stay Home Save Lives

The Lake County Health Department has developed the #StayHomeSaveLives public health education campaign to help our community understand COVID-19 and the importance of social distancing. View their first video below. Check out their Facebook page for more helpful information.
03 Apr

March 2020 e-Newsletter

by Lauren SchwabeCategories: News, Newsletter

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Lake County’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund

We’re at an unprecedented time and our ability to respond to the increasing needs is crucial. The COVID-19 health crisis is a real-time picture of the increased challenges that families across Lake County are facing every day. Our community’s health and human service organizations are experiencing a huge surge in demand for critical services from neighbors and communities significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s critical that these organizations have the support they need to continue to operate at the highest capacity.

United Way of Lake County has established the Lake County COVID-19 Community Response Fund to support local nonprofit organizations serving Lake County’s most vulnerable neighbors. The fund, established in collaboration with Lake County Government, Lake County Community Foundation and Lake County Municipal League, unites monies raised by Lake County philanthropies, corporations and individuals to be disbursed to nonprofit organizations across the county.

Funds will support providers responding to growing requests for assistance with:

  • Increased access to emergency food and basic supplies
  • Rent and mortgage assistance
  • Utility assistance
  • Emerging emergency needs identified through the 211 information and referral helpline

You can help by doing two things:

  1. Donate to the fund because every dollar counts.
  2. Share this message broadly with your networks, including via social media. Links to the giving website and our social media posts are below.

Please join us and support our local nonprofit partners through the Lake County COVID-19 Community Response Fund. Together, we can ensure they have the vital resources needed to address critical needs in this time of crisis.

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If you need assistance finding food, shelter, rent or utility assistance, or other essential services, CALL 211 or TEXT your zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can help. 211 is available 24/7.

Questions about COVID-19?

Here’s where you can get accurate, reliable and up-to-date information:

We Are Here For You!

While our offices are closed temporarily to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, our work continues as staff are working remotely and can be reached at (847) 775-1000. If you need help connecting to available community resources, call 211 or text your zip code to 898211. Our 211 information and referral helpline is available 24/7. You can also visit 211LakeCounty.org.

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UWLC Hosts Countywide Reading Day in Honor of Dr. Seuss

In early March, over 100 volunteers participated in a county-wide volunteer effort to read to 2,000 students across 82 classrooms in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Read Across America Day. Volunteers read Dr. Seuss books to students ranging from pre-K to 3rd grade.

View photos by clicking on each of the schools below:

  • On March 2, volunteers visited Glen Flora, McCall, and North Elementary Schools in Waukegan.
  • On March 6, volunteers visited East (Zion), Howe (Beach Park), and Pleviak (Lake Villa) Elementary Schools.

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Reading Success Celebration Continues

In honor of Reading Success’ 10-year anniversary, we interviewed tutors and teachers from three different schools that have seen the great impact of this program. In our last newsletter, we highlighted North Elementary in Waukegan.

Next up is Clark Elementary School. We spoke with volunteer tutor Teresa Hatten, second grade teacher Ms. Vick, and reading support specialist Melissa Pankiewicz. Read their first-hand accounts of how Reading Success has helped students develop strong reading skills and improve reading performance so they can be on track to succeed in school.

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Women United Raises $20,000 at Bingo Bash

On March 7, Women United hosted a co-ed Windy City Bingo Bash fundraiser to support early childhood literacy. We are excited to announce that the event raised $20,000! Thank you to all our amazing supporters for helping us make a difference in local children’s lives. The event was a great success because of you!

View photos from the event below.

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Census 2020: A Full Count is Important for the Future of Our Children

The Census helps determine which areas qualify for the critical resources that children and families depend on for the next 10 years—basically an entire childhood!

Accurate census data means our local communities will be more likely to get the roads, schools, child and senior centers, hospitals, and other services our families need. It will also decide how much money Illinois will get to help pay for All Kids health insurance, school breakfast and lunch programs, food stamps, financial aid for college, and many other programs that are important to keeping our children healthy, strong and well educated.

Responding to the Census is easy! This year you can respond online at my2020Census.gov. If you have not received the Census invite letter with your unique Census ID, you can still respond by using your address instead of the Census ID.

If you need help responding to the census or have questions, call 211 or text your zip code to 898211. You can also contact United Way of Lake County at (847) 775-1000.

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