ENews - United Way of Bucks County
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Community Food Drive - Help Needed |
$235,000 Saved on Prescription Medications UW Diversifies: Nearly $700,000 in Grants at work |
March 2009 - It's certainly no newsflash that the recession is hitting us all hard in a myriad of ways, and we nervously watch the news to see how many more shoes will drop. United Way of Bucks County hasn't been insulated from the effects of the downturn, and our 2008 campaign effort fell 10% short of where we hoped it would be.
Now, if we were talking about our 401K... 10% down would be an outstanding result. Unfortunately, we're not talking about a 401K. We're talking about critical human services for the people of Bucks County, at a time when they're needed more than ever.
Amidst these challenging economic times, we are hopeful we will not have to alter the amount of funding to our agencies. We can guarantee funding through June of 2009, however with a watchful eye on fundraising results this spring, we are less certain where things stand moving forward. As the need for services continues to grow, the agencies need our help – more than ever – to raise funds so they can focus on providing assistance to the residents of Bucks County (see below for a listing of funded programs).
Of course, our funding commitments to programs remain a top priority for our organization. United Way of Bucks County has already had to temporarily slow down our initiative work, aimed at getting at the root of long-term, systemic problems. We've also had to scale back, including the reduction of our staffing by nearly 20%, and we have placed “on hold” plans to expand the United Way Volunteer Center, a fairly important component of our call to action, Give - Advocate - Volunteer.
It's hard for all of us to think about the hundreds of billions of dollars being argued for and against in the halls of Congress and across the land. It's much easier and important to focus on the growing need right in front of us, and embrace our responsibility to do something about it.
This year is an important one. Your support is needed more than ever. Things you can do? Get your company to run a United Way campaign. If it already does, encourage your co-workers to give a few more dollars per pay. Start a food drive at your company or place of worship, or volunteer your time in your community.
Whatever you do, remember that underneath it all – we are all connected.
Now THAT'S a stimulus package we can all get behind, and we need to look no further than right here at home. Give us a call or e-mail and we’ll be happy to help you LIVE UNITED.
Thanks,
Bill Schofield
President & CEO
United Way
of Bucks County
LYFT STUDENTS
Barnes & Noble Drive Kids
Children receive books from
Barnes & Noble
Rotary Pitches In
FUNDED AGENCIES
Lower Bucks Chapter
Southeast PA (Upper/Central)
Bucks County Council on
Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
BUCKS MONT CENTER
FOR HUMAN SERVICES
CHILDREN'S
DEVELOPMENTAL
PROGRAM
GALILEE
PAVILION
Good Friends, Inc.
Lower Bucks Community Center
William Penn School
Lower Bucks Family YMCA
Upper Bucks Family YMCA
Community Food Drive Needs You
Operation Helping Hand expands
United Way's Operation Helping Hand started years ago as a 1 day food drive in the schools and continues to run annually during the month of March. This past year, over 75,000 lbs of food was raised in the schools of Bucks County. This year, because of soaring need and particularly bare shelves in the local food pantries, we are expanding Operation Helping Hand to include companies and community organizations. Visit the United Way's website at www.uwbucks.org/food for complete information, and to find out how you can get involved.
Comcast is currently airing a Comcast Local segment that talks about our Operation Helping Hand food drive. Visit www.uwbucks.org/food to view the segment.
Special Note: Klinger Middle School, Centennial District collected the most food of any public school and Newtown Friends, the most of any private school in Bucks County in 2008. CONGRATULATIONS and Thank You to the students and staff that made your food drive so successful.
Charming Shoppes Delivers Warmth
Charming Shoppes, Inc., stepped up in a big way this Holiday Season with a donation of $65,000 to support early childhood programs in Bucks County through United Way’s Success by 6 Initiative. Children throughout the County are receiving scholarships for Pre-school, Early Childhood Educators are receiving training and technical assistance, Parenting Skills are being taught and children are getting the support and skills they need to enter school ready to succeed. (For more info on Success By 6, visit our website at www.uwbucks.org and click on Success By 6)
To supplement this incredible gift, the Bensalem based clothing manufacturer also donated 1,500 brand new children’s winter coats for kids in Bucks County. The coats arrived by 18 wheeler on the Monday before Christmas and volunteers arrived to unload the truck and sort the beautiful new coats. The agencies and school representatives arrived the next day to pick up the coats and distribute them to the children and families they work with throughout Bucks County. Because of this gift that came just in time for the holidays, many children were happy and warm as they went into the New Year.
United Way and Charming have had a longstanding and strong partnership over many years. One of the reasons it works so well is because United Way matches the company’s corporate and philanthropic interests to areas of need in the community. It ends up being a win-win for all involved.
LYFT Youth Advisory volunteers lend a hand unloading the thousands of donated coats
Prescription Discount Cards Save $236,000 for Bucks County Residents in '08
United Way of Bucks County, in partnership with FamilyWize is distributing discount prescription cards for people without coverage or in need of specific medications uncovered by their plans. Over the course of 2008, total savings for Bucks County residents was just under $236,000! The savings averaged 33% or $23 per prescription.
The FamilyWize prescription cards can be picked up at United Way’s Fairless Hills and Quakertown offices, and many pharmacies throughout the county. Companies or organizations who wish to offer these cards to their employees, clients or constituents can contact Paulette at United Way for more information (215.949.1660 ext 112 or pauletteg@uwbucks.org) or visit www.uwbucks.org/prescription/html
United Way Diversifies Revenue: Now bringing nearly $700,000 per year to Bucks County
In the past, United Way of Bucks County relied almost solely on the generosity of its donors and companies from workplace fundraising campaigns and others in the community to support the important programs helping those most in need. Today, while these are still substantive sources of revenue, United Way is able to make an even bigger difference with additional dollars sourced from the Federal and State Governments, as well as foundation funding.
Below is a summary of the grants at work right now:
Drug Free Communities - A Federal grant of $100,000 a year for up to 5 years (we are in year 4) for Pennsbury LYFT program; a Community Coalition for the Pennsbury School District Catchment area focusing on the prevention of alcohol, tobacco and drug use, as well as working with students on youth leadership development.
Pre-K Counts - $312,900 per year – we are in the second year of the program for the Commonwealth of PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL). This grant provides quality Pre-Kindergarten education for 62 children throughout the County and professional development for teachers to maintain and ensure quality education for the children. United Way serves as the lead agency for the 8 Pre-K Centers throughout the County.
Children’s Trust Fund – Protecting Our Children Grant - $45,000 per year (in year 2); this is a State grant providing parenting skills training for parents of young children through “The Incredible Years” and training for Child Care professionals regarding identifying and reporting potential child abuse and neglect.
21st Century Learning Center - $210,000 per year for 3 years (currently in Year 2) to provide afterschool and summer, academic and cultural enrichment programs for youth 4th through 8th grades and their parents. We are working in partnership with Bristol Borough School District to provide these programs.
Wachovia Grant - $20,000 for 1 year to provide a “Ready Reader” early literacy program for early childhood. An additional focus of this program is to get books in the hands of children and making reading an opportunity available to all children.
21st Century Grant Homework Zone Kids
Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive 2008-- Nearly 5000 new books for young children.
Barnes & Noble chose United Way of Bucks County Success By 6 (SB6) as a partner for the second year in a row to be the recipient of their annual holiday book drive. Customers are asked to purchase a children’s book as they check-out. Because of your efforts, nearly 5000 books were collected and are being distributed to children in need so they have a book of their own.
The SB6 Literacy Task Force members delivered books to United Way of Bucks County Member agencies serving families with young children (American Red Cross Lower Bucks Homeless Shelter, Libertae, A Woman's Place, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Latino Leadership Alliance, etc). As well as child care centers/preschools throughout the county.
Thank You Barnes & Noble and ALL of you who purchased books to support the children of Bucks County.
A Special Thank You to Washington Crossing-Yardley Rotary Club who made a special donation of over 400 books to the effort. You are a wonderful example of the public/private partnership that helps our children achieve Success By 6.
53 Programs Funded from 2008 through 2010
A Woman’s Place
Domestic Violence Counseling Programs
Aldie Counseling Center
Drug & Alcohol Outpatient Services
American Red Cross/Lower Bucks Chapter
Emergency & Disaster Services
Homeless Shelter
American Red Cross/So. Eastern PA Chapter
Emergency & Disaster Services
BARC
JOBS Program (Developmental Disability)
Beelong Adult Day Center
Adult Day Program (Senior Citizens)
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
School Mentoring Program
Community Bridge Mentoring Program
High School Bigs Mentoring Program
Boy Scouts of America/Bucks County Council
Scout Reach Program
Bucks County Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Early Intervention for Substance Using Adolescents
Bucks County Headstart
Summer Enrichment Program
Bucks County Opportunity Council
Economic Self-Sufficiency Program
Emergency Services
Bucks Montgomery Center for Human Services
Case Management
Child, Home & Community
Adolescent Parenting & Career Development Program
Children’s Developmental Program
Family Support Program
CONTACT Bucks County
Crisis & Help Lines
Reassurance Contact
Credit Counseling Center
Certified Credit Outreach Counselor
Family Service Association
Behavioral Health
Early Childhood Services
Ways to Work (1 year grant)
Teen Center
HIV/AIDS Case Management
Case Management At-Risk Elderly
School Based Counseling
Galilee Pavilion
Basic Aide Program (Senior Citizens)
Girls Scouts of Eastern PA
Girl Scout Youth Leadership Development Program
Good Friends, Inc.
Halfway House (Drug & Alcohol - males)
Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County
Affordable Housing Program
JustCommunity, Inc.
Upper Bucks Youth Leadership Project
Legal Aid of Southeastern PA
Protection from Abuse Pro Bono Program
Libertae
Family House (Drug & Alcohol - females)
Halfway House (Drug & Alcohol - females)
Lifespan Adult Day Center
Adult Day Care/Senior Support Services
Lower Bucks Community Center
Scholarship/Family Support Program
Lower Bucks Family YMCA
Special Needs Early Childhood and Youth Program
Maple Leaf Learning Center
Early Childhood Scholarship Program
Network of Victim Assistance
Education/Prevention
Direct Services to Clients
The Peace Center
Project Peace in Schools
TODAY, Inc.
The Incredible Years (early childhood - parent training)
Bucks Promise for Youth and Communities
Upper Bucks YMCA
Preschool Child Care
School Age Child Care
VITA Education Services
Computer Assisted Language Learning for Immigrants
YWCA of Bucks County
Employment Program
Family Center Programs
Senior Shared Housing
Pre-Kindergarten Program
Prevention Programs
Youth Services
AFFILIATE AGENCIES
Bucks County Association
for Retired and Senior Citizens
Interfaith Housing Development Corporation of Bucks County
Visiting Nurse Association
of Morrisville
2009 ANNUAL CELEBRATION
AND AWARDS BREAKFAST MAY 5, 2009
7:30 AM Registration and Networking
CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about United Way of Bucks
County or to make an online donation, visit
www.uwbucks.org
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