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NEWS & EVENTS
STUFF THE BUS
Help provide school supplies to
low-income Island County students!
Drop Off Dates and Locations:
Saturday,
July 24, 2010 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at
Oak Harbor Wal-Mart and
K-Mart
Thursday, August
19, 2010 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Oak Harbor
Chamber Meeting held at the Elk's
Lodge
For your convenience, supplies may
be dropped off anytime at the
Opportunity Council--1791 NE 1st Street, Oak
Harbor
Click here for the Stuff the Bus Informational Flyer.
Click here
for the Stuff the Bus Supply List.
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
America's Night Out Against Crime
Tuesday, August 3, 2010 from 3:00pm
to 8:00 pm at Windjammer Park.
Click here for vender registration information
COMMUNITY NEEDS SURVEY
As a donor to United Way of Island County we would
appreciate your feedback of our
Community Needs Survey - Prioritizing Health & Human Service
Needs
United Way Community Needs Survey
What
are the greatest health and human services needs in Island
County? The United Way of Island County is sponsoring a
Community Needs Survey September 17-November 15 to find out.
The
survey results will be used to help the United Way allocate
2010 funds to non-profit health and human service agencies
serving Island County residents.
The
Needs Assessment was designed by and the results will be
tabulated by community volunteers. The survey will be
distributed on-line at
www.unitedwayic.org. Paper copies of the same survey
may be obtained from the United Way office. Paper copies of
the surveys must be submitted to United way of Island County
where answers will be recorded. The results of the survey
will be compiled before the United Way of Island County
begins its 2010 allocations process in April.
The
United Way conducts a Needs Survey every few years to help
determine how United Way campaign funds will be distributed
among health and human services agencies applying for United
Way grants. “This survey, however, is our largest effort to
reach out into the community,” according to Cathy Niiro,
Executive Director of United Way of Island County. “It is
so important that the United Way and the volunteers who
allocate donors’ money understand what the issues are and
which unmet needs are the most critical. We try to direct
the most money where there is the greatest need.”
It
is also important to understand different needs in different
parts of our county and the effects Island County’s
increased growth is having on our residents and service
agencies, Niiro explained.
“Understanding real needs is critical to the United Way’s
transition to more outcome based investment. “We must know
what is most important and steer funds to agencies that
serve those particular needs . . . and get results,” Niiro
added.
“Our
goal is to help community partners create lasting changes in
conditions that improve people’s lives,” she said. “We are
not just about raising funds for partner agencies, we want
to make a true impact on the community. This means having a
true community vision and not just a United Way vision. It
means a lot more measurement around what needs to be done
and measuring the actual outcome of programs.”
“The
county-wide needs assessment”, Niiro stressed, “is the first
step in understanding where we need to set our priorities.”
PENNIES FOR PEOPLE
Fact Sheet
What: Let’s help collect a million
pennies to benefit programs and services that help local
people. This is a great way to include young people and
students in a philanthropic activity, also. Especially
since 43% of the contributions that are collected in the
greater United Way of Island County will directly work with
youth.
Examples of youth programs: day
care, scouting programs, mentoring programs, peer helping
programs, after school/evening programs, back-to school
supplies.
Who: Everyone can take part in this
exciting effort. Who doesn’t have a pile of pennies around
their home? This is a good way to help get those back into
circulation and to help a great cause. There will be
collection locations set up around the area or people can
bring pennies directly to the United Way office (350 SE
Pioneer Way, Oak Harbor).
Workplace campaigns can include this as
a special event for their campaign. The total raised within
the workplace can be counted as part of the money raised
during the campaign.
Schools can take part in the campaign.
Every classroom or grade level can join! At the end of the
campaign, the classroom from each school with the most
pennies collected will win an ice cream party.
College Residential Areas can also take
part in the campaign. Challenges are a great way to build
team spirit. Service Clubs can also collect pennies at
meetings.
How to for Schools:
(General Guidelines)
·
The
school/and or student council will promote the “Pennies for
People” campaign through announcements, flyers, posters,
etc. prior to and during the campaign.
·
Each
classroom will supply their own jug to decorate for their
class ( 2 liter pop bottles work great).
·
Jugs
can be placed in a common area or classroom (as long as
reasonable efforts are made to secure the donations after
the teacher or responsible adult has left the classroom.)
·
Student council members may periodically count the amount of
money collected in each jug (with the permission of and
presence of a teacher or responsible adult) and report back
to the school.
·
Each school will decide a time
best suitable for holding the campaign. To program
typically lasts 1-2 weeks, but can be extended or shortened
as needed.
Recognition:
·
A
public announcement will be released to all local media
following conclusion of all school’s programs.
·
Periodic public media announcements will be made during the
United Way of Island County campaign.
·
An
ice cream party will be awarded to each school’s winning
group.
·
A representative from each
school or group collecting pennies will be invited to attend
the United Way’s annual celebration in February.
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