"...there are so many people trying to do so much good."

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February 2019

Join us in welcoming Sherrie Shuler as our Resource Development Director

Welcome to Sherrie Shuler

United Way of Monroe County is excited to welcome Sherrie Shuler as Resource Development Director. Sherrie will lead donor relations and fundraising to support United Way’s focus of helping people learn more, earn more, and lead safer and healthier lives. She brings over 20 years of experience in corporate and nonprofit management, fundraising, marketing, governmental relations, and community outreach.

“I am thrilled to be affiliated with the fine work of United Way,” said Sherrie. “The impact that United Way has area-wide is extensive and I’m really looking forward to being a member of this great team of staff, interns, and volunteers who are United Way. I love being a part of a group of “hand-raisers,” and I can’t wait to meet all the dedicated volunteers and donors throughout the area who make United Way what it is here in Bloomington – a place of high ethics and high impact – where everyone works together to make the lives of our neighbors better in so many ways!”

Sherrie can be reached at (812) 334-8370 ext. 13 or sherrie@monroeunitedway.org. Welcome to the team, Sherrie!

Let's shower at-risk local families with love and kindness this Valentine's Day!

Love Your Community this Valentine's Day

Love is in the air! This Valentine's Day l et's shower some local families going through tough times with a little love and kindness.

Raise your hand if you love to see our community coming together to fight for vulnerable families! Love seeing kids have access to books and safe after-school care? Love to support hard working families get ahead? Love to help hungry people get warm, nutritious meals?

See your dollars partnered to a sweetheart of a project in one of 25 member agencies in the greater Monroe County area! Raise Your Hand -- make a donation today!

As of today, “Raise Your Hand!” donors have responded with $28,430 in generous contributions. Can you, yes, you reading this, make a gift today to help reach the $70,000 goal so that vital services can be sustained for vulnerable people in our community?

Raise Your Hand Today >>

Jason Eakin, Vision Council member, helps United Way allocate funds.

Meet Jason Eakin, United Way Vision Council Member

Ever wonder how funding decisions are made at United Way? The Vision Council, a group of volunteers from throughout our community, play a pivotal role in reviewing and scoring member agencies' funding applications and making recommendations to the Board of Directors. Later this month, they will take account of community needs data and donate their time to reviewing and discussing the applications and scores.

One member of the Vision Council is Jason Eakin, the representative for Monroe County Government. “I value getting the opportunity to learn what all these agencies are doing around town, things they’re trying to get done and ways they’re trying to help.” Eakin continued, “It’s been a humbling exercise to learn there are so many people trying to do so much good. I’m never shy anymore about saying “don’t forget to donate” because I wish we could give the member agencies more. It’s been an eye-opening experience to learn about the need in our community."

MyFreeTaxes.com can help you file your taxes today!

Do Your Taxes Right Now with MyFreeTaxes.com!

Did you know that anyone with a combined Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $66,000 or less may file state and federal returns at no charge from the convenience of their home, local library, or favorite coffee shop at www.MyFreeTaxes.com ? Returns can be saved in-progress and finished later.

Unlike other online services claiming to be free, users will not experience pop-up ads that try to persuade them to pay for an upgraded version or be charged additional fees for special tax forms like Schedules C or F. MyFreeTaxes.com is really, truly free and allows you to do your taxes as easily as you can read this e-newsletter!

Start your taxes now >>

Monroe County qualified for nearly $250,000 in grant funding for early education.

Monroe County Receives Early Childhood Education Grants

United Way Community Impact dollars help leverage funding to improve quality and capacity of early childhood education in Monroe County.

Our friends at the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County recently received early childhood education capacity-building grants from the Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) and Early Learning Indiana.

The OECOSL grant requires local match dollars and United Way of Monroe County is proud to partner with an $8,000 matching commitment.

The grant dollars totaling more than $247,000 will support professional development, classroom materials, evidenced based curriculum, and personnel at Penny Lane West, Bloomington Center for Global Children, Covenant Christian Early Learning Place, Discovery Train, Edgewood Early Childhood Center, and SCCAP Head Start First United.