Spokane County United Way 
Vision, Your September 27, 2018 E-newsletter 


What is it like to be an ALICE family in our community?
Avista employee Jae Ham captured the experience of Avista employees while participating in the ALICE Simulation during United Way's Day of Impact on September 7, 2018. 

Excerpt:
The ALICE simulation assigns each participant an identity, replete with name, age and an ALICE family unit and then gives each family a limited income, set of possessions and a realistic litany of life-sized obligations and circumstances.

These can include work, school, childcare, job loss, transportation, unavailability of benefits due to being above the federal poverty line, etc. The general chaos inherent in life is then peppered in various ways to keep it as realistic as possible.

When it was over, the participants and their hosts held a debriefing session to highlight insights that had been valuable as a result of their experience. A scant few ALICE families 
ha
d improved their situations, one or two had even managed to secure housing whereas they had started out living in a shelter.

Sherry Bentley , accounting analyst at Avista shared her experience: "I stood in lines, only to run out of time and have to return home without being helped. My 17 year old son had to support our family with his part-time job. I had to tell my daughter "no" when she asked for $5 to go on a school field trip. I felt like a terrible mother! Even though it was a simulation, I actually felt my heart rate increasing with each hardship, and I felt physically stressed, trying to figure out how I was going to support my family." 
Don't miss the Spokane Philanthropy Awards on Thursday, October 25, 2018
Honor philanthropy  in our community. Celebrate individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding community commitment through financial support, advocacy and leadership.
Purchase a table or individual seat for the Spokane Philanthropy awards!
Excelerate Success Relaunch Event November 9, 2018
Join Excelerate Success Leadership and Partners for a day of learning about the relaunch of our collective work to catalyze education equity in Spokane County. The program will include a keynote speech with Dr. Robin DiAngelo in the morning and a workshop led by Dr. DiAngelo in the afternoon.
Please read more about Dr. DiAngelo and register for the events you plan to attend.
  1. Morning program which includes
    Excelerate Success Presentation,
    Keynote, and Panel (9am-12pm)
  2. Lunch (12:15-1pm)
  3. Afternoon program,
    workshop presentation
    with Dr. DiAngelo (1-3pm)
Find on-site volunteer opportunities

We offer on-site volunteer engagement opportunities for your team.
This is a great way to stay connected year-round.

We offer four different options: build snack packs, literacy kits, hygiene kits or new parent kits.
(Upper right: Guardian crew packing back-to-school kits in August)

Click on image below for contact information for arranging your opportunity!


Save the date for OVATION - Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Each year Spokane County United Way honors outstanding contributions to our community at OVATION. We recognize companies and individuals for their efforts to create positive change. The dollars raised create local impact and are focused to support healthy family relationships, increase high school graduation rates, and improve the financial stability of families.
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Spokane County United Way/ 920 N. Washington Suite 100, Spokane, WA  99201
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