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LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT
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Dear Community Partner,
Excitement is in the air - cooler weather, the return of pumpkin spice latte, and mums are everywhere. If you are like me, you're probably asking "Where did summer go?" I'm still feeling good about expanding our Strike Out Hunger Initiative, which included the 4th annual community meal packing event, an advocacy campaign and grants to local pantries and community organizations addressing summer hunger. United Way of Greater Mercer County (UWGMC) was able to get 180,000+ meals into the hands of children and families in partnership with Mercer Street Friends, sponsors and individual donors. The community event is long gone but the impact is still being felt today.
The work of UWGMC continues to evolve in order to make the greatest impact possible in Mercer County. We may have to make tough decisions and realign resources, but our focus has and always will be on the needs of the community and insuring that donor interest are in line with our strategic framework - youth & family success, economic vitality and overall health and wellness
for individuals walking a financial tightrope, also known as the Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed (ALICE) population in Mercer County.
The future looks bright, but we have a lot of work to do. It's a future built on the 80+ year-history of servicing Mercer County citizens. This is your United Way! I want our partnership to be more than workplace campaigns and the NFL. I am committed to transparency and firmly believe that TOGETHER we can build a thriving Mercer County for all. I am proud to go on this journey with you.
Please continue reading to learn how UWGMC is making a difference.
Sincerely,
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COMING SOON: Our Summer Hunger Report!
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COMPANIES MAKING AN IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY
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Comcast was excited to collaborate with us to implement two volunteer projects for their Cares Day.
The Comcast Workforce Operations Team created 200 Anti-Bullying Kits.
Each kit included the book,
The Juice Box Bully
, activities related to the book and a personalized note from the employees featuring a message of tolerance and diversity. The kits were distributed to fourth and fifth grade students of the Kidsbridge Tolerance Center Program at Lore, Parkway and Antheil Elementary Schools.
Comcast Tech Operations and IT volunteered over a three day period with our partner, TDI Connect.
The teams cleaned computers and installed new operating systems to more than 100 computers for donation to families and individuals throughout the greater Trenton area.
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DELOITTE IMPACT DAY AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
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We recently partnered with Deloitte to offer a free workshop to community partners - Business Chemistry: Using Science to Improve th
e Art of Relationships. The event was part of Deloitte's Impact Day, a year-round celebration of Deloitte's commitment to local communities.
Joseph Ferrara and his colleagues at Deloitte, provided 35 participants, representing over 23 organizations, with tools to help them develop hypotheses about the styles and preferences of other individuals. The hypotheses are based on observable traits and behaviors in a business/workplace setting.
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| SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO COMPANY CHANGE MAKERS |
The following companies created education kits, hosted summer food and back to school supply drives to support our mission:
Bristol Myers Squibb
Comcast
Deloitte
Kyowa Kirin Pharmaceutical, Inc.
NJDOT
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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Sandoz
TIAA
Ware Malcomb
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| IS YOUR COMPANY INTERESTED IN BECOMING A CHANGE MAKER? |
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According to the 2017 Deloitte Volunteerism Survey: 89% of working Americans believe that companies who sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall working environment than those who do not.
Whether it's a large or small group we can make an impact on your Corporate Social Responsibility goals!
- Improve employee morale
- Elevate your brand
- Engage in team building
- Impact the community
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FOUR YEARS OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE
WITH THE HELP OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS
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Strike Out Hunger is a community-driven intitiative that unites companies, individuals and advocates to alleviate hunger in Mercer County.
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STRIKE OUT HUNGER LEADS TO FULFILLING EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS
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Twenty-one students from the Isles Youth Institute made
an impact on summer hunger during our fourth annual Strike Out Hunger. The students were sponsored by: members of the Trenton Kiwanis Club,
Mercadien and additional funds from United Way of Greater Mercer County.
"Thank you for Tuesday June 5, 2018 it was awesome. I look forward to working with United Way of Greater Mercer County in the future. The smiles on my students faces are priceless. And I have UNITED WAY to thank." -
Ludovic Andre,
Isles Youth Institute
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| HOW OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SINGLESTOP MAKES A DIFFERENCE |
When Tom came to pick up food at the local pantry he realized that our Community Benefits Enroller was on-site. Tom told the Enroller he was struggling to make ends meet. He had recently lost his job, and his wife was working part time, as well as taking care of their four kids. The Enroller helped Tom and his eligible family members apply for NJSNAP, a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. They were also referred for back rent assistance. Tom and his family are now receiving NJSNAP benefits and they didn't lose their home!
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| LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY BENEFITS ENROLLER |
Andrea Kirton is our
Community Benefits Enroller. She spends her time at various community non-profit locations such as, TASK and Arm In Arm, assisting eligible individuals navigate the benefits application process. She
has over 20 years of experience providing case management assistance and is dedicated to helping those in need.
Andrea screens potential candidates for free Federal Benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP
), Medicaid, Women, Infants and Children (WIC). She is also a certified Assister for the Health Insurance Marketplace.
"Having Andrea here at TASK on a regular basis is incredibly helpful. She has a wonderful rapport with the patrons. It catapults us closer to our goal of being a hub for community outreach and services." Julie Janis, Case Manager TASK
If you or someone you know is in need of these benefits please contact: Andrea at
andrea.kirton@uwgmc.org or 609-637-4910
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WHY I CHOOSE THE UNITED WAY:
GINA ERRICO
"My first semester as a freshman in college I attended
my first Student United Way meeting. I met amazing people and heard stories about how they gave back to the community and how much volunteering meant to them. Since then,I have dedicated time and effort to improve our Student United Way Chapter at The College of New Jersey. This past semester, I was lucky enough to be elected president of the Chapter. I am beyond excited to spread my love for United Way and provide service to others on campus and in my local community.
Being able to touch the lives of people and animals all over through volunteering is an incredible feeling and something I'm extremely proud of!"
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT!
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The following companies supported our mission in the last quarter:
- Ancero
- Aqua
- Customers Bank
- Educational Testing Service (ETS)
- High Hotels
- Horizon NJ Health
- Johnson & Johnson
- Macy's
- Mercadien
- NJM Insurance Group
- Nordson
- Northfield Bank
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- PerformCare New Jersey
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Stark & Stark
- St. Francis Medical Center
- Target
- Trenton Thunder
- WAWA Foundation
- Wegmans
- Wells Fargo
- UPS
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Thanks to all of our individual supporters!
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RESOURCES FOR NON-PROFITS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
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Through advocacy, management assistance and cost-saving programs,
the Center For Nonprofits provides non-profits with knowledge, insights and tools so they can pursue their missions more effectively. The Center strengthens non-profits, individually and collectively, by:
Championing and Protecting
the non-profit community as an essential part
of the social and economic well-being of
New Jersey and its residents.
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WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR INITIATIVES
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October 24, 2018
October 25, 2018
November 7, 2018
November 28, 2018
December 5, 2018
December 19, 2018
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