Help us raise $70,000 to ensure services for our most vulnerable are supported in the year ahead.
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Rally with us around February Goal
We are rallying the community between now and February 28th to “Raise Your Hand. Join the Community Challenge!” The Campaign Cabinet has set a goal for the final month of the campaign to raise $70,000 to help meet the most critical needs in our community.
United Way donors are pivotal in the fight to ensuring low- and moderate-income people have opportunities to improve their lives. Last year donors helped 1 in 3 people in our community meet basic needs and create a pathway to success. Just a sampling of that impact is that more than 1,100 people – 68% of them children – participated in mental health services; 3,000 at-risk community members – 40% of them children, seniors, or people with disabilities – were provided housing assistance; and 4,500 children took part in mentoring relationships or high-quality after-school programs.
“For over 60 years United Way has helped to build a strong safety net and pathways of opportunity for our community. Although charitable funding was predicted to be lower this past year and other events impacted giving levels, rather than accepting this as is, we’re sending out the rally call to the community to step-up and support the vulnerable among us,” explained Efrat Feferman, United Way Executive Director.
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Our 11 tax sites and online tool, MyFreeTaxes.com, can help you file your taxes for free.
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Free Community Tax Service is Ready to Serve You!
With tax season right around the corner, our Free Community Tax Service is launching at the end of January! Residents interested in filing their federal and Indiana tax returns for free can choose to meet with an IRS-certified volunteer who will prepare their return or use the MyFreeTaxes.com website to file for free anytime, anywhere.
MyFreeTaxes.com
is also available 24/7 if you’d like to claim your maximum refund from the comfort of home. An easy-to-use convenient tool for people making $66,000 or less in combined Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), MyFreeTaxes.com can prepare and file federal and state taxes at no cost, and help you claim valuable tax credits like the
Earned Income Tax Credit
(EITC).
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Support our Community Challenge Champions as they raise funds for United Way!
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"Raise Your Hand. Join the Challenge!" Champions
Cheers for our team of Community Champions who are leading off our “Raise Your Hand. Join the Challenge” fundraiser! This fine group has each committed to raising at least $1,000 by January 30 to help local people thrive. Step-up to show your support!
United Way of Monroe County Executive Director Efrat Feferman shared awed appreciation for those who so passionately bring together friends, neighbors, workplaces, and colleagues to stand up and say “these things matter to us. Our community matters.”
Please join our Champions in donating to ensure at-risk people have opportunities to improve their lives. Your gift today makes a direct and real difference to the people you see in your neighborhood, at school, at the grocery story, and workplace.
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Derek Fields and Pam Chapman at an IU Health campaign event
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Derek Fields: Donor, Volunteer, Champion
Derek Fields is a United Way jack-of-all-trades. As a multi-year donor, Fields says “I always felt that United Way was a great avenue for my own charitable giving because of their ability to connect with so many member agencies here in our community.”
Not only does Fields sit on the United Way Board of Directors, he also serves as a “Champion” for the campaign at his place of employment, IU Health Bloomington, where he is Director of Pharmacy Services.
He recently shared a story about how United Way changes lives. “During our hospital campaign, I was speaking with one of our staff,” Fields explains. “He came to the booth to make a donation and told me his story about when he was homeless and how United Way helped him get back on his feet. United Way’s focus on essentials was a key factor for him as he gained stability and eventually employment here at IU Health. For me, that just brought it full circle. Being a board member, being a donor, and now having a connection with someone who had a chance to make that change.”
Through the hard work of Fields and his fellow Champion, Pam Chapman, the IU Health Bloomington Hospital campaign has been pulling out all the stops to raise funds for our community! In addition to payroll deductions and direct gifts from employees, IU Health sold United Way souvenir cups that can be used for discounted drinks in the cafeteria. Near cash registers in the cafeteria they have United Way buckets for staff to drop their change into.
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United Way wants to ensure youth graduate high school with a plan for future success.
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Graduating High School With a Plan
Did you know that a high school graduate earns $700,000 more in a lifetime than a non-graduate? One of United Way’s education goals is to ensure high schoolers graduate with a purposeful plan because finishing high school helps set the stage for lifelong financial stability and success. For those nearing high school graduation, now is the time to get a plan in place and we can help!
- Roadmap to Success is an interactive website for students, parents, and counselors to help users in Monroe County navigate resources that increase high school success and completion, as well as encourage college and career readiness. Explore the Roadmap!
- The 2019 FAFSA application is now live! Through this online form, you can apply for financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans, for college or grad school. In addition, Ivy Tech Bloomington is once again partnering with College Goal Sunday to provide free FAFSA filing help on February 24th. More information >>
94% of high school seniors in our mentoring programs at United Way member agencies graduated last year and 91% have plans to attend college or vocational school. This wouldn’t be possible without supporters like you. Thank you for caring!
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Thanks to amazing local organizations for caring for the community!
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Campaign Updates
“United We Fight. United We Win.” Campaign Currently at $1,062,587
Thanks to organizations participating in our annual campaign and their active commitment to changing lives right here in south central Indiana, United Way is seeing great results! As of January 25, 2019, generous donors have so far contributed $
1,062,587
! Some of those amazing groups include:
- BKD employees are getting results where it counts, with $5,825 donated for our friends and neighbors in need.
- The dedicated public servants of the City of Bloomington raised $10,291 towards a stronger community.
- Cummins and its employees generously donated $29,400 to make sure everyone has access to education, earnings, and the essentials.
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Our Pass the Pig piggy bank is currently at Lennie's.
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Pass the Pig
United Way’s ceramic “Pass the Pig” piggy bank has been traveling all across town collecting money to help our neighbors. After a quick stint at IU Credit Union, the Pig trotted east to the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, picking up multiple hundred dollars in donations along the way. Our little pig has also attended Ivy Tech – perhaps taking a finance course – and then returned to the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce to visit their Board of Directors. In December it was busy gathering donations at at German American. And recently it was enjoying lunch at Hive and picking up tips for his community. Currently, our little piggy friend will can be found at Lennie’s restaurant and the Bloomington Brew Pub. Be sure to show the piggy a little love and drop in your change (or $20 bills) when you see it around town.
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Thanks to outgoing President, Jake Bruner, and welcome to incoming President, Stephanie Shelton.
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Stephanie Shelton Elected Agency Director President for 2019
United Way extends a warm welcome to the new United Way Agency Directors Association (UWADA) President, Stephanie Shelton. Shelton acts as Chief Development Office for United Way member agency, LifeDesigns. In addition to leading the monthly agency director meetings, she will also be serving as the UWADA representative on United Way’s Board of Directors. We send a big thanks out to Jake Bruner, Director of Development and Administration at Hoosier Hills Food Bank, who has diligently held the position of President for the past year.
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Nominate your favorite volunteer for a Be More Award by Feb. 8!
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Be More Award Nominations Due February 8th
The Be More Awards is our community's way of honoring and applauding the outstanding, but often unrecognized efforts of our community volunteers.
Ten awards will be presented during the community celebration honoring all of the nominees on March 26th.
$500 will be presented to each of the recipient's volunteer organizations in honor of their outstanding service. Nomination deadline is February 8, 2019.
United Way is a proud sponsor of the Be More Awards.
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Soon you'll find us at 431 S. College Ave.
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United Way of Monroe County is Moving
On February 8th, United Way of Monroe County will move right next door to 431 S. College Ave, Bloomington, IN 47403. The new location shares a parking lot with the former location.
Please update your contact information!
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United Way of Monroe County is a nonprofit organization that improves people's lives by addressing critical needs today and working to reduce those needs tomorrow. Through our Community Action Fund, Priority Funds, and grant initiatives, we work with 25 member agencies and other community partners to focus resources on the building blocks for a better life: education, earnings, and the essentials.
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United Way of Monroe County
441 S College Ave
Bloomington, IN 47403
812-334-8370 // info@monroeunitedway.org
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