Newsletter 
  November / December, 2018
  Women United 
  United Way of Knox County, Ohio

In This Letter
Bags of Love

Women in Recovery 
Breakfast

Career Intelligence Workshop

Facebook Page

Grant Allocations

Equip the Zone

Be the Nice Kid

Tactile Communications for First Responders

Ruling Our eXperiences

Women of Wonder!  
at collegiate event

Women in Recovery Breakfast

Holiday Helpers

Volunteer Opportunities


Join us!

Women United
Upcoming Events

January 17, 7:30 am
Women in Recovery Breakfast 
The Alcove  Restaurant
Garden Room
RSVP to Elizabeth or by phone 740.397.5721

Join Our Friends!

Upcoming 
Community Events
 

January 12
Crunch Out
Awards Celebration
By invitation

November & December
Food for the Hungry
Community partners join forces to promote a worthwhile cause

1st Monday Each Month, 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
the Freedom Center
Family Education Session
106 East Gambier St Mount Vernon

Get Healthy Knox County

Email for more details or to share your organization's events in the next newsletter!
In the News!

Recent Program  and Community Events

KSAAT present's
Tyler's Light
KSAAT membership meeting and prevention resource presentation took place November 1

Drug Take Back Day
Knox County collected 129 pounds of unused, unwanted, and expired medications from 4 locations on October 27

New Directions Photovoices Heart of the Grizzly Exhibit
October at the Schnormeier Gallery

United Way 
Poverty Simulations
Fredericktown Schools October 15
Knox County
October 18
United Way Campaign Videos released
Hear the United Way Stories

Email for more details or to share a story or event for the next newsletter.
Quick Links:
  

uway knox

Like us on Facebook

"Some Kids are Smarter than you.
Some kids have cooler clothes than you. 
It Doesn't Matter
You have your thing too.
Be the kid who can get along.
Be the kid who is generous.
Be the kid who is happy for other people.
Be the kid who does the right thing.
Be the nice kid. "

- Women United Banners across Knox County Schools


As Women United encourages children across our schools to worry less about competing with one another and more about supporting each other, let us embody this message in our own lives.

 
Bags of Love

On Thursday, October 11, Women United members met for dinner and a service project at Mazza's Restaurant. 



Ladies prepared Bags of Love - hygiene packs containing self care items and bags of baby supplies for new moms. Ladies not only contributed deodorant, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene products to the cause, but also assembled the bags in record time. 

Hygiene packs were delivered to local school -
East Elementary, Twin Oak Elementary, Columbia Elementary, Wiggin Street Elementary, Dan Emmett Elementary, Mount Vernon Middle School, Danville Elementary & Jr High, East Knox Elementary, Fredericktown Elementary, and Centerburg Elementary Schools. The staff were enthusiastic about the deliveries which will be distributed to students as needed by office staff, guidance counselors, intervention specialists, and school nurses throughout the county.



The kits prepared containing baby supplies went to institutions that directly serve new moms in need, including Knox County Career Center, Adult Court Services Alpha & Omega House, Mount Vernon Municipal Court Probation Department, and Riverside Recovery Services.

Event photos were shared on Facebook.

Women in Recovery Breakfast

Women in Recovery Breakfast on September 20 featured a speaker Courtney, who shared her path to recovery, including powerful emotional and physical hurdles she has struggled through. Job and Family Services representative Matt Kurtz and Levy Committee representative Courtney Lower also spoke to the group about community issues. 



Our Next Women in Recovery Breakfast is schedule for January 17.


Career Intelligence Workshop

A professional skills workshop took place at the Knox Technical Center on October 25 and 26, sponsored by the Career Intelligence Women United Grant. While attendance for this pilot program was limited to students from the Knox County School, the Knox Learning Center, a press release before the workshop shared information with the community.

The workshop, which was offered to participants free of charge, included everything from a self assessment and skills inventory, through professional behavior and attire, networking practice, and resume and interview tactics. Participants in the workshop took a field trip the second day, selecting an interview outfit and shoes from Interchurch Social Service thrift store and Shoe Sensation.

The Mount Vernon News covered the event, and The Ohio Department of Education shared the write up of the workshop in their newsletter.

While this was the first workshop of its kind, the grant includes funding for several iterations of the workshop. Organizer Lori Gastin intends to hold the workshop quarterly. The next workshop is planned for January and will be open to the public.

 
Like our Facebook Page!

We are delighted to introduce you to our new Women United Facebook Page! Use the page to stay current with Women United news and events. We will also be sharing updates and information from the programs that Women United supports. Give us feedback on what else you would like to see on the page!

Women United Grant Allocations
Applications for Women United Grant funding for projects to occur August 2018 through August 2019 have been received, reviewed, and announced! Visit our website to review the list of projects planned for the year!

For more information, please email Elizabeth or call at 740.397.5721.

Equip the Zone

Refrigerator has been purchased to store and provide healthy snack for kids at the Escape Zone! Supporting the Escape Zone is a community effort - OSU Extension, Get Healthy Knox County, and others have pushed to make healthy food accessible, important, and easy to prepare at the Escape Zone. The Equip the Zone Women United grant provides the refrigerator and kitchen supplies to make storing, preparing, and devouring this food possible on site. The core of the grant is the refrigerator - which was delivered on October 5 to the Escape Zone. Representatives from the Escape Zone call this purchase a game changer for the Escape Zone.


Be the Nice Kid

Be the Nice Kid banners have been delivered to local schools. Many have them hanging in their gyms, cafeterias, and hallways as a reminder that no matter who you are and what your strengths are, there is always room to be nice and to support those around us.



Tactile Communications for First Responders

Women United grant recipients hosted their Tactile Communications for First Responders workshop on October 18, as a day-long workshop. 

J odi Pfarr presented information on Poverty, Wealth, and hidden rules of classes, the importance of language, and understanding resources. A TouchPointe Advocate shared with United Way that the presentation gave participants the tools to help control the scene, stay safe, and gain the cooperation and respect of people from all economic backgrounds. They discovered better ways to communicate with people. Participants received continuing education units for their attendance.

Ruling Our eXperiences

Ruling Our eXperiences is available in all school districts in Knox County through United Way funding. A tried and true evidence-based program, ROX is supported by Women United passionately and continues to grow in Knox County. A representative from Knox County Career Center will join our group of trained facilitators in the November training session at ROX headquarters in Columbus. We look forward to welcoming a new member to our ROX family and to reaching more Knox County girls with this program which equips girls with the knowledge and skills necessary to live healthy, independent, productive, and violence-free lives.

Women Of Wonder!

Women of Wonder! or WOW! will take place at a local collegiate event in December. The event intends to celebrate women in leadership and foster a culture of mentorship. 
If you are interested in representing Women United at the event or in participating in the event as an attendee, please contact Elizabeth

Women in Recovery Breakfast

The next Women in Recovery Breakfast is scheduled for Thursday, January 17. Our meal will be held in the Garden Room and will start at 7:30 a.m.

RSVP on the Facebook Event Page,  by emailing  [email protected] , or by calling 740.397.5721 !

Holiday Helpers

Women United will be adopting a small Holiday project this year. We plan to prepare gifts for two adult individuals at Knox Board of Developmental Disabilities who do not have family members that are able to provide a holiday gift. Email Elizabeth a [email protected] to get involved. 

 

Volunteer Opportunities 

The following programs and organizations are actively recruiting volunteers. Contact Elizabeth to get involved.

Eagles Nest After School Tutoring and Enrichment. Monday through Thursday, 3:30-5pm at East Elementary School.

Tiger Pride Club After School Tutoring and Enrichment. Monday through Thursday,3:30-5pm at Dan Emmett Elementary School.

Interchurch Social Services Thrift Store

The Winter Sanctuary