Newsletter 
  July - August 2019
  United Way of Knox County, Ohio

In This Letter

United Way News
2019 Campaign Kickoff 

Imagination Library

Workforce Development Analysis Completed

Events and Announcements
Women United Grants

Partner Programs
Camp Hope

Youth Prevention Conference

Knox Addiction Conference

Follow Us Online

Volunteer Opportunities

Join us!

For our 2019  Campaign 
Kick-Off Week Events!

September 9, Noon 
Kiwanis Club
Gallagher Centre
By Invitation

September 9, 5:30 p.m. 
Serve Hot Meals
First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon, 
Join us to serve a healthy, free community meal

September 10, Noon 
Rotary Club
The Alcove Restaraunt
By Invitation

September 10, 4-6 p.m. 
YMCA Sneak Peak
Get an inside view of the YMCA's progress toward the capital improvement project. Call United Way to join

September 11, 
10 a.m.-1 p.m. 
Play Day at SPI
Explore the place where science and play interest as SPI opens its doors to United Way family and friends. RSVP to UWay

September 12, 6:30 p.m. 
Sleep-In Experience
The Winter Sanctuary, 
401 West Vine Street
Learn about the services available to homeless shelter guests with option to spend the night
Call United Way to attend 

September 13, 11:30 a.m. 
Kickoff Luncheon
The Alcove
 Join us for a complementary lunch as we officially begin the 2019 Campaign!
RSVP Required

September 13, 5-7 p.m. 
United We Brew
Stein Brewing Company Tap Room,
10 West Vine st
Unwind with us after a busy kickoff week


Email for more details.

Join us!

Upcoming 
United Way events

August 24th 8 a.m.
Ariel Foundation Park
Rastin Challenge - Family Fun 1 mile walk
Get Healthy Knox County and United Way planned and support this family focused event to kick off that day at the Rastin Challenge
Free Registration starts at 8 a.m. the day of the walk

Fall 2019
Crunch Out 
Knox County's 4th graders will begin the Crunch Out program, delivered in classrooms and Physical Education classes. What are some habits you could crunch out this fall?
Essay Competition Award Winners to be honored in January 202-
Call 740 392 5721 or visit our  website for program details

Thursday, October 17th 
9:30 a.m. - noon
Poverty Simulation
Call United Way at 740.397.5721 to Register

Mondays 4:30-5:30 p.m.
YMCA Youth Enrichment
YMCA, United Way
OSU Extension, KCH, and Psi Iota Xi Sorority join forces: Workout while your child learns something new! 
Free for YMCA members, $5 non-members
Call 740 392 9622

Daily
Edible Knox

Email for more details.

Join Our Friends!

Upcoming 
Community Events

August 31, 7:30 a.m.
Shatki Yoga
Yoga On The Bridge
Footbridge in Downtown Mount Vernon
Class is free, and donations will be collected for United Way

August 31, 6 p.m.
Teen Advisory Council
Color for a Cause 5K Color Run
Walk/Run Event
Ariel Foundation Park
Registration is Open! 

September 7, 2-6 p.m.
Riverside Recovery Services
Fall Festival
Riverside Park
Free Food and Sober Family-Friendly Fun

September 10 & 
October 8
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Riverside Recovery Services
Parents or Loved Ones of People with Addiction
Riverside Recovery Services Offices
Contact Kim 
740-326-9255

September 12, 6 p.m.
Hospice of Knox County
Suicide Prevention Walk/Run Event
Ariel Foundation Park
Questions? 
Call 740-397-5188

August 7-September 25 
United Way and Resilience Team 
Triple P Group 8-Week Parenting Course
Mount Vernon Library
FREE childcare provided. Space is limited 

October 26
Various Locations in  Knox County
Drug Take Back Day
Questions? Call 740.392.2200

Saturdays, 9 am - 12 pm
Mount Vernon
Farmers Market
1 Public Square, Mount Vernon.  
Market is active May through October

Ongoing
Knox Out Tobacco
is looking for Service and Referral Providers
Contact Mike Whitaker 
740.392.2200 ext. 2233

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

During the School Year
Ohio Job and Family Services
New online Child Care Resource tool to find childcare before and after school.

Ongoing:
Get Healthy Knox County

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

In the News!

Recent Partner Program  Achievements

Knox Substance Abuse Action Team
Recognized by CADCA -  Visit their Website

Boy Scouts   Achieve Eagle Rank

SPI  recruited United Way and Knox Labs
to provide students with a Design Thinking week

United Way Videos 
Hear the United Way Stories -  Watch the Videos
 

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






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"There is more power in unity than division."

- Emanual Cleaver

United Way of Knox County believes that all our community's residents want sounder financial stability, access to healthcare, and quality education. Those are three areas in which United Way can bring everyone together and work toward making our goals a reality! This is a way we can all agree and unite!

2019 Campaign Kick Off Planned!

Our Campaign theme this year is "In a World So Divided, LIVE UNITED". This theme highlights that diversity, inclusion, and community give value to every human being, no matter our differences. By promoting the health, education, and financial stability of all Knox County residents, we find ways that we can all agree and unite!

O nce again, we cannot wait to share some of the incredible stories that we have collected from our program participants and partner agency clients with the community. 


Our Campaign Kick-off week will take place September 9 through the 13th. The schedule of events includes serving Hot Meals, sneaking a peek at the YMCA renovation, playing at SPI, experiencing the Winter Sanctuary emergency shelter, and celebrating at our luncheon and unwinding at happy hour. Call our office to learn more about the activities and to join in the fun!



The 2020 Investment Agenda includes $399,434 supporting 13 Health programs administered by 9 partner agencies; $110,000 supporting 6 Education programs administered by 5 partner agencies; and  $210,000 supporting 6 Financial Stability programs administered by 6 partner agencies. United Way of Knox County is also unique in that the organization coordinates several community programs directly, including Crunch Out, Poverty Simulation, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, and three local After School Elementary tutoring and enrichment programs.

Use this link to pledge your support to the 2019 United Way Campaign.


Workforce Development Analysis 

Supported through a new Untied Way process, the Timely Grant Program and a  Partnership between  United Way, the Knox County Foundation, and the Area Development Foundation, a new Workforce Development Analysis of Knox County is now available.



This analysis presents a deep investigation into key economic drivers of our community, manufacturing and healthcare in Knox County.  This study will guide programming to support our workforce and those attempting to enter the workforce - promoting financial stability in our community. 

To access the information from the study or to schedule a presentation of outcomes contact the Area Development Foundation directly by emailing Cathy Youtkus.



Imagination Library

This has been an exciting year for our Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program. So far in 2019 - 15,631 books have been mailed to Knox County children under age 5 at an average of 1,950 children monthly. 

Partners at Knox Community Hospital, Knox County Health Department, Knox County Head Start, SPI Spot, and even local financial institution Edward Jones Sara Makins, among others, help us distribute program information and collect registrations. 

Current Program Supporters include: Ariel Foundation, Knox County Foundation, Sara Mankins - Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Joe and Krys Mortellaro, Ariel Corporation, First-Knox National Bank, Knox County Board of DD, The Energy Cooperative, Kenyon College, Central Ohio Technical College, Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon Rotary Foundation, AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Post 95, Psi Iota Xi Sorority. 



In March, Head Start families across Knox County joined United Way and the Imagination Library in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the much-loved story, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

This past Spring, Kenyon College Students under the direction of Professor H. Abbie Erler completed an assessment of Imagination Library. Information was provided by parents of children currently enrolled in United Way's Eagles' Nest After School program an Mount Vernon City Schools.
Based on Kenyon's assessment, the Dolly program has made a positive impact on families in Knox County by:
  • providing a source of free high-quality children's book for families who may lack other means of acquiring such books
  • increasing the amount of time that parents spend reading to their children
  • resulting in higher levels of kindergarten readiness for children who participated in the program for multiple years


In July, our education program coordinator joined Ohio's First Lady Fran DeWine as she convened the programs central affiliates to share exciting news that Governor DeWine proposed 2019 budget funds to help existing affiliates expand and on-board new affiliates across Ohio. 

Any Knox County child under the age of 5 years is welcome to enroll in the program at imaginationlibrary.com

Women United Grants 
Announced at Annual Luncheon


On August 1, members of Women United, an affinity group of the United Way of Knox County, met for lunch at the Alcove, in downtown Mount Vernon. There they celebrated past accomplishments, reviewed the proposed budget allocations and recipients, and ended the meeting by stuffing book bags with school supplies and taking them to the Salvation Army in Mount Vernon for distribution to children in need in Knox County. Bags were also taken to Mount Vernon Municipal Court to be shared with Probation and M.E.R.I.T. Court participants.



The meeting highlights include
  • 30 Women United members and guests in attendance
  • 200+ bookbags were filled with school supplies
  • Projects were announced for 2019
A representative of the Mount Vernon News was among our guests. She published an article to spread awareness of our event and the impact that the Women United Affinity group makes in Knox County.

Visit our website uwayknox.org to learn more about Women United or to become a member.


Camp Hope

This is the second year that United Way partner agency, Hospice of North Central Ohio (Hospice of Knox County), has offered Camp Hope at Pleasant Hill Outdoor Camp in Perrysville, a central location for the service area to allow for campers to attend from Knox, Richland, and Ashland counties. This year, an overnight camp was incorporated and took place June 17-19 for ages 6 to 11 and June 17-21 for ages 12-17. The overnight experience allowed for more continuity and time for trust to form between campers. 

In addition to the activities, campers participated in small groups with identified leaders to process feelings and explore coping mechanisms, to share their story in a safe place. This year's camp featured a Harry Potter theme and campers were introduced to some of the mystical creatures to help identify different emotions and begin discussions.

Each camper attending Camp Hope has lost a loved one and spending the focused time with other campers who have also had losses promoted a decrease in the feeling of "being the only one". As one of the  campers said "I was really scared coming here that I wouldn't know anyone and that I would be the only one who had lost a parent. But I've made some good friends and don't feel alone at all. I will be back next year."


Youth Prevention Conference

Youth ages 12 -18 were welcomed to the KSAAT Youth Prevention Conference August 6 and 7 at the Mount Vernon Nazarene University Chapel. This conference, hosted by KSAAT, offered students the free opportunity to learn about leadership and prevention. Topics covered included information on drug effects and misuse, mental and physical health, as well as leadership, community resources, and tools for creating a supportive social environment for themselves and others. 
 

Knox Addiction Conference

KSAAT adult impact Knox Addiction Conference also took place August 6 and 7. Community members alongside prevention and recovery professionals attended this two day training and information conference.  Local organizations and guest speakers shared data, resources, and tools to support health and recovery in Knox County.





Activating Our Online Presence

Many of you may have noticed our new and more active online presence. We have increased our communications on 
Facebook, made it a priority to create new content on 
our website, and have implemented a bi-monthly schedule for our newsletter.  Please take a moment to check out the website
Call for Volunteers
 
Would you like to volunteer to serve our Knox County Community?

Active Volunteer Opportunities
United Way After School Programs
are always in need of volunteers to help children participating in the program with homework and reading.  Call United Way to find out more information.

YMCA of Mount Vernon
is seeking volunteers to support their child watch services.  Stop by the YMCA's front desk to fill out an application.

Interchurch Social Services
Knox County Locations
Opportunities vary
740.397.4825

We aim to make United Way activities a reflection of Knox County's priorities. We rely on community volunteers to lead the process, we strive to LIVE UNITED.