You still have time to step up and change local lives!
If you’re reading this, chances are you care about the well-being of your neighbors, friends, and co-workers and understand the impact of United Way’s work and how effective its reach is on the lives of people in crisis. While the community has heartily responded to this year’s campaign, we need your help to be able to create life-changing impact at the same or better levels as last year. In early March, funding decisions to member agencies will be made. We’re confident you’d like for the most money to be directed to these agencies to ensure that families have opportunities and everyone’s basic living needs are met. Please consider stepping up and making your gift today.
Change really does begin with you. Are you in?
|
|
|
|
Give today at and your one-time or recurring gift will create change all year long!
|
|
Donors and supporters like you have rallied together to raise
$1,042,153
for the campaign to date.
Change Begins with You Champions
- BKD, CPA’s and Advisors gave back to the community with $6,784 in gifts.
- Cummins employees are helping to power a more prosperous world, donating $18,429 to critical needs for friends and neighbors.
- Owen County State Bank employees rallied in support of the communities they serve, donating $4,080 to Monroe, Owen, and Greene families and individuals.
|
|
Wake Up! with United Way 2020 season topics announced
Join us for the new season of Wake Up! with United Way! This monthly breakfast speakers series is back with new topics that affect our community, like access to food, mental health, and gentrification.
First up, on Thursday, February 13,
is "Food Security: Feeding Monroe County."
One in six children in Monroe County are at risk of going hungry in households that struggle to put food on the table. How does our community ensure that these families have access to adequate food and nutrition? Join us at The Mill from 7:45 - 9 a.m. to explore the systems in place that help families experiencing food insecurity. What’s working, what’s not, what’s new?
Panelists include Julio Alonso, Executive Director of Hoosier Hills Food Bank; Vicki Pierce, Executive Director of Community Kitchen; and Brandon Schurr from IU Division of Student Affairs and MCCSC School Board.
Additional 2020 season topics include:
- March "Creating a More Brain Injury-Friendly Community"
- April "The Changing Labor Market: Challenges for Today's Workers"
- May "Emergency! First Responders on the Front Lines"
- June "Unteachable and Difficult: Understanding Childhood Trauma Pt. II"
- July "Healthcare Access: New Innovations"
- August "Stride Coalition: An Update on the Crisis Diversion Center"
- September "Human Trafficking: Combating Exploitation and Abuse"
- October "Recognizing the Patterns of Gentrification"
- November "On the Rise: Mental Health and Young Adults"
Season passes now available
for the Wake Up! with United Way 2020 season! Tickets for each event individually are $10, but you can get a season pass to attend the entire series (10 events) for only $90.
Wake Up! with United Way is hosted by United Way of Monroe County and presenting partners IU Political and Civic Engagement and The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.
|
|
Free Community Tax Service at 12 sites!
The Free Community Tax Service can help you file your taxes for free. If you made $54,000 or less last year, you can file your taxes at one of our 12 convenient locations. Trained and certified volunteers make it easy to file federal and Indiana state taxes for free and claim Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), if eligible.
Last year this volunteer-run service organized by United Way helped
local residents file 2,317 federal returns, saving clients as much as $1,058,869 in tax preparation fees and bringing back more than $2.7 million in refunds and credits.
12 Free Community Tax Service sites are located throughout Monroe, Owen, and Brown counties, including sites for international students, non-resident taxpayers, and Spanish speaking taxpayers. Hours vary by location.
Find a full list of locations and hours here.
|
|
Monroe County United Ministries’ Your Path celebrates its one-year anniversary
One year ago, member agency Monroe County United Ministries (MCUM) launched an innovative and personalized solution to work towards family self-sufficiency.
Your Path is a personalized coaching program that looks at five components of self-sufficiency: family stability, well-being, financial management, education & training, and employment & career management. Coaches Sandi Clothier and Kay Goodman meet with participants on a biweekly basis and offer support in setting personalized goals in these areas.
MCUM offers participants direct support with childcare, food, hygiene items, and rent/mortgage and utilities assistance. They help participants meet other needs through referrals. United Way of Monroe County’s Financial Coaching and Free Community Tax Service are two frequent referral resources, allowing us to deepen the partnership with this funded agency.
Congrats to the hard-working team at MCUM on the successes of this new program, and congratulations to the participants who have committed to this work and achieved their goals!
|
|
Chilly Cook-Off a delicious success!
Warm comforting aromas filled the air as more than 200 community members gathered to sample chili prepared by 23 local chefs at the United Way Freezefest Chilly Cook-Off on Saturday, January 11.
A big thank you to all who attended, and to the community chefs and volunteers who helped make the event such a success!
Cooks brought their A-game as they competed to please the judges and win over attendees' votes for People's Choice Award. Guests also enjoyed ice cream generously provided by The Chocolate Moose.
People's Choice winner, Neville "Fire Lord" Vaughan's chili, "Chile De Bomberos," is now available at the Chocolate Moose through the end of February!
Congrats to the Chilly Cook-off winners!
- Best Overall: Caleb Freeman & Adam Crotzer, Ivy Tech Community College
- Best Vegetarian: Trent & Kyla Cox Deckard, Monroe County Council
- Most Creative: Caleb Freeman & Adam Crotzer, Ivy Tech Community College
- Hottest: Ross Miller & Nick Craig, Ivy Tech Community College
- People's Choice: Neville "Fire Lord" Vaughan, Bloomington Fire Department
- "Some Like It Hot" Chili Eating Contest: Matt "The Mule" Muehling consumed 32 oz of spicy chili in 60 seconds!
Deep thanks to Ring of Fire Sponsors -- Indiana University O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Old National Bank; and Grateful Red Sponsors -- Bunger and Robertson; Chocolate Moose; Coca-Cola Bottling Bloomington; Indiana University Political and Civic Engagement Program; Printpack; Taft Stettinius and Hollister, LLP for their support of the Chilly Cook-Off.
|
|
Visit the new online calendar to see all upcoming events!
Upcoming Events:
January 29 - April 5,
dates and hours vary by location.
Free Community Tax Service tax preparation
Thursday, February 13,
7:45 - 9 a.m.
Wake Up! with United Way "Food Security: Feeding Monroe County"
Thursday, March 5,
6 - 7 p.m.
Bank on Bloomington Personal Finance Class "Credit and Getting Ready for a Big Purchase"
The Bloomington Transit Center conference room.
RSVP here.
Thursday, April 7,
5:30 - 7 p.m.
United Way Community Celebration *Save the Date*
|
|
|
|
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 and grant initiatives, we work with 24 member agencies and other community partners to ensure families have opportunities and everyone can meet basic living needs.
|
|
|
United Way of Monroe County
431 S College Ave
Bloomington, IN 47403
812-334-8370 // info@monroeunitedway.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
