September 2020 Newsletter
Help Your Community Come Together in a UNITED WAY!
Emil Mackey
Insurance Agent and owner of Country Financial
Desi Smith
Senior Account Executive
Juneau Radio Center &
United Way Board Member
United Way of Southeast Alaska is excited to announce this years Campaign Co Chair for the 2020-2021 Campaign. We want give a big a BIG THANK YOU to Emil Mackey and Desi Smith for your help with this years campaign.
We Know your passion and excitement will shine through.
Keep an eye and an ear out for Emil and Desi as they will be on the radio and around town virtually talking about our campaign and how your donation, even a small one, could make all the difference in a Southeast Community members life.
This year donating has been made easy. Click the link below to Donate.
Help Your Community Come Together in a UNITED WAY!
Emil Robert "Mackey" was born and raised in Little Rock Arkansas. He moved to Alaska in 2007 after finishing his Ph.D. in Public Policy, emphasizing Educational Policy & Leadership, from the University of Arkansas. Since moving to Alaska in 2007, he lived and worked in Fairbanks (2007-2009), Kotzebue (2009-2013) and Juneau (2013-Present). Some of his prior volunteer service and recognitions include serving as an AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteer (1995-1996) , completing the 2007 University of Alaska Fairbanks Leadership Academy, and  serving on the Juneau School Board (2015 – 2018 and 2019-Present). Click on his photo for his full bio.
Desi Smith has extensive experience in the marketing, sales, and radio space. She has been working in the radio business for over 40 years. Desi moved to Juneau a little over two years ago with her husband Mike. Desi and Mike have quickly worked themselves into the fabric of what makes Juneau so great by volunteering and frequently participating in local events. Desi currently serves on the United Way of Southeast Alaska Board and has been a major driving force in getting the 2020-2021 Campaign started. For a more detailed bio click on her photo above.
We Could Use Your Help!
Join us this September in efforts to support our local agencies. Our Annual Day of Caring has now been extended for the whole month of September.
United Way of Southeast has extended the Annual Day of Caring into a whole month so that those who are volunteer can properly social distance.
If you would like to volunteer or know of a project that is worthy of volunteer assistance please submit your application below.
Juneau C.A.R.E.S. Food Program
United Way of Southeast Alaska is happy to announce the Juneau C.A.R.E.S Food Program. We have been awarded an $800,000 grant by the Alaska Community Foundation. This program is designed to contract restaurants to prepare meals for local underserved communities. We see this as an opportunity to support both the service industry and those who are experiencing food insecurity. The aim is to provide a range of meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Food services began on September 2nd and nearly 3,000 meals have already been provided to the community through the program. The goal is to produce around 270 meals daily through the end of the year. We are providing meal service to United Way Partner Agencies such as The Glory Hall, the Aware Shelter and the cold weather shelter managed by St. Vincent de Paul.
Programs like this can continue through donated gifts from generous donors within the community.


United Way of Southeast AmeriCorps Program is hosting 13 AmeriCorps members from 10 states.
Over the next three years, our primary focus is on improving academic performance in early literacy. Five elementary schools and one licensed child care center in Juneau committed to hosting AmeriCorps members to serve as an Early Literacy Program Support Assistant. Program Assistants and volunteer reading tutors will work individually with a minimum of 60 Pre-K through 3rd-grade struggling readers and connecting with families to help link the school to home learning pathways.
With much appreciation for their service in this time of COVID-19, we genuinely believe their time in Juneau will provide significant support to our community. Please welcome our members as they descend upon Juneau!
AmeriCorps Service Member Feature
Aidan Chadwick
My name is Aidan Chadwick. I am from Bemidji, Minnesota and I recently graduated from North Dakota State University in Fargo ND with degrees in psychology and political science. During my time serving in Americorps, I will be coordinating youth and family engagement with the Zach Gordon youth center downtown as well as the middle schools in town. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, running, playing, and watching sports. I am diehard Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan. I look forward to serving the community and experiencing everything Juneau has to offer! 
Erin Few
Hi! My name is Erin Few and I am from Charlottesville Virginia, and happy to be currently living in Juneau serving with Americorps! While here I will be serving the elementary schools in literacy work and kinder-ready programs. Before Americorps I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia also working on early childhood education and literacy. I did a great deal of similar work in their education system and am very happy to be continuing those skills in Juneau! I graduated two years ago from James Madison University with a degree in Political Science and Humanitarian Affairs, and after this hope to pursue a career in international development and peace work. I know that my year spent here in Juneau will be very rewarding and filled with great learning experiences, all while serving this wonderful community. 
AmeriCorps
September 11th
Service Day
On September 11th2020 thirteen AmeriCorps service members assisted Tlingit and Haida Central Council in efforts to complete a project for the Tribal Emergency Operations Center. Service Members assisted in loading shipping containers with crucially needed COVID- 19 supplies for 22 various remote villages in Southeast Alaska. Members served for over 4 hours loading supplies and will be returning on September 18th, 2020 to continue with efforts of getting the supplies to those in need. Members are required to participate in service on various federal holidays as a condition of their AmeriCorps service contracts and many members have graciously decided that they would like to continue to assist and will be returning on September 18th to help complete the project while participating in United Way’s Annual Month of Caring. If you would like to participate in United Way’s Month of Caring Event or know of a project that could use the help of generous volunteers click here.
  
THANK YOU
Check out our Annual Report 2019