2010 In Review

When reflecting upon 2010, I am once again humbled by the generous support of our donors. Despite difficult times, our friends and neighbors invested in our community through United Way. In response, our dedicated partner agencies, board members and outstanding staff stepped up to the challenge and worked tirelessly to ensure that their investment yielded major dividends. This partnership achieved great results that I'm proud to report.

Our Mission

United Way of St. Joseph County is an organization dedicated to bringing together the members of our community and the resources they can offer in order to create long-lasting change. Through partnering with local agencies, we believe that things can be accomplished that no one individual or organization could achieve alone. We currently collaborate with 23 local agencies in order to meet the diverse needs of St. Joseph County, and ensure that all residents have access to the building blocks of a better life: education, income and health.

2010 Challenge & Outcome

Challenge: To leverage the $3 million raised in the annual campaign for maximum impact in St. Joseph County.

Outcome: Leveraged over $8 million in community impact through collaborative and volunteer efforts, public service, grant writing, sponsorships, and in-kind gifts. Through United Way partner agency programs, nearly 80,000 children, women, and men in St. Joseph County were positively impacted. Thousands more were impacted by United Way initiatives and community services.

2010 Key Accomplishments

The following details achievements and progress made in St. Joseph County through United Way in 2010:

Community Investment

In order to reduce the drop-out rate within our community and to educate parents, teachers, and students on the best strategic methods to achieving scholastic success, the Community Education Impact Committee (CEIC) began developing the 'Student Roadmap to Success.'

The United Way initiative 'People Gotta Eat' (PGE) motivated the community to contribute food to local food pantries whose food supplies were dwindling through many efforts including a 2010 FoodStock Event that included live music, food and games.

PGE raised over $150,000 that was distributed to local food banks throughout St. Joseph County. In total, nearly 487,000 meals were provided to our neighbors in need.

Development

United Way raised over $3 million dollars during the 2010 campaign and leveraged that to over $8 million in community impact.

United Way applied for, and received, a $370,000 Grant from the Indiana Association of United Ways for the 2010-11 fundraising campaign. New and increased United Way donations helped leverage this matching grant, part of which will be used for education-related purposes. Vice President for Community Investment, Karen Sommers, noted the following community investments approved by United Way's Board of Directors resulting from the grant:

• $40,000 to pay tuition for at-risk Latino pre-school children at El Campito, one of United Way's Partner Agencies.
• $40,000 to pay tuition for African American/low income at-risk pre-school students through El Campito pre-school services.
• $95,000 to support the South Bend Career Academy, a career-focused and project-based learning curriculum for public middle and high schools. Open this fall, the Academy will serve 300 students in grades 7-9, adding a grade annually with the goal of 600 students in grades 7-12. The first class is scheduled to graduate in 2015. The Academy will support local employers by providing a prepared and highly skilled workforce and support local families/students by providing education, training and life skills for high-quality jobs in our local community.

In total, United Way of St. Joseph County received $549,688 in grants, $35,453 in in-kind donations (donations of items that would have been purchased otherwise), and $8,708 in sponsorships in 2010.

Labor and Community Services

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) provided free tax preparation services for 1,400 households for the 2009 tax year, resulting in $1,545,149 in tax refunds, credits, and preparation savings ($389,910) that were reinvested into the local economy.

The National Association of Letter Carriers' (NALC) annual food drive in St. Joseph County collected over 97,000 lbs. of donated food for the hungry. This translates into 222,116 meals locally.

The Community Access Network (CAN), which collaborates with more than 50 agencies to provide services that help low-income families find short-term assistance and develop long-term plans to be financially stable, raised $40,678 to serve 374 households within the community through the CAN 50-50 Heat Assistance Grant in 2010. The 50-50 Grant helps clients pay their heating bills and receive assistance from a budget coach to help them achieve financial stability.

The Worker's Memorial Service/Safety Sunday gave local families an opportunity to honor those who lost their lives due to workplace hazards and to learn about safety within the workplace.

The St. Joseph County FEMA Emergency Food & Shelter Program (EFSP) was awarded $207,101 in 2010 which helped 34,288 St. Joseph County residents receive emergency assistance. EFSP assists families with utilities and rent/mortgage payments, facilitates food pantries, serves meals to those in need, and provides shelter and supplies for the homeless during extreme weather conditions.

2-1-1 Regional Information and Referral Service

In 2010, United Way 2-1-1 continued to provide the most comprehensive information and referral database in the region, providing an invaluable community resource:

• 15,720 phone calls were placed by St. Joseph County residents and 36,558 calls were placed regionally to United Way 2-1-1.
• United Way 2-1-1 saved the St. Joseph County community $923,618 and the regional community $2,269,583 in prescription costs by distributing FamilyWize prescription discount cards.
• United Way 2-1-1 received $109,482 in service fees from other local counties that utilize the St. Joseph County
  2-1-1 Call Center.

Marketing Communications

In 2010, United Way focused on achieving brand recognition by increasing public awareness through a variety of media outlets and communication tools.

United Way developed an effective positioning statement, vision and mission statement, and elevator speech. It also developed a messaging strategy and corresponding tactics for 2010. It accomplished nearly 70 marketing tactics including letters, materials, collateral pieces, logos, presentations, and e-blasts. Great headway was made in media promotion through several press releases, media pitches, Op Eds, Letters to the Editor, and more.

From the launch of United Way's new website on May 1, 2010 to the end of the 2010 Campaign on May 31, 2011, 9,031 people had visited the site, 52.97% of which were new visitors.

From the launch of United Way's social media in August of 2010 to the end of the 2010 Campaign, 89 people had "liked" the United Way of St. Joseph County Facebook page and there had been 8,983 post views. As of August 2011, 66 accounts are following the United Way of St. Joseph County Twitter page.

Summary

In reflecting on the success of 2010, I am encouraged by the generosity of our community and eagerly looking forward to the upcoming campaign season. Together, we can continue to meet current needs and tackle the social issues that will change the future of St. Joseph County.

Thank you to all who have shown support for the United Way in this past year. We hope that you will continue to partner with United Way and invest in the future of our community.