As far as programs go, our club will be starting the new year off with a bang. An informative, two-part series on “Effective Use of Social Media” featuring local marketing experts starts this Wednesday. Be sure to bring your phone.
On Jan. 10, our speaker will be Ashley Mumm. In her presentation, Ashley will be touch on the importance of branding and marketing, and how they affect your appeal to your target market. Come prepared with questions and your laptop if you’d like to take notes.
Its focus is on three main areas:
- Fighting childhood poverty
- Capacity building for area nonprofits
- Emergent needs in the communities
“To live better, we must live united,” said Cassie. ” We must stop talking and start doing.” In the area of childhood poverty, she said there are significant challenges facing many youth, such as hunger and homelessness. “We are trying to address the most pressing needs.”
“What we do is change the odds,” she continued. “We’re learning more how the impact of poverty upon education shows a measurable and long-lasting detrimental effect on students’ cognitive performance. Through our ‘United for Classrooms’ program, we give every student the best possible chance for success. Teachers are the first responders for our children. They are the ones who help the child who comes to school with duct tape around their shoes, or the one who didn’t have breakfast. Teachers are paying out of their own pockets to meet student needs. That’s why this Kindergarten through Grade 5 program aims to give $200 in financial assistance to each classroom within our service area.”
To help small, local nonprofits, United Way provides grants for outcome-based programs and collaborative projects that address core needs. Over $65,000 was given to area organizations last year, including $10,000 to Yamhill 211. According to Cassie, United Way is working to increase awareness of this phone number as a resource for folks who need social services.
In the area of emergent needs, United Way stands ready when a natural disaster such as an earthquake or other unanticipated crisis hits. “We work together with businesses, government agencies, schools, faith groups, individual community members and nonprofits. In that case, it takes the whole community to get the kind of results we need,” Cassie said.
For more information, or to donate, go to unitedwaymwv.org.