United Way of Delaware's Hamster Drive's to $125

We're in love with our United Way of Delaware hamster.  After watching this commercial, we're certain you will be, too!  Visit www.uwde.org to pledge your giving to United Way of Delaware and for your chance to win a 2013 Kia Soul.

My Free Taxes DE Website

Delaware Financial Empowerment Alliance Announces New Partnership with My Free Taxes National Campaign

 The Delaware Financial Empowerment Alliance announces a new partnership with the national My Free Taxes campaign that will enable Delawareans to file their taxes for FREE, in their pajamas, anytime of the day, in the convenience and comfort of their own home!

The Alliance, led by $tand By Me, United Way of Delaware and Goodwill of Delaware, is joined by more than 30 state and local organizations, businesses and schools, to offer a FREE web-based tax preparation program called MyFreeTaxesDE.Taxpayers who go to www.MyFreeTaxesDE.com can file their state and federal taxes using the very easy, secure, fill-in-the-blanks, software program. MyFreeTaxesDE is free to taxpayers with household income at or below $57,000. All forms are available for households with multiple state returns. If taxpayers need help with their return, MyFreeTaxesDE offers free support through a toll-free hotline or live web chat. Call 2-1-1 or 1-855-MY-TX-HELP. The free tax software and help are available now through April 15, 2013, when tax returns are due.

 
For more info, please call 2-1-1MyFreeTaxesDE.com.

Help Me Grow -- Parent Advocate

Partner Spotlight: One Village Alliance

We received an amazing update on some of the work one of our partners is doing in the community and we thought it a perfect opportunity to share first-hand.  Let us introduce to some and familiarize with others, One Village Alliance.  They are committed to  ensuring that all children and their families receive the resources and support necessary to achieve success regardless of their social and economic status. Below you will read either a summary or first hand account of the success from two training programs offered by One Village Alliance (OVA) to the community.
Visit www.iamthevillage.org and enjoy:

Computer Skills Training Success

 

Nancy Goldfeder - Entered the program as a novice. She took the Beginners and Intermediate class.　 She was very uneasy about going forward, but still entered the Enhanced class and did well.　 She began applying for jobs and was hired on her third resume sent out.　 She has been successfully working for two months now as a counselor.

Gwen Jones - Entered the program as somewhat knowledgeable with basic computer knowledge.　 Passed the Beginners class, entered the Intermediate class and during that time took a test for a job and passed.　 She took the job and tried to keep coming to the Intermediate class but her work schedule wouldn't permit that.　 She comes occasionally for the Enhanced class when her schedule permits.

Marketta Allen - Entered the Beginner's class as a novice. Rose in the ranks as our top student and completed the class as Best Student.　 She entered and completed the Intermediate class and was enrolled in the Enhanced Class but had to leave because she was successfully hired at a company.

Kathy Henry - Entered and passed the Beginners Class and enrolled in the Intermediate Class.　 She was already working and upgrading her skill set.　 She now says her job performance is much better and she is more valued on her job now. She intends to come back to complete the Intermediate class when time permits.

Construction & Maintenance Skills Training Success

"I actually decided to take a chance and enter this construction course because I had happy thoughts about the work I had done in Connecticut Department of Transportation and  at M Davis & Sons Industrial Contractors and I really thought I could do it. It was my impulsive nature that sometimes has me jumping before I really [think] about it [so that I don't] crash and burn several times until I either give up ormove onto something different or take what I've learned and grow from it and move onto the next thing that grabs my attention. This class was going to be my next adventure. It was　　8 weeks, 40 hours in the construction maintenance field. Taking this course reopened my desire to actually go and do the rework/repair in the residential field. Everything being taught was something that I had experienced in oneway or another from those days in CT and when I got my first house and　did the repairs on it with my own two hands.

It felt good to do that work. I guess you could say it was a sense of accomplishment. I had forgotten that feeling and gotten away from the work for some reason and never picked it up again until this class. I don't know whythe desire or want dropped off the radar scope andI'm glad its back on. I just wish it hadn't taken so many years to come to this realization.

I do want to thank Nancy Lopez and Chandra Pitts of One Village Alliance who were presenting this course at this time and I really want to thank Victor Morgan who was the instructor. I was supposed to be an intern for him and he made it easy to support him and help out on the class when needed.

He has been AWESOME and I have learned a lot from him and hope I get the chance to work with him again and when OVA gets it's funding and begin redoing the two homes I would like to be part of that. So tonight I graduated from the course and now chomping on the bit to go full steam ahead.

Take care and keep in touch,

Mike

　

'Giving Tuesday' Promotes Charitable Spirit

'Giving Tuesday' Promotes Charitable Spirit: First came Black Friday, then Small Business Saturday. Next came Cyber Monday. And Tuesday, Nov. 27 was "Giving Tuesday." WBOC's Karen Campbell reports.

Giving Tuesday

You've heard of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and even Cyber Monday.　 This year let us introduce you to a new movement rightfully coined "Giving Tuesday". Right on the heels of Thanksgiving Day,　where the　compassion of giving is　often　 overshadowed by the frenzy that is Black Friday, came an　opportunity to　bring focus back to the true reason for the holiday season.

We were fortunate enough to receive coverage about this movement in Delmarva's News Leader WBOC 16 news.  It's never too late to give from the heart.  Visit www.uwde.org to pledge your donation today.

 Here's a copy of the story.  Click here to watch the associated video.

DOVER, Del.- First came Black Friday, then Small Business Saturday. Next came Cyber Monday. And Tuesday, Nov. 27 was "Giving Tuesday."

It is a day that was established to encourage Americans to give from the heart.

Several organizations, like the Delaware State Education Association in Dover, are supporting the United Way.

"We're put here on earth to give and not to take. We find our purpose in life from what we give to our communities and what we give to our neighbors," said Pam Nichols, the DSEA's director of communications.

Giving Tuesday is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the holiday season. The campaign encourages people to give back through volunteering, donating or even raising awareness about an important cause. The campaign has taken the nation by storm through Twitter by using the hashtag #GivingTuesday.

"Everyone's heart wants to give. Too many times they don't know how to give," said Debbie Armstrong of the United Way of Kent County in Dover. 

Armstrong collected workplace contributions on Tuesday from several organizations and businesses.

"Nothing is too small and insignificant to make a difference. Most of the giving here at the United Way of Delaware is done through workplace campaign," said Armstrong.

The Caesar Rodney School District also participated in a workplace campaign raising about $40,000 for the United Way, according to Armstrong.

"It's a subtle reminder to all of us out there that there are people that are in need and if we can do anything - if we can volunteer, if we can donate, if we can contribute, if we can help in any way, today is a great day to do that," said Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, superintendent of the Caesar Rodney School District.

Chris Crowell, vice president of Playtex Operations at Energizer, also donated to the United Way.

"It behooves us as successful business people to give back to those who help us in the community and those families who can't help us because they're less fortunate," Crowell said. "It's an important message to send. Corporations that are successful because of people, remember people."

This is the first Giving Tuesday event that is going on across the nation.

Thank You for Taking Off With Us! 2012 Campaign Take-Off Recap

Increase your annual donation by $125 for a chance to win a 2013 Kia Soul!

 

 

We just wanted to quickly say thank you to everyone who participated in this year's official 2012 Campaign Take-Off that took place on the 7th and 10th of September.  We enjoyed announcing it to our New Castle supporters at the AFL-CIO Community Services Golf Tournament on Friday the 7th and celebrating with everyone during our official 2012 Campaign Take-Off at the Dover Air Force Base on the 10th.  It's your support and efforts collectively that pay an intricate part in helping us achieve our goal of raising $20 million dollars.  We are working together in the State of Delaware, looking to improve the quality of lives for all Delawareans surrounding the issues of education, health and income.   We understand that we can not do it alone, but united together, we're able to create lasting, effective change!

 

 

 

Enjoy a few pictures below or visit us on Facebook to view the 2012 Campaign Take-Off and 2012 AFL-CIO Comunity Services Golf Tournament photo albums.