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Charitable Giving: United Way 2017

posted by TrueNorth Companies on Wednesday, September 27, 2017

TrueNorth's charitable cause for the month of September is the United Way of East Central Iowa, a local organization and member chapter of the United Way. The organization strives to "unite the caring power of communities to invest in effective solutions that improve people's lives."

About the United Way:

According to the organization's national website, United Way's founding was a truly collaborative effort: the organization was established in 1887 by a Denver woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi who recognized that Denver could be a better place through a collaborative effort. They harnessed the support of their communities to gather and distribute funds to local charities and coordinate relief services throughout the city.

Today, the United Way is engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across over 40 countries. United Way serves as a conduit for big ideas and actions through organizing volunteers, allocating funds, and funding efforts that go on to benefit organizations in need.

Some findings on the state of Linn county based on United Way's Community Condition Project

• 99% of all students in Linn County report they are planning to graduate from high school; only 69% of low-income students graduate.
• More than 1,500 children in Linn County experienced maltreatment in 2012. There is a strong connection between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and serious health and mental health effects in later life. 
• Nearly 17% of Iowa households are earning incomes below what is needed to meet their basic standard of living, including childcare, food, housing, clothing, healthcare and transportation.
• United Way is making strides to improve our outlook: today, more Linn county residents have education beyond a high school diploma, the number of Iowas with health insurance has increased, and our state' unemployment rate is on the decline -but there's a long way to go and United Way needs your help.  

Statistics via United Way of East Central Iowa's Executive Summary Community Condition 2015 Report

How TrueNorth Plans to Help:

• Spreading Awareness: last Monday, campaign chair and TrueNorth Producer, Teri Copler hosted a breakfast for employees to learn more about United Way and how it successfully unites funds and resources to ensure funding for programs that benefit citizens throughout our community. 
• Raising Funds: All week long, TrueNorth provided multiple raffle items, including Chicago Cubs and Packers vs. Bears NFL tickets! TrueNorth employees were encouraged to purchase raffle tickets. All funds were donated to our local United Way.
• Trivia Night: last Tuesday night, TrueNorth hosted a trivia night at Gilligan's Pub in Cedar Rapids! A $10 entry fee allowed TrueNorth staff and friends to compete amongst each other for prizes and trivia bragging rights. All-in-all, the event raised over $700!
• Celebrating our Efforts: last Friday, we ended our month-long campaign with a building-wide celebration! Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for pictures of your favorite TrueNorth people taking part in all the festivities!

How You Can Help:

Regardless of your location, there are many ways that you can assist your local community through the United Way.

• Give: monetary contributions to the United Way will help further education and support families in your community and throughout the world. Choose how far your donation will go at this link on the United Way website.
• Advocate: you can take action in your community by speaking out against matters that impact you locally. Not sure where to start? United Way's Take Action page lists a number of worthy issues in need of exposure and attention. Visit their page to learn how you can begin to make a valuable difference - right from where you're sitting! 
• Volunteer: looking for a chance to get out of that chair and do some good? The United Way connects volunteers to any number of organizations in need. Visit United Way's Get Involved page for a list of opportunities in your area.