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Message from the Director
This is an historic year for our United Way of Yavapai County. In 2008, we will mark the implementation of our 2008-2014 Investment Plan – the “roadmap” for investing in programs that will be selected because of their focus on results and alignment with our community goals. As an important partner in our work, I would like to share a few examples of our plans.
One of the new investments we will be making in 2008-2011 will be to focus on Critical Needs that supports basic food, shelter, safety, medical and emergency needs. Programs that will help achieve this goal include: emergency food banks, emergency housing, emergency clothing and supplies, emergency medical aid to name a few.
This is just a glimpse of the potential of our 2008-2014 Community Impact Investment plans, which is being developed with the help of community volunteers, many of whom are experts in their fields. We believe our three Community Impact areas “Critical Needs”, "Successful Lives" and "Commitment to Learning" will sharpen the focus needed to measure our success. Our volunteer and staff teams will carefully study, discuss and score every "Request for Proposal" which was released early this year. I can honestly tell you that a lot of great work happens in the Yavapai County. If only we had more money to invest!
But it’s not just about money… we are committed to making our non-profit world stronger! We continue to work with all agencies approved for funding through our rigorous certification process to keep them informed about capacity-building opportunities. Our recent “Measuring Program Outcomes” and partnering training earlier this year included area executive directors and board members in attendance.
We will keep you up-to-date regarding our progress. We are blessed to have outstanding Yavapai County professionals helping us rally our entire community around the importance of Community Impact.
Sincerely,
Michael D. Whiting
Executive Director
About Us – About the United Way
The United Way of Yavapai County began in 1987 organized by volunteers to raise money to help operate local charities.
By the 1950’s, more than 1,000 communities across the United States and Canada had established United Ways. In 1974, United Ways raised nearly $1 billion in an annual campaign. Across the county, United Ways now raise more than $4 billion annually.
Today, the United Way remains a volunteer-driven organization that operates independently of all. That means the money we raise in our community stays in our community. More than 81 cents of every dollar we received is directed to local agencies, fulfilling our original mandate of “local support”.
Our Mission:
The United Way improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of the communities of Yavapai County.
The United Way:
♦ Efficiently raises and allocates funds to support a strong network of quality agencies and services;
♦ Provides information, management and technical resources;
♦ Identifies critical issues and unmet needs; and
♦ Builds collaborations with the public and private sectors to meet those needs.
Our Core Community Values:
The United Way of Yavapai County is the place where people of our community come together in the spirit of teamwork and servant leadership to share our responsibility to care for one another.
• Stewardship:
As excellent stewards of financial and human resources entrusted to us, the United Way of Yavapai County ensures that those resources are effectively developed and properly invested to achieve optimum impact in the community.
• Integrity:
We are an integral part of this community’s leadership; we conduct ourselves with the highest regard for trust, fairness, ethics and respect for one another.
• Volunteers:
Volunteers are our foundation and most valuable resource. We were founded by volunteers and are a volunteer-directed organization.
• Autonomy:
We take responsibility for directing and managing this organization and in partnership with our agencies; we meet our community’s critical human service needs.
• Diversity:
The United Way of Yavapai County values and is committed to the richness of diversity in all aspects of ur organization and those with whom we partner and serve.
• Compassion:
We are a catalyst for change, creating awareness of needs and celebrating successes in caring for one another and in creating a more compaasionate community.
• What is the United Way of Yavapai County?
United Way of Yavapai County is a local independent, not-for-profit organizaiton. We cultivate gifts of time, talent and treasure linking those resources where help is most needed in our community. United Way of Yavapai County is operated by staff that promotes volunteerism, raises funds to address important issues and makes sure money is used in the most efficient manner.
• What has been the traditional mission of the United Way of Yavapai County?
United Way of Yavapai County is local organization that has been supporting health and human service programs since 1987. An Annual Campaign, grants and sponsorships provide funding for the Community Goals and the operation of United Way. A volunteer Board of Directors made up of 12 community leaders governs the organization. Volunteers serve on committees including those that plan and implement the annual fund-raising campaign and those that determine how dollars raised should be directed to non-profit community agencies. Volunteers are supported by a professional staff.
HISTORY
United Way of Yavapai County was founded in 1987 and operated entirely by volunteers for the first five years. Its very first campaign raised $25,000. Since that time, almost $8 million has been raised to support health and human services throughout Yavapai County.
United Way continues to be governed by a committed; all volunteers Board of Directors, many having served as volunteers for United Way in other parts of the country. They make decisions as to where dollars are directed to support the non-profit agency programs and services funded. Volunteers and staff have developed an Agency Director’s Council to coordinate administrative and fund raising activities more effectively. Collaboratively, these agencies serve over 80,000 clients annually.
In July 2004 United Way established a direct service program by creating an information and referral network called United Way Information Network, UWIN. After over four years of service, the integrated program receives thousands of calls and these calls are referred to area resources where they can receive the assistance they need.
With continued growth and community support, the United Way of Yavapai County endeavors to meet the growing needs of our communities within Yavapai County. We will continue to partner with new companies, agencies and volunteers by building partnerships that meet these diverse needs through education, development and volunteerism.
Why your United Way of Yavapai County is the most efficient and effective place to give:
• It’s unique relationships with agencies through collaborative partnerships that address the needs of Yavapai County.
• It’s proud and efficient use of volunteers
• Through objective approaches, gathers resources and distributes them based on specific needs.
• Provides convenient and easy ways to give through payroll deduction and designation.
• Provides community leadership through education, awareness and involvement.
• Uniquely fulfills vital human needs by helping the community to help itself.
• 98% of all contributions stay here in Yavapai County and are invested in community programs and services.
Annual Report
As we celebrate our 22nd Anniversary, we are reminded again of how far we have come from the first year that raised $25,000; we have grown to a total of over $8 millon. We have helped changed the lives of thousands of people. Our focus has been to make a difference in our communities in an effective and efficient manner. As we start the new year 2009, we embark on a new era called "Community Impact". This new Untied Way approach has been in the planning stages since 2005 as we evaluated the needs of the community through town hall meetings convened around Yavapai County. This new and exciting roadmap will address local needs by funding collaborative efforts that can demonstrate outcomes that truly go beyond the traditional quantitative analysis of the number of clients served. By collaborating and partnering with funders, we can now begin implementing this new model called Community Impact. Community Impact will allow us to effectively improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of each of our communities. It will be a commitment by community leadership that will carry us into the next decade of continued success and growth. Our promise to you:
1. Energize and inspire people to make a difference
2. Craft agendas within our comunities for results
3. Build partnerships to improve lives
4. Increase investments by expanding our efforts
5. Measure, communicate and learn from the impact of our efforts
Being energetic and passionate, we will build stronger communities and become a positive force for change. Our accountability will be driven to make a real difference in the communities we serve. We ask for your continued support and increased involvement.
People Helping People Matters!
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