United Way Day on the Hill Wrap Up!

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by Chelsea Nelson

Communications Director

This morning United Way of Salt Lake hosted their 6th annual Day on the Hill event!  The Capitol Building was buzzing with people due to the legislative session and participants got right in the middle of the action!

The morning started off with a short advocacy training so that people who were new to the legislative process could better understand how the process works and how to best make their voices heard.  Bill Crim, UWSL’s Senior Vice President of Community Impact and Public Policy, gave a great overview of legislative DOs and DON’Ts and advice on making an impact.  Later that morning, Elizabeth Garbe, UWSL’S Public Policy Director, talked about the specific bills that United Way is supporting, why they are important to our community, and how to lobby for them.  Optional Extended-Day Kindergarten and the High Quality Pre-School Project (SB226), sponsored by Senator Osmond, were top priorities.  To find out more about these initiatives and how to get involved, go to United Way of Salt Lake’s ADVOCACY pages!

Geared up with better knowledge of the lobbying process and armed with information on Optional Extended-Day Kindergarten & High Quality Preschool (SB226), attendees then went to work lobbying for these important initiatives!  United Way was recognized in both the House and Senate galleries for their work in the community and representatives were responsive to the lobbying done by our group!  It was so exciting to see the process in action and that making an impact can happen right before your eyes.

We hope you will lobby with us through this legislative session and make your voice heard!  If you weren’t able to join us this morning at Day on the Hill, we hope that you will next year and make your voice heard for lasting change in our community!

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Don’t We All Miss Recess?

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by Brian Guyer

Volunteer Engagement Director

Working as the Volunteer Director for United Way of Salt Lake has made me aware of the various opportunities for people to volunteer in our community.  I am always on the lookout for new partners that align with the United Way goals in the areas of Education, Income, and Health.  Today I’m highlighting a partner who not only aligns with the goals of United Way but gives volunteers the opportunity to go back to school to spend some time on the subject everyone loved…RECESS.

Over the past few weeks I have been using a lunch break a week to volunteer with Playworks at a local elementary school.  Playworks is an organization that has been around for a while (although it just arrived in Utah) and their mission is to support learning by providing safe, healthy, and inclusive play and physical activity to low-income schools at recess and throughout the entire school day.  I  can’t tell you how much fun this volunteer opportunity has been for me.  It’s like I get to relive my childhood once a week.  The games they play are the same games I remember from my childhood (four square, kickball, knockout) but they focus on teamwork, inclusiveness, and fair play.  Students have clearly taken the Playworks doctrines to heart because every out in kickball is followed with an energetic “nice try!” and several high fives.  Gone are the days of being the last kid picked for the playground games.  Playworks staff are on site to make sure that no kids are left out and everyone gets a chance to take part.  For me the highlight has been the students recognizing me and making an effort to take part in whatever game I’m playing.  This has made for some very spirited games of four square and more than once I’ve been humbled by the expertise of the Lincoln Elementary students.

As the Volunteer Engagement Director for United Way I connect people with volunteer opportunities every single day but this one, on a personal level, has been such a joy for me.  I can’t suggest volunteering with Playworks highly enough.  Call them up, go through the very simple training, and then take an hour or two a week to get outside and reconnect with the recess games of your childhood while being a role model and positive influence in the lives of a great group of kids.

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For more information about volunteering with Playworks or any other organization please contact Brian Guyer at: brian@uw.org

Things are Cooking in Park City….

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by Lynn Rilling

Community Collaborations Director

…Not food…..but the after school programs!

The elementary school principals are passionate about changing things up to benefit the kids and their families. Discussions have been evolving around exciting new approaches to support and empower working families. If you’ve had the opportunity, think for a second about the last time you ate at a restaurant in Park City or skied at a resort. Did you notice the people providing the services and can you imagine being able to support your family on the wages that the service providers earn? These are some of the families that the Park City School District / Education Foundation, Holy Cross Ministries, UWSL, and other organizations are determined to reach, support and empower – so that their children will be well-educated and healthy and grow up to lead successful, productive lives.

Bob Edmiston, Principal at McPolin Elementary, sketches some ideas for after-school programs.

Policy Matters–New Revenue Projections Today!

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by Elizabeth Garbe

Public Policy Director

Executive Appropriations will be meeting today at 5:00 p.m. to review and approve updated revenue projections. Many believe the projections will come in higher than expected. If so, this will be good news–ensuring important programs are restored and critical investments are made. While most of United Way’s priorities have been prioritized fairly high, one of our top priorities did not make the cut.

This year, Senator Osmond is running one of United Way’s top priority bills, SB226 High Quality Preschool Project–which will be introduced today or tomorrow. While there is a lot of support for the program and data to support its effectiveness, the item did not make the priority list because of the limited discussion on the bill. United Way will continue to work hard to pass this legislation. Regardless of the outcome, the bill is a great opportunity to begin the education process of how Utahns can effectively close the achievement gap while saving state money. Stay tuned for an Action Alert that will be coming as soon as the bill has been introduced.

Please take 5 minutes to respond to our updated Action Alert and tell the Executive Appropriations Committee to give funding to optional extended-day kindergarten. There are a number of bills United Way has a position on that will be heard in Committee this week. Check out the bill tracker to find out where those bills are in the process.

Follow the conversation on Twitter by following @uwsl and by searching #utleg or #utpol.

REMINDER:  Did you RSVP for United Way Day on the Hill?  Don’t forget to join us on February 23rd from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the East (Senate) Building, Spruce Room. (RSVP is now closed)

February Tip: Money Management for Parents!

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Parenthood is an exciting time of life. It also presents new financial challenges as expenses increase. As your family grows, the cost of diapers, baby food, and clothing can add up fast. But the costs don’t stop as kids grow up. As your child grows, there will be school activities like sports or music lessons, class fees, and healthcare to consider. And while it seems far in the distance, children eventually go to college and may need your help paying for it. While you are managing the family finances, you’ll want to teach your children about money as well.

These helpful resources from the Believe website can give you tips on how to manage the family money and how to teach your children good money habits as well.

LOVE UNITED! Where it all Begins!

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by Chelsea Nelson

Communications Director

The month of February contains two wonderful themes that are very much in line with LIVING UNITED:  Black History Month, and of course, LOVE!  Both of these themes are layered with acceptance, tolerance, helping those in our community who need it, and inclusion.  As I try to adopt the idea of LIVING UNITED into not only my professional life, but my personal life as well, I am finding more and more that doing this is a daily way of living, an attitude even, and not just a few minutes or hours when you donate or participate in a volunteer program.  It is being a part of a communal united front that focuses on loving those around us–and then taking action.

I recently visited The Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake where they are holding an exhibit entitled “This Light of Ours” for Black History Month. Walking through this exhibit, I was filled with emotion and love for every person who fought so hard to gain freedoms that every human deserves. The exhibit features 156 black and white photos taken by activist photographers during the Civil Rights Movement. Each photo shows the hardship, the emotion, and the determination that was felt by so many people.  And, despite the violence and ignorance that was so present at this time, you could see the love in the eyes of those who were fighting for what they believed in. As I viewed every photo, I kept thinking that this was a group of people who were truly LIVING UNITED and advancing the common good for all of us. I would highly recommend taking an afternoon to visit this exhibit for yourself!

Valentines Day tends to be geared around the romantic love that we have for our significant others–which is a wonderful thing.  However, I encourage everyone to think broader this month (and year round!) and consider how we can each show love for our communities and neighborhoods.  How can we be a part of a united front of change?  I truly believe that the catalyst for change is love–and that LOVING UNITED is the first step to LIVING UNITED.  I encourage everyone to take the next step and give, advocate, or volunteer in any way you can.  Every small contribution helps United Way of Salt Lake to move forward on our mission of building stronger communities and helping children and families find future success–and isn’t that what LOVE is all about?