Monthly Archives: January 2011

Thank You Legislators for Listening

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By: Karima Shaver
Company Relations, Biotron Laboratories
Women’s Philanthropic Network

“Attending the Legislative Breakfast last Thursday was enlightening. At times I feel the challenges of having my views represented on the state level.  After listening to the thoughtful questions posed by members of the United Way and Women’s Philanthropic Network, I was encouraged by the level of engagement offered by the panel and I appreciated that my concerns regarding our state budget, air quality, and immigration reform were shared by those present. Likewise, I feel a progressive voice that calls upon the citizens of Utah to take responsibility for our community (such as a higher gas tax, as suggested by Senator Romero to reduce driving) is key to shifting our attitudes as a culture. We must realize that each decision we make affects us all.  I was glad to have this opportunity to hear from our state representatives and I look forward to more opportunities for legislative dialog.”

Find your voice. Get informed. February 24 join UWSL for Day on the Hill.

Policy Matters

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2011 General Session is Underway!
Welcome to the 2011 Legislative General Session Policy Matters weekly update. For the next 45 days Utah’s legislators will be debating and voting on a host of bills that directly impact the health and well-being of Utahns. Each of you can be part of the process by visiting the Capitol and sitting in on hearings and talking to your Representatives, emailing or calling legislators on issues that are important to you, and by responding to Action Alerts that United Way and other advocacy groups send out.

While state revenues are starting to improve, there will still be many tough budget decisions that must be made. Additionally, new programs or changes to current programs that impact United Way priority areas – education, health, income, basic needs and immigrant and refugee integration – are slated to be debated.

This weekly update is intended to provide a brief summary of legislative actions and calls to action related to the priorities of United Ways of Salt Lake. Each week we will provide you a short summary of what has been happening on the Hill, upcoming opportunities, and links to more detailed information. We will also provide you with targeted, five minute action item that will help to advance United Way’s public policy efforts to improve the quality of life in Utah.

United Ways 2011 Policy Priorities

Last week United Way unveiled our 2011 Policy Priorities at our annual Legislative Preview Breakfast. As with all the work we do, our priorities are focused on ensuring that children and adults have a quality education that provides a strong foundation for life, a job that pays enough to support a family through retirement, and the tools necessary to be healthy and productive.  United Way also works to support people’s most basic needs of food, shelter, health, and safety.  Through United Ways recent comprehensive community assessment, which combined both research and community dialogue, we identified the following priorities that we will focus on:

  • Building a strong foundation of early learning from birth to age 8
  • Helping people gain the income and financial tools necessary to thrive
  • Improving children’s health and promoting healthy behaviors
  • Providing food, shelter, health and safety to those in need within the communities we serve, and
  • Creating cohesive communities to address Utah’s changing demographics

We will be posting a comprehensive list of the bills and budget items United Way is working on this session on our website. The bill list will be updated on a regular basis to provide you with current information.

We look forward to your participation over the next 45 days!

2011 Legislative Preview Breakfast

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Tuesday Tip

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TIP:  After creating your budget and doing your best to stick to it, take a look back and make adjustments to areas that need attention.

It’s almost always necessary to keep readjusting your budget. You thought you were off the hook, didn’t you? The bulk of the work is done but small investments of your time and effort will keep your budget in working order and your finances flowing smoothly. Did you over-spend on groceries? Did you underestimate your utility expenses? If so, go back to your budget and make adjustments so that things are more accurate next month. While you continue to work on your budget, check out these tips to help you save money and work when it comes to paying bills.

You can save money by making automated payments from your checking account!

Bill Payer
Does your bank offer online bill payer? You should definitely take advantage of this free service! You save paper, stamps, and a trip to the post office by letting your bank to all the work for you. Using bill payer helps you maintain complete control over when payments are sent and received.

Automatic Debit
Insurance companies, creditors, and other utility services might also offer automatic withdrawal from your checking account. You set up the withdrawal date and never have to worry about sending in payment manually. No more late fees! As long as you have money in your account, you’re all set!

Automating payments makes managing your money a bit easier and is most successful when you stay on top of it!

Don’t forget to check out all the available money management resources on the Believe in Your Future website!!

Why I Joined Young Leaders…

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By: Jevan Sadler
Assistant Vice President, Zions Corporate Banking
UWSL Young Leader

I initially started donating to the United Way during a workplace giving campaign in 2006.  I loved the organization and what the United Way was doing for my community, but I wasn’t seeing the benefit of my donation with my own eyes and, in 2010, I decided to get more involved.  By this time, my career had progressed to the point where I could afford a larger donation and a colleague of mine had been telling me how much she enjoyed the Young Leaders program.  I decided to give it a shot and am extremely pleased with the decision I made.  Almost immediately I joined the Events & Public Relations Sub-Committee and signed up for the next Young Leaders volunteer event (which happened to be serving lunch at the St. Vincent’s Homeless Shelter – something I’ve always wanted to do). The experience was incredibly rewarding and, to top it off, I met some amazing people.  We had approximately 20 people attend the event and I think each of them went out of their way to introduce themselves to me and make sure I felt a part of the group.  In the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several other volunteer events and each experience was as worthwhile as the first.  I’m excited that I can finally see exactly how my donations are being put to use and I look forward to increasing my involvement with the United Way and the Young Leaders program.