An Open Letter to Our Community
Since the days of the last great depression of the 1930’s, you have given generously through United Way of Greater Mercer County to help those less fortunate among us. Last year, you contributed over $8 million dollars in addition to countless volunteer hours helping thousands of your neighbors.
Your contributions directed to United Way are being invested to:
- Foster self-sufficiency among the area’s poorest residents;
- Help the most at-risk children in our community succeed; and
- Assist our seniors and people with disabilities who have nowhere else to turn.
Now, for the first time in more than seventy years, our mission is at serious risk. We are justifiably fearful and uncertain about how the current economic calamity will affect us and those close to us. The need is greater than ever before. Without your help, these essential community programs cannot be continued.
Now is the time to think of others and truly Live United. Now is the time for all of us who can to help others who cannot survive without a helping hand. Please ...
GIVE – write a check and mail it to United Way of Mercer County or visit our website by clicking here and give now – in whatever amount you can afford;
ADVOCATE – contact friends and family and encourage them to help the most vulnerable of our neighbors by donating now – when it’s needed most – to United Way;
VOLUNTEER – Call United Way now at 609.896.1912 – we can help you make a connection with agencies throughout Mercer County that really need your help.
We can make a difference by Living United!
Thank you for your help.
Michael J. Conlan
Chairman of the Board
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Thanksgiving Food Baskets Needed
We need your help! During these tough economic times the need for assistance is increasing. Many of our neighbors are struggling to provide for their families the basic necessities like food and shelter. You can share your good fortune with others by donating a Thanksgiving food basket to our food drive, and help a neighbor enjoy a festive Thanksgiving.
Gathering the food items and assembling the baskets is a great
way to involve co-workers, family or your community group in supporting others in our community. Remember when we extend a hand to one, we influence the condition of all, and advance the common good.
Baskets may be delivered to UWGMC, Monday - Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm through November 14, 2008. The office is located at 3131 Princeton Pike, Bldg. 4, Lawrenceville, NJ.
Thank you in advance for your support from the families who will have a wonderful and truly “thankful” Thanksgiving.
For more information visit www.uwgmc.org or contact Cindy Marazo at cindy.marazo@uwgmc.org or 609.637.4905.
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Holiday Gift Drive
UWGMC has a wonderful history of helping area children in need enjoy the magic of the holiday season – because of you! We need your help more than ever this year. Requests for holiday support began arriving in our offices in August. Please donate new, unwrapped toys or clothing items so we can fill the requests.
We have been privileged to have the support of many area corporations, employee groups and individuals in bringing the joy of the holiday to homes across our community. The LGBT Professional Network of Merrill Lynch (Hopewell) and J&J Consumers Products (Skillman) have already committed to supporting the 2008 drive. We need to add your company or group to the list to be successful.
The drive will run from December 1 through December 17, 2008.
For more information visit www.uwgmc.org or contact Donna Wilson at donna.wilson@uwgmc.org or 609.637.4907.
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Does Your Company Have a Flag Pole?
We Have Flags.
Show your United Way colors and spirit by flying a United Way flag. We have flags available for companies to use in conjunction with their annual United Way employee campaigns.
Flying our flag is a great way to display your company’s commitment to our community through the United Way. Please contact Rod Robertson at rod.robertson@uwgmc.org or your United Way account manager for more information.
We wish to thank J&J Consumer Products in Skillman for flying the flag during their campaign, October 10 -19, 2008. Rhodia in Cranbury will fly the United Way flag in November.
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Back to School Drive: Advancing the Common Good Through Education and School-readiness
Children in the afterschool program at Trenton YMCA made up cheers and chants in addition to individual cards to say thank you to Ms. Taylor and United Way for their new backpacks and school supplies
UWGMC has once again partnered with local businesses, corporations, community organizations, and individuals to help prepare children who are from low-income families to return to school with pride, self-esteem, and a backpack full of supplies. For the 2008-2009 school year, we filled 1150 backpacks with all kinds of necessary, age-appropriate school supplies, which is twice the amount distributed in 2007. For the second year in a row, NRG of Princeton donated $3,000 to UWGMC to buy school supplies, backpacks and other items needed for children returning to school. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s drive such a success!
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Spotlight On A New UWGMC Funded Project:
“Trenton Leadership and Mentoring Project”
The Trenton Leadership and Mentoring Project (TLMP) consists of a “lead agency,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County, and three partner agencies: Princeton Center for Leadership Training, Princeton-Blairstown Center and Leadership Trenton.
The Project’s mission is to develop a supportive and sustaining school- based and community-wide leadership and mentoring network of peers and adults that eases freshman transition into Trenton Central High School (TCHS), sustains students during their high school careers, and enables them to plan and envision their future. Its goal is to increase the graduation rate by providing the necessary supports for students throughout their high school years. The project is anticipating an 86% graduation rate compared to the current 50% graduation rate at Trenton Central High School. Big Brothers Big Sisters staff will be the initial point of entry and will provide administrative oversight of the project.
TLMP is targeting 80 at-risk incoming freshmen whose performance demonstrates a need for one-on-one mentoring. Big Brothers Big Sisters has developed matches between 80 pairs of high school juniors and 80 freshmen who receive at least one hour of focused in school mentoring time each week for two years. Princeton Center for Leadership Training provides in-depth training for high school junior mentors. The Princeton-Blairstown Center utilizes their campsite to host a two-day retreat for 80 junior mentors along with the adult Leadership Trenton Alumni Mentors and Big Brothers Big Sister’s staff. Their outdoor leadership training will focus on the development of social and emotional skills. Leadership Trenton will provide volunteer adult mentors who are graduates of their leadership program.
This project addresses some of the basic underlying causes of high school drop-outs, leverages the resources of several partners, and focuses on concrete results that produce long-term changes for high school youth, the school system, and our community. Its vision of four community partners providing leadership training and mentoring for at-risk youth at TCHS is becoming reality and creating a sense of belonging and community within the school system, a sense of connectedness for both peers and adults, and greater social and academic confidence and competence in students that will carry them through adulthood.
TLMP is one of four projects funded for 2008 under the UWGMC “Helping Children Succeed” impact area. Five other projects are funded under “Fostering Self-Sufficiency” and two are funded under “Caring for Seniors and People with Disabilities.” Each edition of this newsletter will highlight another project. For details, see our website: www.uwgmc.org.
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Leader Event 2008
On October 2, 2008, United Way Leaders gathered at Miele Incorporated in Princeton, a United Way Partner Company, and enjoyed a delicious culinary experience by Executive Chef Jim Weaver of Tré Piani restaurant, and fine wines by Rodney Strong Vineyards.
The evening celebrated community leaders who give, advocate and volunteer and launched the new LIVE UNITED brand philosophy. Michael Conlan, Chairman of the Board and an attorney at Blank Rome, opened the evening program by welcoming and acknowledging all the different groups in attendance. Peter Hahn, Director of the Creative Studio at United Way of America, gave a terrific presentation on what it means to Live United - positive change and helping to advance the common good. Mr. Hahn focused on the critical issues of education, income and health, and United Way’s goal to create long-lasting changes in these areas. We are all connected and interdependent. We all win when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable, and when people are healthy.
Elaine Moorin, past Board Chair and current Chair of the Resource Investment Cabinet, updated attendees on United Way’s strategic investment collaborative projects in three areas: Helping Children Succeed, Fostering Self-Sufficiency, and Caring for Seniors and People with Disabilities. United Way is funding eleven collaboratives over the next three years.
Following Ms. Moorin’s presentation, Craig Lafferty and Mike Conlan presented her with a special recognition award for her many years of service as an outstanding volunteer and for her unwavering leadership in taking the Resource Investment Cabinet and Vision Councils through its major transformation over the past three years. Ms. Moorin is an excellent example of how to LIVE UNITED by giving, advocating and volunteering to advance the common good.
Craig Lafferty closed the evening by asking everyone to think “we” before “me” and to consider getting involved in your community by giving, advocating and volunteering. He urged attendees to think about making a small sacrifice to help others, giving up dinner out one night – then make a gift to United Way or another charity. He suggested to everyone that advocating can be as simple as expressing your concerns to a friend about what is happening to children, families, or the elderly – then urging that friend to join you in working to make a difference – call your elected officials, write a letter to the editor, make your thoughts known. And in closing he reminded the audience that everyone has the same 24 hours in a day and we choose how we use our time. Everyone is equal in time – no one has more than 24 hours in their day.
The evening concluded with even more flavorful delights including specialty coffees by Miele and delicious desserts by Tré Piani. Parting thank you gifts included special bags of goodies by Miele and a LIVE UNITED t-shirt for everyone.
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Gerald M. Ricciardi from Jersey Central Power & Light Presents UWGMC with a Corporate Gift
From left to right: Craig E. Lafferty, UWGMC, President and CEO,
Gerald M. Ricarridi, Jersey Central Power & Light, Rod Roberston, UWGMC.
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Coming Attractions
Thanksgiving Food Drive
October 13 - November 14
Help local families enjoy a festive Thanksgiving with a food basket. On a holiday rich in tradition and food, share your good fortune with others. Please donate baskets with items for a Thanksgiving dinner. For more information and what the baskets should include, visit our website at www.uwgmc.org or contact Cindy Marazo at 609.637.4905 or
cindy.marazo@uwgmc.org.
Holiday Gift Drive
December 1 - December 17
Bring the joy of the holiday season to all local children.
The holiday season is rapidly approaching. This year, please extend your kindness to children in the community who have no gifts waiting for them. For more information visit our website at www.uwgmc.org or contact Donna Wilson at 609.637.4907 or donna.wilson@uwgmc.org.
United Way Joins Jewish Family & Children’s Service in 2 Day Event to End Violence Against Women
Two evening presentations are free and open to the public: “WRESTLING WITH MANHOOD in a VIOLENCE-DRIVEN MEDIA CULTURE.” Presented on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at the BLC Theater at Rider University, and then again on Thursday, December 4, 2008, at PRS-PAC Princeton High School. Both are from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - registration and books sales begin at 6:30pm.
On December 4, 2008, from 8:30am – 12:00pm at Beth El Synagogue, 50 Maple Stream Road, East Windsor, Katz will present a multi-media professional workshop open to all for a nominal fee: MORE THAN A FEW GOOD MEN: STRATEGIES FOR INSPIRING MEN AND BOYS TO BE ALLIES IN GENDER VIOLENCE PREVENTION. (Advance registration is required).
Early Bird Registration is $35 by November 13, $50 by November 26. Registration includes continental breakfast, beverages and workshop materials. Three (3) Social Work CEUs are pending. JFCS is a registered provider for the NJ Department of Education. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit www.jfcsonline.org or call Debra H. Levenstein at 609.987.8100.
