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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: VITA RECAP, CHANGE LIVES HERE, A NIGHT OF THANKS, GRATITUDE

LET’S CONTINUE TO FUND THIS VALUABLE PROGRAM!

Children unable to read at grade level by the time they reach the fourth grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.

United Way’s ReadingPals Literacy Initiative is a key education program that is in jeopardy of closing its doors. ReadingPals aims to prepare children to be on

grade level by the end of third grade and begin to enjoy reading for fun.

Since it’s inception in 2012, this program has been gener-ously funded by the Barnett Early Literacy Grant. In July, the funds provided by this grant will be cut in half in order to build ReadingPals programs at other United Way agencies in the Southeastern United States. Funds, after July, will be required to provide two-hundred students with the resources necessary to continue the program successfully. (cont.)

Fairy Tale Endings…

ReadingPals student, Dennis loves the Captain Underpants series

Where do donation dollars go?

Students and volunteers are provided with a customized curriculum including a small library of high-interest, high- quality books, and support materials to enhance the mentor relationship between the child and volunteer. Children take home books to start home libraries. Family literacy events are hosted to support and encourage parent engagement. Volunteer events provide resources, support, and guidance in order for student and mentor success.

To learn more about ReadingPals, donate or become a volunteer, please visit www.readingpalsgnv.org or contact Angela Hutchings at ahutchings@unitedwayncfl.org.

April 15 saw the close of yet another tax day for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

program at United Way of North Central Florida. Once the dust settled and all of the numbers were recorded, we found that with 2,364 tax payers assisted, this was our best year yet! This number includes basic, advanced and international returns.

Overall, the average refund was $1,719 with an average tax fee saved of $260. Additionally, the average Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) received by low income families was $1,507. EITCs can be incredibly beneficial to families because the receipt of larger EITCs is linked to higher test scores, higher graduation rates and higher college attendance rates.

The total number of refunds completed returned $2,574,869 and saved individuals and families an estimated total of $565,735 in tax preparer fees. All of those numbers come together to create a total estimated community impact of $3,140,604!

“ If we want to ensure that our next generation of learners doesn’t have to face a dropout crisis, we must begin to invest in their early literacy today,”

– Carol Barnett, President of Publix Supermarkets Charities

VITA RECAPREADINGPALS CONT’D

VITA 2015 BY THE NUMBERS

$1,719AVERAGE REFUND

AVERAGE TAX FEE SAVED

$1,507$260

VITA volunteer helping local community members

TAX DAY SAVINGS ADD UP TO A BIG COMMUNITY IMPACT

AVERAGE EITC

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UPCOMING EVENTS

JUNE 19, 2015 | 7:30 –9:00 a.m.

CEO/COMMUNITY LEADER BREAKFASTJoin fellow CEOs and community leaders at the 2015 CEO/Community leader Breakfast hosted by United Way of North Central Florida.

Thank you to our sponsors: BBI Construction, Florida Food Service, and Gateway Bank

Location: Best Western Gateway Grand, 4200 NW 97th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32606

RSVP at: uwcommunityleaderbreakfast.eventbrite.com

JULY 10, 2015 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL LUNCH & LEARNFemale Leadership Donors, donating more than $750 annually, are invited to have lunch on us and learn more about United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council.

Location: Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32606

RSVP: Please RSVP by July 6th to Dana Clayton at dclayton@unitedwayncfl.org

JULY 23, 2015 | 8:30 –11:00 a.m.

EMPLOYEE CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR APPRECIATION BREAKFASTUnited Way and Nationwide invite you to learn how you can “Change Lives Here” and make your community a better place.

Thank you to our sponsors: BBI Construction, Florida Food Service, Nationwide and North Florida Regional Healthcare

Location: Nationwide Café Conference Room, 3300 SW Williston Rd., Gainesville, FL 32608

RSVP at: 2015eccbreakfast.eventbrite.com

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

As a new way to highlight and show our appreciation for our donors, we have created the Small Business

Spotlight! Twice a month, a new Small Business Partner will be featured in our e-newsletter.

Small businesses play a critical role in maintaining a thriving local economy. They are no less important to the success of United Way, as we endeavor to improve lives through our work in education, income and health. Our Small Business Partners are an important, growing family of donors who are vital to helping us meet the needs of our community.

To read the full interviews with Coleen, Becky and Doug, please visit www.unitedwayncfl.org/smallbusinessspotlight. To sign up for our e-newsletter, please visit www.united-wayncfl.org. To become a Small Business Partner, please contact Chris Wells at cwells@unitedwayncfl.org.

Small Business Partner, Becky Raymond, SERVPRO of Alachua County West

“ I like to say that I offer drama-free realty for the hassle-averse.”

Small Business Partner, Coleen DeGroff, Re/Max

Professionals

Small Business Partner, Doug Pratt, Modern Capital

Solutions, Inc.

“ Learn something new, try something different and convince yourself that you have no limits”

TO READ FULL INTERVIEWS VISIT: www.unitedwayncfl.org/smallbusinessspotlight

“ Always continue to help people and you will be rewarded with some-thing much greater than money: gratitude”

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FOR A RECIPE

CHECK AND CONNECT

Diamond’s family moved to Gainesville from Georgia while she was in middle school because her mom was ready for a change. Upon arriving at Eastside High

School, Diamond immediately qualified for the Check & Connect program because she had been struggling to pass the reading portion of the FCAT.

Diamond has participated in Check & Connect since her freshman year at Eastside High. After her first year in the program, Check & Connect Specialist, Annetta McCloud helped Diamond apply for the FloridaWorks Summer Youth Work Experience program. Diamond’s first work site was the Gainesville Housing Authority where she provided clerical support. It was a good start, but Diamond wanted more. So, as a sophomore, she began participating in Eastside High School’s Culinary Arts program.

The first two days of class, the teacher provided a basic orientation and introduction to food service, followed by hands-on practice in the kitchen. Students are told to watch the teacher’s demonstration, follow a recipe and do their best to produce the dish on their own. Since Diamond is a quick learner, she began to excel immediately. According to her teacher, Chef Billie DeNunzio, “Diamond has grown in

her culinary experience and [is] willing to try new things. This is true in her cooking and in trying new foods.”

She has really enjoyed being a part of the Culinary Arts program because of the real life work experience she is gaining and because of the opportunity to participate in fun catering events and competitions. One of her favorite events was a chance to reinvent a McDonald’s item for a new store’s grand opening. Her team produced an elaborate Southwestern Bacon Wrap with double egg and cheese and “secret sauce.”

Additionally, she was a member of the team that took the first place award at the recent statewide ProStart Culinary Team Competition. For the past three years in a row, Eastside High School’s Culinary Arts program has been named one of the top 50 culinary programs in the United States.

When asked about her future beyond high school, Diamond says she wants to go to college and but knows of only one Florida state school that provides culinary arts education, although she is uncertain

about that path saying, “I love cooking. I love being in the kitchen, but it’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

Participating in the Check & Connect program has helped Diamond, and she is on track to graduate on time. Her goal, she says, is to have at least two successful businesses operating at the same time. To learn more about United Way’s drop out prevention program, Check & Connect, please contact Norinda Yancey at nyancey@unitedwayncfl.org.

Check & Connect student from Eastside High School, Diamond showing off one of the creations that she whipped up in the kitchen.

“ Diamond has grown in her culinary expe-rience and is willing to try new things.” –Chef Billie DeNunzio

Success

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At the Campaign Finale, we showed a preview of this year’s video and unveiled the theme of Change Lives Here. The video highlighted three different families

positively affected by United Way and the programs we fund. Although Jose, Mary and Kizzie all experienced some tough times in their lives, they had the courage to reach out and ask for help. With assistance from organizations such as Peaceful Paths, Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County and the Early Learning Coalition, Jose, Mary and Kizzie were all able to get back on their feet and turn their lives around.

Those are just three stories of people whose lives have been changed for the better because of United Way and the programs we fund. This year, we ask you to live here, give here and Change Lives Here. Live United.

To see the Change Lives Here video and to learn more, please visit www.unitedwayncfl.org.

JUMP, CLIMB, CRAWL… LEAD!

On April 9, the United Way of North Central Florida’s Young Leaders Society (YLS) held an outdoor professional development workshop at Gainesville

Health & Fitness’ EDGE Obstacle & Tactical Pit. Young professionals from Doctors Imaging Group, Enterprise Holdings, Infinite Energy and RTI Surgical, Inc. came out to “flex” their professional development muscles outside the office—building teamwork and leadership skills with personal trainer & group fitness instructor, Andy Farina. The workshop was both hosted by and sponsored by Gainesville Health & Fitness. To learn more about the Young Leaders Society, please contact Britt Pearson at bpearson@unitedwayncfl.org.

Top Left: YLS members climbing the wall at the EDGE Obstacle Course; Top Right: Infinite Energy employees running through the tires; Bottom: The group from Doctors Imaging Group with trainer, Andy Farina

Find out how Kizzie Johnson got the help she needed to find quality childcare that she could afford, get a new job and turn her life around.

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On Thursday, May 14, we hosted A Night of Thanks, our annual recognition and appreciation reception for United Way Leadership and Tocqueville Donors at the Florida

Museum of Natural History. A Leadership Donor is anyone donating $750 or more annually and a Tocqueville Donor is anyone donating $10,000 or more annually. We are incredibly appreciative for the support that we receive from these donors and are pleased to have one night to show our thanks. Attendees ate delicious food provided by Small Business Partner, Sweetwater Branch Inn, experienced A T. Rex Named Sue and enjoyed the company of fellow Leader-ship Donors.

A NIGHT OF THANKS

Students working together on the craft activity

Small Business Partners Erica Castano and

April Shroeder with Kelly Thompson

Dr. Richard Parent and Stephanie Freas

Deborah Bowie addressing the attendees at the Leadership ReceptionThe United Way staff members at the Leadership Reception

Clerk of Court, J.K. “Buddy” Irby, with his wife Linda

Jared Beasley and Carla Vidal

Trey Ford and Steven Camps, Sr.

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With Gratitude

During the last campaign season, Publix was our number one campaign, donating more than $618,000. Included in that total was a corporate match of $265,000. Earlier

this month, District Managers, Lisa Patton and Charles Gainer along with Regional Director, David Currey stopped by the United Way office to present the check. We are so thankful for all that Publix does for the North Central Florida Commu-nity! Publix is an excellent example of a group of people truly “living united.”

THANK YOU PUBLIX!

Attendees enjoying John Spence’s leadership workshop

On Friday, April 24, we held the Third Annual Spend the Day with John Spence. In the morning, John led a special session for VIPs and sponsors entitled The Future of

Business: The Eight Major Trends in the Next Decade. In the afternoon, John spoke about how to create a strategic plan for your life. Attendees gained practical skills which helped them identify where they would like to be and how to formulate a plan to get there.

Between the two sessions, there were more than 300 people impacted by John’s expertise. More than $10,000 was raised at the event, and that does not include the time donated by John Spence, himself. Thank you, John Spence!

THANK YOU JOHN SPENCE

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Staff/LeadershipDeborah V. Bowie, President & CEO

Rhonda Johnson, Director of Operations

Mary Broadfoot, Executive Assistant

Community Impact TeamJennifer Stojkovic, Director of Community Impact

Norinda Rosario Yancey, Education and School-Based Initiatives Manager

Angela Hutchings, ReadingPals Coordinator

Barbara Brady, Check & Connect Specialist

Annetta McCloud, Check & Connect Specialist

Stephanie Burke, Check & Connect Specialist

Development TeamDana Clayton, VP Resource Development

Chris Wells, Development Director of Residential & Individual Giving

Britt Pearson, Development Associate, Affinity Groups

Sylvia Waldman, Director of Database Systems Lauren Martin, Database Associate

Communications & MarketingAmy Azoulay, Communications Manager

Board of Directors Executive CommitteeKay Ayers, AvMed, Chair

Nick Banks, Front Street, Vice Chair

Carolyn Lukert, Dementia Education, Inc., Past Board Chair

Ed Bonahue, Santa Fe College, Member-At-Large

Dennis Gies, Community Volunteer, Member-At-Large

Kenneth Kurdziel, James Moore & Company, Finance Chair

Melanie Ross, UF Health, Communications Chair

Board MembersBill Gair, University of Florida

Sam Goforth, Community Volunteer

Jennifer Hunt, CAMPUS USA Credit Union

Shaney Livingston, Alachua County Library District

Brad Pollitt, UF Health & Shands, Campaign Chair

Doug Ray, Gainesville Sun/Ocala Star Banner

Dr. Jen Day Shaw, University of Florida

Andy Sherrard, O2BKids!

Dr. Patricia Snyder, University of Florida

Adrian Taylor, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, Public Policy Chair

Scott Thomas, Infinite Energy

Jenna White, Enterprise Holdings, Inc., CIT Chair

2014–2015 Campaign Cabinet Brad Pollitt, Chair, UF Health & Shands

Rory Causseaux, Causseaux, Hewett and Walpole, Inc.

Robert Deese, Suntrust

Bill Gair, University of Florida

Monica McMillen, Law Offices of Steven Miller

John Power, Alachua County Tax Collector

Jason Shank, Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Jay St. Pierre, North Florida Regional Medical Center

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED