United Way of Greater Greensboro

No more secrets:

Real people tweet for unitedwaygso. They experience experiences, gather information, and share that information to their tweeple.

Ok, first of all, I should probably stop writing in the third-person plural. Second, that was the first time that I have ever typed the word “tweeple.” Tweeps?

Aden | I (Aden Hailemariam) am a Communications Specialist in the Marketing & Communications department at United Way of Greater Greensboro. I manage the social media accounts and do all things marketing. In addition, I coordinate the Latino Professional Forum that has recently become affiliated with United Way of Greater Greensboro. I became a part of the staff here in November of last year and since then it has been an experience that has brought together the names and faces and experiences that I have had since I first came to Greensboro as a freshman at UNCG in 2003. And I still have a way to go!

Lynne | Lynne Brandon is a volunteer with United Way of Greater Greensboro which includes her committee work with UWGG. Oh, and she is so much more! From Lynne’s website, you’ll know that she is a freelance journalist, researcher and reporter with 13 years experience including work as an editor in the publishing world. Her work in corporate communications includes teaching professional development courses, marketing and intranet content front page manager. We appreciate the insight that professionals like Lynne bring to the table in committee work at UWGG. It is the time and dedication of so many types of volunteers that help to achieve progress in assessing and addressing critical issues in our the greater Greensboro area.

With unitedwaygso, we intend for UWGG to connect to the Greensboro community and share its vision, mission and goals that, by design, reflect the concerns of the Greensboro community itself.

Reply to or DM unitedwaygso and let us know what kind of info you’d like to see us tweet or how you think we’ve been tweeting so far.

Look out for ^AH and ^LB!

By: Aden Hailemariam, Marketing & Communications at United Way of Greater Greensboro

Share on Facebook

On Tuesday, October 6th many area restaurants will be donating a portion of their daily proceeds to meet critical community needs. Participating restaurants have agreed to give up to 10% of their sales to local United Ways. United Way of Greater High Point, United Way of Forsyth County, and United Way of Greater Greensboro have organized Dine Out Day.

This is the first year that this event has been done across the Piedmont Triad. Dine Out Day is a perfect way to enjoy a great meal while helping to address community needs in Education, Income & Health.

Participating restaurants include:

• Alex’s House Restaurant- High Point
• Aquaria-High Point
• Archdale Subs- High Point
• Asiago Italian Restaurant- High Point
• Barberitos Southwestern Grille – High Point
• Barberitos Southwestern Grille – Greensboro
• Ben & Jerry’s -High Point
• Ben & Jerry’s – Harper Hills-Winston Salem
• Ben & Jerry’s – Greensboro
• Big Shotz- Stratford- Winston-Salem
• Big Shotz- River Ridge- Winston-Salem
• Bimini’s Oyster Bar- High Point
• Blue Water Grille- High Point
• Burke Street Pizza- Winston-Salem
• Café Arthur’s- Winston-Salem
• Camel City Café- Winston-Salem
• Carolina’s Diner – Eastchester Dr. -High Point
• Carolina’s Diner – Regional Road- Greensboro
• Carolina’s Diner – West Friendly Ave. – Greensboro
• Carolina’s Diner – South Main Street – Archdale
• Chu’s Express on Westchester Drive- High Point
• Cindy’s Cinnamon Rolls- Oak Hollow Mall- High Point
• Cities Bar & Grill- Winston-Salem
• Culinary Innovations- High Point
• The Claddagh Restaurant & Bar- High Point
• Dry Dock Seafood- High Point
• East Coast Wings – North Main- High Point
• East Coast Wings & Grill – Archdale
• Elizabeth’s Pizza- High Point
• Elm Street Café- High Point
• Emerywood Fine Foods- High Point
• Fire & Sticks Japanese Steakhouse- High Point
• Finnegan’s Wake- Winston-Salem
• Foothills Brewing- Winston-Salem
• Full Moon Oyster Bar- Winston-Salem
• George’s Pizza- High Point
• Giannos- High Point
• Gullah Gullah Cuisine- High Point
• Harrison’s- High Point
• Jimmy’s Pizza House- High Point
• Johnny Brusco’s New York Style Pizza- High Point
• Kepleys BBQ- High Point
• Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery- High Point
• Mamma Mia Italian Restaurant- High Point
• Mooney’s Mediterranean Café- Winston-Salem
• Mozelle’s- Winston-Salem
• Noble’s Grill- Winston-Salem
• Old Fourth Street Filling Station- Winston-Salem
• O’So Eats- Winston-Salem
• Outwest Steakhouse- Winston-Salem
• PepperMill Café- High Point
• Pizza Hut – North Main- High Point
• Pizza Hut – South Main- High Point
• Pizza Hut – Palladium Area- High Point
• Rana Loca- Winston-Salem
• Sanibel’s Seafood- High Point
• Sixth and Vine- Winston-Salem
• Skipper’s Seafood- High Point
• Southern Roots Restaurant & Catering- High Point
• Tex & Shirley’s Pancake House- High Point
• Tom’s Place- High Point
• Twin City Diner- Winston-Salem
• Village Tavern- Reynolda- Winston-Salem
• Village Tavern- Griffith
• Yacht House Seafood- Winston-Salem

Share on Facebook

FedEx volunteers celebrated FedEx Cares Week with United Way of Greater Greensboro at The Salvation Army, where they cleaned, painted and assisted, with a breakfast rally that started at 9 a.m.  The Salvation Army is located at 821 South Aycock Street in Greensboro.

Major Paul Egan, corps officer, The Salvation Army of Greensboro, credited the effort due to the significance of FedEx’s facility in Greensboro and the big hearts of the volunteers. “With enthusiasm, the FedEx Cares teams have demonstrated enduring goodness, which is an essential element in transforming peoples’ lives.”

The volunteer teams will continue their work, a first for Greensboro, as part of the five-year-old FedEx Cares’ global community service initiative. Other volunteer activities include sorting items at the Family Store, serving meals at the Center Hope shelter, painting a room at Salvation Army and improving the grounds at the Central unit, Boys & Girls Clubs.

Keith Barshun, President, United Way of Greater Grensboro commended FedEx and The Salvation Army. “We have two very important partners coming together in an effort to meet critical needs in our community,” said Barsuhn.  “Fed Ex has long been known as an outstanding corporate citizen with a history of generous individual giving. There’s never been a more meaningful time for The Salvation Army of Greensboro’s work; especially as we think about the increased demand for emergency assistance.”

Throughout the Piedmont, The Salvation Army’s  eight corps daily perform more than 2,000 acts of caring (feeding, clothing, housing, youth development), establishing itself as the largest private, nongovernmental social services organization.

United Way of Greater Greensboro provides funding for The Salvation Army’s Center of Hope Crisis Assistance Program along with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greensboro.  Additionally, United Way of  Greater Greensboro funds a total of 61 programs through 30 partner agencies that address critical community needs in the areas of areas of Education, Income & Health.

Share on Facebook

FedEx hosts its fifth annual FedEx Cares Week during the week of September 21.

FedEx Cares Week serves as a formal kick-off for the annual FedEx United Way campaign, in addition to providing an opportunity for FedEx team members to give back to their local communities.

The week of service brings together thousands of FedEx volunteers from around the world and across all operating companies to support the communities where team members and customers live and work.

A variety of volunteer projects will be coordinated through local United Way affiliates in more than thirty cities across the United States.

Share on Facebook

It is no secret that community needs this year and next are likely to be as great, or greater, than they were in 2008. To help meet these needs, the United Way of Greater Greensboro has created incentives to motivate and encourage all of us to give. Did you know that an individual donor who pledges $120 or more in undesignated funds or designated to one of United Way’s 31 partner agencies is eligible for the Caring Card? This card provides the donor with year-round discounts at more than 30 area retail and service establishments. The Caring Card offers a service to the donor, but more importantly it makes a lasting impact in the community.

For example, $120 will buy four weeks of reading tutorials for children reading below grade level through Communities in Schools; emergency shelter for six individuals or families at the Salvation Army Center of Hope; 23 nutritious Mobile Meals to homebound seniors through Senior Resources; Girl Scout camp for 12 financially disadvantaged girls; or two room nights in a shelter for persons in recovery and HIV prevention through Piedmont Health Services.

Supporting United Way also means work towards ending chronic homelessness continues through the Partners Ending Homelessness collaboration and in partnership with the United Way of Greater High Point. Additionally, more disadvantaged children ages 0-3 will be helped through United Way’s Thriving at Three initiative.

It is privilege to help others who can’t help themselves. When we extend a hand in Guilford County, it is not a hand out but a hand up to a better life that benefits us all. You can make a secure, online contribution here.

Share on Facebook

Guilford County businesses and volunteers showed up yesterday in support of the United Way of Greater Greensboro and United Way of High Point for the joint 2009 Kickoff campaign. The two agencies partnered with long-time community supporter, Volvo North America Trucks, to share stories of inspiration and stress the importance of giving back to those in need during a time of continuing economic challenge.

Representatives spoke from United Way of Greater Greensboro as well as United Way of High Point. Leah Price, Campaign Chair of United Way of High Point spoke first and talked about the significance of giving to others and stretching ourselves as well as our dollars during challenging times. She reminded the audience that needs in our community have almost doubled due to substance abuse, domestic violence, financial distress and illness brought on by stress, to a name a few. The United Way of High Point campaign goal for 2009 is $4.5 million.

United Way of Greater Greensboro announced its campaign goal of $12.5 million. The lofty goal is necessary due to record needs and a generous community that proves year after year that it cares for about the quality of life for its citizens. The strategy to achieve the 2009 goal will include new donor participation and donor expansion. United Way of Greater Greensboro Board Chair Chuck Flynt praised Greensboro’s ability to meet needs in 2008, plus an additional $400,000 which met critical emergency needs through Operation Greensboro Cares.

To cap off the event, volunteers hitched themselves to two separate Volvo trucks for a visual image signifying the importance of teamwork and that it will take everyone working together to meet critical needs in Guilford County through the combined efforts of UWGG and United Way of High Point. Want to help? Then please make a contribution.

Share on Facebook

United Way of Greater Greensboro’s Board Chair Chuck Flynt drove home the need for giving this year to a hurting community at the 2009 Campaign Kickoff yesterday. “We are faced with even greater needs in one of the most severe economic downturns most of us will ever see,” Flynt said. “We all know people who need our help right here, right now.”

Flynt cited startling statistics, including budget and bankruptcy service calls made to Consumer Credit Counseling having more than doubled since last year. The Women’s Resource Center of Greensboro reported an increase in services by 30% from last year’s record levels. Additionally, the number of families on the waiting lists for daycare subsidies through Guilford Child Development exceeds 500, meaning many pre-school children are not receiving quality daycare.

These examples of increased needs are but some of the reasons for the 2009 United Way of Greater Greensboro’s campaign goal of $12.5 million. The goal reflects the strong commitment of United Way and its partner agencies to respond to the needs of the community. To meet this goal, unprecedented support from current donors and especially new donors will be necessary. This is due in part to the more than $600,000 in 2008 gifts which will not be renewed in 2009. Currently, it will take at least 5,000 new donors to close the gap on such a significant loss.

To demonstrate commitment to the 2009 campaign, all 38 members of the United Way of Greater Greensboro’s Board of Directors responded with their 2009 campaign contributions, raising $212,000 for a 10% increase over last year. The Alexis de Tocqueville campaign contributed by adding $66,000 in new dollars to date.  Last year the de Tocqueville campaign raised over $2.3 million.

Share on Facebook

In the last 12 months we raised $12.5 million to help families here in Greater Greensboro, especially those struggling with issues related to Education, Income & Health. And while there has been some positive economic news recently, we know that many of our neighbors are still out of work or under-employed. Thousands of people here  in Greensboro struggle to find quality daycare for their children, to access quality health care, to support their families. In short,  they struggle to find the help they desperately need.

Many people in this community have been hit hard by this recession, the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. But Greensboro is full of giving, generous people, and we’re hoping that many of them will turn out for our 2009 Campaign Kickoff and Truck Pull Thursday. The United Way of Greater Greensboro and the United Way of Greater High Point will join together for the launch of our respective 2009 campaigns because we want everyone in Guilford County to pull together. The United Way of Greater Greensboro raised almost $13 million last year [pdf] in its annual campaign, and another $400,000 for Operation Greensboro Cares. This year, in order to meet our campaign goals, we will have to work even harder. At the same time, the needs now are as great, or greater,  than they were 12 months ago, so it’s more important than ever that we reach those goals.

Check back here after the campaign kickoff to see what our goals are. If  you didn’t RSVP to attend the kickoff in person, you can follow it online by following our Twitter account, @unitedwaygso. If you’re wondering how a campaign kickoff and truck pull goes together – stay tuned. We’ll post pictures here.

In the meantime, if you’d like to contribute to this year’s campaign, you can make a gift online here.

Share on Facebook