United Way of Ventura County — United in compassion

We’re excited to share that our ticket registration link is now LIVE for our second United to End Homelessness Ventura County Virtual Symposium, with keynote speaker, Jessica Bruder, author of “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.”

If you purchase your tickets by December 31, 2021, we’re offering a special Early Registration ticket price — 15% off for both VIP (includes a signed copy of the book!) and General Admission tickets.

Learn more about the event and purchase your virtual tickets on our event page

Do you have a housing unit to lease in the near or immediate future? We are seeking studios to 3+ bedrooms. Our goal is to engage our community in ensuring that everyone has a place to call home. United Way will provide financial and supportive services to ensure a smooth and mutually beneficial housing process.

Join the effort and receive a leasing bonus of up to two times the monthly rent charged for the unit! This incentive is available for landlords and separate from any costs incurred by program participants.

For more information or to learn more about the Landlord Engagement Program, please contact Amy Duganne at 805.485.6288, x228 or amy.duganne@vcunitedway.org.

Corporate volunteer engagement is a great way to make a difference in the community, especially during the holiday season. Recently, the Enterprise team assembled 100 hygiene care kits that will be distributed to our local community. This includes individuals we engage with during the Point in Time (PIT) homeless count, homeless shelter clients, and the VCHCA backpack medicine team.

To learn more about corporate volunteer engagement opportunities, visit

www.volunteerventuracounty.org/corporate-volunteeringor contact Sandra Martinez for more information at sandra.martinez@vcunitedway.org.

United Way of Ventura County’s Landlord Engagement Program is creating Welcome Home Baskets for our neighbors recently housed. We want to welcome them and get them started in their new homes. Please help support our community and complete a basket to welcome our newly housed neighbors! These kits will provide essential household supplies for folks to make it a home of their own.

Baskets items can include:

We ask that if any food items are packaged in your baskets, they are store-bought and have not been opened. All basket items should be new.

Once you have collected your items and assembled your basket, please contact Sandra Martinez at sandra.martinez@vcunitedway.org to arrange for drop-off at the United Way of Ventura County office.

To make an online donation, visit igfn.us/form/hEGFmg.

Community volunteers are needed for the annual count and survey of homeless persons in Ventura County. This important effort helps to obtain a snapshot census of people experiencing homelessness and to gain access to state and federal funding, as well as determine the greatest priorities to prevent and end homelessness in Ventura County.

Volunteers must be 18 years or older and have the ability to walk distances in designated locations. You may select preferred city locations when you register.

Volunteers are required to attend virtual training in mid-January 2022 and will be paired with another volunteer on the morning of the count to canvass areas seeking persons to survey.

To learn more and register, visit 2022 Homeless Point in Time Count.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program will be preparing state and federal tax returns for households earning under $57,000 annually.

In-person sites will be located at Many Mansions Hillcrest Villas (Thousand Oaks), East County Community Service Center (Simi Valley), Oxnard College, Ventura Community Service Center, and United Way (Ventura). COVID-19 protocols will be followed including the wearing of masks.

There will also be a virtual option available for those who are able to upload, download and print their documents.

To learn more or to register, visit www.volunteerventuracounty.org/need/detail/?need_id=372430

For questions, contact Susan Englund at susan.englund@vcunitedway.org or 805.485.6288, x226.

Women United is seeking potential mentors in professional positions who would like to guide a single mom college student in reaching her career goals. This year, eight new recipients of the Women United Education Award are looking to work with a mentor who will guide, encourage, and support them in their professional journey. The career goals of the students looking to be matched are in the following fields:

Serving as a mentor is a unique and rewarding experience. Your leadership skills will be enhanced and the guidance you provide will positively impact the life of a single mother pursuing her higher education and career goals. This opportunity will provide a valuable experience for both the mentor and mentee.

Proficiency in the listed fields is not a requirement to serve as a mentor. Anyone who has professional experience in a business environment and is willing to share their knowledge with a mentee is encouraged to become a mentor.

To learn more, contact Aubrey Blickman at aubrey.blickman@vcunitedway.org or Susan Englund at susan.englund@vcunitedway.org.