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United Way of Ventura County — 5 years of courage and results

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  United Way of Ventura County Live United - United Way
    GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

 

 E-NEWS FROM YOUR UNITED WAY

December 2019

 
President’s Message 
Dear Friends,
This month marks my 5th year serving as President and CEO of United Way of Ventura County. As we approach our 75th anniversary in 2020, I recognize my five years are only a moment in this organization’s rich history. The legacy of our organization lives in the leaders and volunteers like you who have stood with us for decades.
I couldn’t be prouder of the courage and results our staff and community have delivered over the past five years. Here are just a few of the highlights:
2015 – The Building Health Smiles initiative, formerly known as the Ventura County Oral Health Collaborative, was born and a strategic partnership was established with Clinicas so that we could provide oral health exams to more children. In 2019 alone, over 2,500 children have received oral health assessments.
2016 – The AmeriCorps VIP (Volunteer Infrastructure Program) Fellows program started for the first time in Ventura County.  To date, the program has served 15 nonprofits in our community.
2017 – The Women’s Leadership Council became WOMEN UNITED and made lowering the poverty level of single mothers in Ventura County their #1 goal. Women United strongly believes we can do this through financial stability and higher education.
2018 – We completed a Strategy Roadmap to prepare for our 75th Diamond Anniversary. Through this experience, the Board of Directors and staff determined UWVC could make a meaningful impact on the housing and homeless in our community. Our research indicated rental assistance was the #1 area of need for fire victims seeking hardship assistance. To date, we’ve provided financial assistance to over 1,800 households affected by natural disasters.
2019 – The Amgen Foundation awarded United Way a $100,000 challenge grant to launch the landlord engagement pilot program. In addition, we were also awarded a $200,000 grant from the Ventura County Continuum of Care. Click here to the read article.
These are the issues that United Way is facing head on, and it’s why we’ve been a trusted leader since 1945, when Milton M. Teague, our founding President, filed with the State of California to form the Ventura County War Chest.
With just 13 days left before 2020, can we count on you to support our community? Your gift helps sustain these vital initiatives and makes a real difference in the lives of your neighbors. Live heroic and give generously today.
In service,
Eric Harrison 
President & CEO
United Way of Ventura County

Give.
To make the greatest difference, direct your contribution to the Community Impact Fund, which supports the focus areas of Education, Income, and Health. We also process restricted contributions to qualified 501(c)3 organizations. Thank you for supporting us and your community!

Advocate.
You can make change happen with your voice. United Way needs people who are passionate about education, income, and health to make some noise. To stay informed, visit us online at vcunitedway.org/advocate. If you would like to become involved in our advocacy work, please email us at: info@vcunitedway.org.

Volunteer.   

Get involved in your community!Find a volunteer opportunity today.
To learn more, visit us at:

YOU CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

ON GIVINGTUESDAY

There’s still time. You can make a donation through December 31 and the power of your gift will be supercharged by the collective giving that took place on Giving Tuesday. Live Heroic!
IT’S OPEN ENROLLMENT TIME!

Open enrollment for Covered California runs through January 31, 2020. During open enrollment, anyone needing health insurance coverage will be able to apply. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify based on income and household size.

Starting this year, the State of California is launching a state subsidy program that will offer additional financial assistance for middle-income Californians to help them purchase health insurance. California has also approved legislation that requires that everyone have health insurance beginning January 1, 2020.
Current Covered California members can renew their coverage and/or make changes to their health plan during the enrollment period.
For help with the enrollment or renewal process or for any questions regarding health coverage options, contact our Covered California certified enrollment counselor, Catherine Pedrosa at 805.485.6288, x270, or catherine.pedrosa@vcunitedway.org.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF VITA INTAKE/INTERVIEW VOLUNTEERS

Want to help low-income families and individuals improve their financial stability? We invite you join our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) team of tax preparers and interviewers for the 2019 tax year.
Intake/interview volunteers assist filers to complete the intake form and review their paperwork, ensuring they have everything necessary to complete the return. Bilingual English/Spanish volunteers are especially needed.
Tax Prep services will be provided at nine sites across Ventura County, offering the opportunity to volunteer during the day, in the evening, or on Saturday. Volunteers are asked to serve four hours per week during the VITA tax season, February 1, 2020 – May 2, 2020.
No experience is necessary. A brief online training is available to prepare you to complete the IRS certification. All Intake/Interview volunteers work with the Site Coordinator to support the site operation.
For tax year 2018, VITA volunteers prepared more than 2,000 state and federal income tax returns, infusing more than $2.8 million into the Ventura County economy. That included over $1 million in the Earned Income Tax Credit, saving local tax filers an estimated $284,000 in tax-preparation fees, funds that could be used for basic needs such as food and rent.
To volunteer as a VITA interview/intake specialist, visit volunteerventuracounty.org/need/detail/?need_id=372431
For more information, contact Susan Englund at 805.485.6288 x226, or susan.englund@vcunitedway.org.
WOMEN UNITED 4TH ANNUAL LUNCHEON 
SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2020

To learn more and for sponsorship opportunities, visit vcunitedway.org/women-united-luncheon.

31ST ANNUAL DAY OF CARING – SAVE THE DATE

United Way of Ventura County’s 31st Annual Day of Caring will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020. United Way is seeking projects from nonprofit organizations serving our community. We would also like to connect with companies interested in participating in Day of Caring with their colleagues. Please come serve with us to make our community stronger and better connected. All non-profit organizations or corporate teams are welcome!
Our 30th Annual Day of Caring was a great success, with 26 amazing projects serving 20 local agencies powered by nearly 400 volunteers.
For more information, contact Lora Kline at 805.485.6288 x231 or lora.kline@vcunitedway.org.

TEXT TO GIVE!

Did you know that United Way of Ventura County has gone mobile? Make a $10 donation to the United Way’s Community Impact Fund using your cellphone. Your donation counts! Simply text the keyword UWVC to 91999. Standard message & data rates apply.

 

 

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