All the clues are here: the temperatures have dropped, the decorations and lights are up and every time you turn on the television, there’s another two-day only sale going on. Yep, it’s officially the holiday season.

When we are with friends and family over the next weeks, it’s important to remember not everyone may be as fortunate as us. There are many Chicagoland families that could use a little extra help at this time of the year.

Last year, United Way volunteer services created the first United Way Adopt-A-Family Program. With close to $6,000 in donations from corporate partners, community residents, the board of directors and staff members, the wishes of more than 60 families were fulfilled through gift cards, toys, food and various other items.

 
Because of the success of last year’s program, we are again providing our community of donors the opportunity to Adopt-A-Family. We will also accept checks, money orders or gift cards (redeemable for holiday dinners, toys, clothing or other items for these families) mailed directly to United Way by December 16, 2007. For reference, $25 will sponsor one member of a family, $50 will sponsor two members of a family (and so on). Of course, contributions of all sizes are welcome.

Thank you for considering families who need your help, especially during this holiday season!

The annual United Way Awards honor outstanding donors, volunteers, businesses and agency partners for their hard work and commitment to our community. The 2007 winners will be unveiled next spring, and recipients will be honored at our annual Community Celebration on June 27, 2008. Please note that the applications are due by February 1, 2008.

Complete award descriptions & applications can be found here »

The staff, volunteers and donors of United Way are deeply concerned about the welfare of all the people and communities impacted by the ongoing wildfires raging in southern California.

United Ways across Southern California have launched a united regional fund to help the affected communities recover from the devastating wildfires that struck the area. The United Way Southern California Wildfires Recovery Fund will:

1. Fulfill unmet needs of the affected individuals and families, which could include counseling, medical services, vouchers for rent, utility assistance, or other services. A committee of volunteers will be organized to distribute the funds.
2. Support community-wide, long term recovery. United Ways will activate local volunteer committees of community leaders to review applications from support agencies and develop strategies to address the long term needs of the communities affected.

United Way also takes a leadership role in supporting 2-1-1, an easy-to-remember phone number that can be dialed for people who need services or for those who want to offer help. As we saw with the 2004 hurricanes in Florida and with Gulf Coast Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, 2-1-1 provides an invaluable service in times of crisis, providing maximum community access to critical resources and information to help reduce the harmful effects of the disaster. With the Southern California wildfires, 2-1-1 has again demonstrated its powerful role. Tens of thousands of people in the region are getting connected with the services they need, such as finding temporary shelter. As call volumes in the area continue to soar, United Way of America has committed the funds to bring in extra 211 operators to staff the busy lines.

Community partnerships will be critical to the long term recovery efforts. United Way is a member of both the Coordinated Assistance Network (CAN), formed to coordinate relief efforts in the wake of natural disasters, and the Major Relief Agency Consortium (M-RAC) co-chaired by America Red Cross and United Way of America. Within this network, the initial response to disasters is led by the American Red Cross while United Way takes the lead in long term recovery. Red Cross and United Way are joined by partners such as Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), Salvation Army, AIRS, FEMA and many others in this critical work.

Brian Gallagher, President and CEO, ensured that, “United Way of America will stand by the 11 local United Ways in the affected Southern California counties for the duration of the long term recovery. Working together, we will be here as long as it takes to rebuild the lives, homes and communities of people who have lost so much in this tragedy.”

As always, our thoughts are with all those touched by these fires. Please let us know if any of your employees, loved ones or companies have been affected, and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

To read more about the United Way Crisis Recovery Effort with Hurricane Katrina, please visit here.

From United Way of America:

On August 28, UPS celebrates its 100th anniversary, commemorating “Founders’ Day” when founders Jim Casey and Claude Ryan borrowed $100 to start the American Messenger Company, a messenger service that would grow to become the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services. In true UPS fashion, they will celebrate this major milestone by focusing on people – taking hundreds of UPS executives, employees, and retirees to Seattle, the company’s founding city, to perform community service. Nearly 500 UPS volunteers will build a science-themed playground, refurbish ball fields, and renovate a school library for the children of South Seattle.

Giving back to the community is part of UPS’s culture. Last year, UPS employees volunteered more than 959,000 hours through the company’s Neighbor to Neighbor volunteer program. And for the seventh consecutive year, UPS, its employees, and retirees were the #1 national supporters of United Way, contributing and incredible $59.3 million for improving lives in local communities. In metropolitan Chicago alone, UPSers contributed over $2 million.

Besides celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2007, UPS also hit these major milestones:

• UPS employees raised over $50 million for the first time
• 25th year giving to communities through United Way campaign
• Nearly $60 million raised in the 2006 campaign – the seventh year in a row as the #1 corporate contributor to United Way
• More than $4.45 million contributed in the company’s hometown of Atlanta, Georgia – the largest contribution to United Way of any Atlanta based company
• Named the most socially responsible company among all companies in FORTUNE magazine’s “America’s Most Admired” survey
• One of top 10 brands for corporate citizenship in the U.S. among 152 companies (based on GolinHarris Corporate Citizenship Index September 2006 survey of 5,000 Americans)
• Included in Business Ethics magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens – the only delivery company to make the list in 2006