In This Issue...

Website Aims at Helping Kids

Here's to the Knight

Power of Partnership(TM): Chapter 1

United Way: Lending a Helping Hand

United Way's Website

Paul Didier, Brandon Dotts, Ben Romo at official launch of site

The Santa Barbara County Education Office, Family Service Agency and United Way of Santa Barbara County have launched a website to ensure children with needs or problems outside of school get help. The site, www.211sbcounty.org/yepp, is intended as an easy-to-use online resource directory that provides youth, educators and parents with information and connections which are free for their use. “Teachers are playing a role today, according to the latest national research, that families and grandparents played two generations ago,” said Paul Didier, CEO of United Way of Santa Barbara County. “We’re putting more tools in the hands of people who have access to kids.” The database includes a list of 400-500 services, broken into nine categories, including recreation and after-school programs, children’s mental and physical health and child safety and protection. "The online service is ready to use, but only 90 percent complete", commented Mr. Didier. He said officials from three agencies hope to get feedback about the site from its users as to how to make this resource as helpful as it can be.

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United Way of Santa Barbara County is excited to announce the return of Karen Knight as Leadership Services Representative and Red Feather Ball Coordinator. Many of you know Karen, who served here for nine years building the Leadership Circle, Alexis de Tocqueville Society and the Red Feather Ball. Karen moved down to the Temecula area, but is returning virtually to coordinate the Red Feather Ball to be held on October 13, 2007 at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort.

“This is a dream job for me,” says Karen. “I get to return monthly to see so many family members and friends and help the best and most efficient organization make a difference in a town that I love. It doesn’t get much better than that. Can you tell I am excited to be back?”

For the past ten years, Red Feather Ball proceeds have allowed United Way to transform young lives through its annual Fun in the Sun program. Red Feather Ball is a great, fun event for the sponsors and attendees and, we can all be proud of the changes we are making for the Fun in the Sun children.

Mark your calendars! The Red Feather Ball was voted Non-Profit Party of the Year by three local newspapers. Help us make it happen again-- Saturday, October 13, 2007.

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United Way of Santa Barbara County's Power of Partnership(TM)

History:  As part of a strategic planning
process in February of
2006, United Way of
Santa Barbara County convened three expert forums to discuss the
most important issues
in the health and human service areas of
Children, Families, and
Seniors. The purpose of these forums was to
solicit input from
non-profit, community,
governmental, funding
and educational experts on the current state of
services and the desired aspirations and
outcomes for each area. Through the discussions of with these experts,
United Way became aware of our community’s need to adopt a consensus-based Master Action Plan (MAP) for each of the three areas. After subsequent discussions
with our Board of Directors, local health and human service leaders, local funders,
and a variety of community leaders and stakeholders, United Way is launching the Power of Partnership Initiative to develop these
community Master Action Plans.

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Beth is a single mom with four children ranging in age from 2-10 years old who began needing assistance after her husband was incarcerated for a non-violent infraction. Beth had no place to live for the nine months her husband was imprisoned. She ended up in a transition home where United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Power of Partnership™ began its work. Beth began receiving help with issues such as securing an adequate daycare and landing a full-time job with training and room for advancement. Beth worked hard and took on extra shifts to help support her family.

When Beth’s husband returned from jail, he went to the same transition home that had successfully helped his wife. They placed him in a residential treatment program for single men while it worked on reuniting the couple. Through different organizations brought together by United Way’s Power of Partnership™, the couple entered counseling and are both working. They are renting a modest apartment in Santa Barbara and are receiving help with childcare, while continuing to save money for their hopeful future.

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