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In
This Issue...
Expert
Forums
Health
Insurance for Children
AdT
Celebration
Board
of Directors
United
Way's Website
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United
Way of Santa Barbara County is currently undertaking a strategic planning
process as an organization. We are reassessing which specific community
issues to focus our resources in southern Santa Barbara County.
During the first week of February, United Way held three community expert
forums, one for each of our new community impact areas (Children, Families,
and Seniors). We wish to
thank the more than 100 experts who took time from their busy
day to attend each of the three forums.
It was wonderful to have so many public and private agencies come
together to discuss issues relating to improving our community.
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Helping
children and teens succeed
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Some of the attendees to the
Senior forum included Area Agency
on Aging, Catholic Charities, Community
Action Commission, and Friendship Center.
Some of the organizations represented at the Families forum included Independent
Living Resource Center, Salvation Army, Santa
Barbara Rape Crisis Center, and St. Vincent's Institution
. People at the Children forum
included (partial list) City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation,
County of Santa Barbara Public Health, Family Service
Agency, Isla Vista Youth Projects, Santa
Barbara County Education Office, Santa Barbara School District,
andYMCA .
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Building
strong families
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The Senior forum tried
to define the term “senior” without unanimous success.
Some people use age and other use physical ability.
They did agree that people are living longer and the baby boom generation
will cause a bubble in the need for senior services.
The forum for Children attendees agreed that kids have a lack of positive
influences in their lives today.
In addition, the organizations present felt there should be more focus on
character and assets in the lives of young people.
The Families forum consisted of a variety of issues.
A common theme was the
lack of access or knowledge of resources of services available by local
agencies.
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Empowering
seniors to remain a vital part of our community
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All
three expert forums did have some commonalities.
First, agencies were thankful that United Way brought them all together
to discuss issues in our community.
People were glad to meet others in their field and to learn of programs
available by other organizations.
Second, most agencies stated that they would appreciate participating
in the building of a community partnership agenda.
The agencies do not have the staff for the project, but they felt United
Way could lead the effort and they would be active participants.
United Way has agreed to head up the task of creating this agenda.
Due to the success of the forums and the overwhelming number of people requesting
more meetings and wanting to help create a community agenda, we will be
holding additional expert forums in the future with an eye on learning
and seizing new partnership opportunities for the benefit of all.
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The
Health of Our Children
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Bob
Freeman speaking at the Healthy Kids luncheon
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The United Ways
of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties are in a regional
partnership to support the development of broad policies to ensure that
all of California's children have health coverage. Over the past few
years, the State of California has made significant progress in reducing
the number of uninsured children, yet 800,000 children remain uninsured.
The social costs of this "children's coverage gap" remains staggering.
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Guests
in attendance at the Santa Barbara Club
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We all experience the
burden in higher employer premium costs; in lost worker productivity,
in poor performance in school leading to less prepared future employees,
and in emergency room overloads. As options to reform the children's
health care system are considered, United Way knows that the voice of
business and employers must be a part of the solution.
On
January 31, 2006, concerned business community members gathered at the
Santa Barbara Club to discuss
this issue. Peter
Long, Senior Program Officer with the California
Endowment, informed the group of the impact statewide, and Robert
Freeman, with the Santa Barbara Regional Health Authority,
focused on innovative actions being taken at the local level.
The
30 attendees included Ron Werft,
Cottage Health System; Eileen
Bunning, Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care; and Rick
Scott, Cancer Center.
Other business leaders included George
Ittner, The Territory Ahead; Jerry
Horan, Consulting Services of Santa Barbara; and Michael
Towbes, The Towbes Group.
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Thank
you to our sponsor, Steve Epstein!
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A special “thank you”
to our sponsor, Steve Epstein,
CRS, GRI, SRES, Coldwell Banker, for hosting this important community
issue luncheon.
For
more information on how United Way and
the California Endowment are working with businesses visit www.covercaliforniakids.org/business.php.
For more information on how United Way of Santa Barbara County
is involved, please call
805-965-8591.
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Upcoming
Alexis de Tocqueville Celebration
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AdT
2005 featured speaker Andrew Klavan with his wife, Ellen, who are
AdT donors.
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“As
soon as individuals with a cause have found one another out, they combine.
From that moment, they are…a power seen from afar, whose actions
serve for an example, and whose language is listened to.” --Alexis
de Tocqueville, author of Democracy
in America, 1835
Members
of United Way of Santa Barbara County's Alexis
de Tocqueville Society will be joining together on March 9 to celebrate
philanthropy and enjoy award winning cuisine at Downey's
Restaurant.
This group of community leaders embraces the responsibility of bringing
about positive change and inspiring others to do the same with gifts of
$10,000 or more annually .
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Our newest
AdT donors, Val and Bob Montgomery, at Red Feather Ball.
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United Way’s Board of
Directors would like to thank the society members who have joined United
Way in the Power
of Partnership. Together we
share the excitement about the possibilities for our community and the future
of Santa Barbara County.
For
more information on joining the Alexis de Tocqueville Society step-up
program or to become a member, please contact the Leadership Services
Department at 805-965-8591.
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New
board member
John Hanna
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John
Hanna has joined the board of directors for United Way of Santa
Barbara County. Currently retired, John has worked in engineering,
program management, and general management for General Motors Delco and
Litton Industries. He
has lived in Santa Barbara since 1972 and has been involved with United
Way of Santa Barbara County since 1990.
He is also currently on the boards of The Friendship Adult Day Care Center
and The Wildling Art Museum in Los Olivos.
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Red
Feather Ball Past Honorees
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Bob
with his wife, Patty, at the Red Feather Ball
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Bob
Bryant was the recipient of the Abercrombie Community
Excellence Award at the second annual Red Feather Ball in 1998.
Known throughout the community for his heartfelt generosity, Bob
has also received the Santa Barbara Police Department Citizen Extra Step
Award as well as the Distinguished Community Service Award from the Anti-Defamation
League. In addition,
Bob has played a vital role in raising money for United Way of Santa Barbara
County's Children’s
Endowment Fund and the Red Feather Ball.
Through his service on numerous boards and his fundraising efforts for
various organizations in the area, Bob’s contributions to Santa
Barbara County are
immeasurable. Please join
us on Saturday, October 14, 2006 when we celebrate Bob Bryant and all
of our Abercrombie Community Excellence Award Honorees of the past nine
years at the 10th Annual Red Feather Ball at the Bacara Resort
& Spa.
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RSVP
for any United Way activity at http://www.unitedwaysb.org/rsvpmain.html
or call 805-965-8591.
Thursday,
March 23, 2006
4:00 -
5:00 p.m
“Medicare
& You & Prescription Drug Coverage”
Featuring
William B. Pate, Program Manager for HICAP
United
Way of Santa Barbara County
320 East Gutierrez Street, Santa Barbara
Have
your questions answered at this free informative seminar.
Wednesday,
May 3, 2006
6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Annual
Awards Celebration
Four Seasons
Biltmore
A
winning combination of two events:
Victory Celebration and Annual Awards.
Saturday, September
16, 2006
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Day of Caring
Page Youth Center & Sites
4540 Hollister Avenue
Be a part of this
wonderful community event benefiting local nonprofits.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
6:00 p.m. - midnight
10th Annual Red
Feather Ball
Bacara
Resort & Spa
A
benefit for United Way of Santa Barbara County's Community
Collaborations. Celebrate
the extraordinary contributions of all past award recipients.
Dance to live music and walk away with a treat from our exciting
live and silent auctions.
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Way's E-News will arrive in your e-mail box at the beginning of every
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