The United Way for Southeastern Michigan blog

Selling your home for charity

2010-02-08T11:35:00.000-05:00

They say that "charity begins at home," but in one family's case, charity began with their home. The family choose to sell their luxury home, downgrade to a home half the size, and give the profits to charity.

What could you give up half of to benefit the greater good?

Check out the story, along with commentary from United Way Worldwide CEO, Brian Gallagher, here: Selling your home for charity.

Detroit Free Press: More people struggling to stay warm, taxing agencies

2010-02-04T12:44:00.002-05:00

BY STEVE NEAVLING
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100202/NEWS05/2020333/1318/More-people-struggling-to-stay-warm-taxing-agencies&template=fullarticle

Working just eight hours a week, Cynthia Caruthers can barely afford to keep her heat on for a few hours a day.

"I've never had anything like this happen to me," said Caruthers, 42, who lives with her 14-year-old son in Detroit and can't find a better job. "It's scary."

Caruthers is among an increasing number of metro Detroiters at risk of losing heat this winter because they either can't find work or are struggling with small paychecks.

Compared with last year, the problem this winter is particularly brutal: The number of unemployed residents rose 33%.

State and local agencies are responding with extra money and resources to help down-on-their-luck families pay their utility bills, but officials fear it won't be enough.

"This is not something we've faced before in the region," said Bill Sullivan, director of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan's health and social service hotline, 211. "It's pretty devastating."

150,000 at risk of losing their heat
Jim Lowe never thought it would come to this.

A self-employed construction worker unable to find work, the 42-year-old father can't afford to pay his heating bills for the first time in his life as the winter chill settles in.

Lowe received a shutoff notice at his Auburn Hills home last week and says he's unable to pay the $174 delinquent bill.

He worries about his wife and three children, ages 6, 11 and 15.

"It's definitely a wake-up call," says Lowe, who was in the Carolinas looking for work last week. "We're three months behind on all of our bills. I just pray this gets better soon.".

State and local agencies estimate an unprecedented 150,000 metro Detroiters are at risk of having their heat shut off if they don't receive help paying their bills. The number of people seeking state assistance so far this winter jumped 30% over last year at this time, according to the state Department of Human Services.

Officials blame the rise on metro Detroit's miserable economy that continues to cost people their jobs. Since last winter, unemployment rose 33% -- to 288,000 people -- for the tri-county area, according to state employment data.

Public agencies, nonprofits and faith-based groups are scrambling to find enough money to keep the heat on for as many families as possible.

But many fall between the cracks. Last year, for example, DTE Energy shut off utilities for 221,000 households because of delinquent payments, a 36% increase over 2008.

Experts expect another increase this year.

"Many people who are looking for help have never been in this position before," says Gisgie Dávila Gendreau, spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services. "We're seeing a sharp increase in demand across the state."

In response to the demand and in an effort to curtail heating costs for lower-income residents, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sent Michigan $74 million in emergency funds to add to an existing $283 million for energy assistance. Much of that money is to go toward helping residents weatherize their homes

Although some of that money is expected to help tens of thousands of families statewide, officials say it's far short of what is needed.

Wanda Goodnough is one of the lucky ones. She received state funding for help with her heating bill that reaches up to $600 a month. When she bought a century-old home in Mt. Clemens in 1996, she discovered it wasn't insulated. She has been unable to afford the installation.

"When I think of it, there is no way I could have made it through this without the Lord," says Goodnough, 43, who works as a cook at Macomb County's juvenile center. "God has blessed me."

The state's largest nonprofit for energy assistance, The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), is experiencing the highest demand for help since it was established 25 years ago. Volunteers are scurrying to raise more money.

"There is a much greater need than the current funding provides," says program director Karen Bitner. "We are in a very tough situation."

Unlike some states, Michigan does not require private utility providers, such as DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, to keep heat on during the winter for most residents who are behind on their bills. The energy providers, however, are not allowed to shut off power to senior citizens in the winter and must offer payment plans to lower-income people.

"This is a time of unprecedented need in our state, and we are committed more than ever to help our customers manage their energy bills," says DTE Energy spokesman Scott Simons. "There is no one that can tackle this problem alone. It really is a community effort."

As for Lowe, he says he plans to find help with his bills.

Contact STEVE NEAVLING: 586-826-7255 or sneavling@freepress.com

Cold reality intrudes on warm family scene

2010-02-01T13:29:00.003-05:00

BY KRISTEN JORDAN SHAMUS
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100131/COL26/1310348/1025/FEATURES/Cold-reality-intrudes-on-warm-family-scene&template=fullarticle

Darkness swept over the house and in an instant, our kids were screaming.

The power had gone out, and the peace went away along with it.

Without electricity, we had no working nightlights or CD players or white noise machines to soothe our girls as they drifted off to slumberland.

I cursed the timing. Ten more minutes, and they would have been sleeping soundly, without ever knowing we lost power.

I tried to comfort the girls while my husband hunted for flashlights.

A shrieking Sarah had to be lifted from her crib.

"Momma's here," I said to her older sister, Julia, crying in her bed one room over. Then, I began to sing so both girls could hear me.

That began a marathon of repeating the words to the most comforting hymn I could conjure in 10 seconds or less.

Julia sang, and Sarah did, too.

As the minutes stretched into an hour, I worried about what we'd do if the darkness lasted much longer.

With temperatures outside in the 20s, surely our home would grow cold quickly. We couldn't keep the kids overnight in a house without heat.

Even as I held a 28-pound bundle of warmth in her fleece footy pajamas, I started to notice a chill in the room.

I could hear my husband tromping around downstairs. A Police Department dispatcher told him it was an emergency outage, and that we should have electricity within the hour.

Soon after, both of our little angels finally nodded off. Then, as quickly as it disappeared, electricity was restored. I could hear the warm air from the furnace whooshing through the ducts as the lights flashed on.

But as I grew cozy again, I could not help thinking about other parents who bundle up their children every night, trying to protect them from the cold inside their own homes. The people who can't pay skyrocketing utility bills and have to put their kids to bed without the comforts of night lights, music and warm air flowing from the vents.

That's an unsettling reality for an increasing number of metro Detroiters in this bad economy. The thought of it makes me shiver.

If you or someone you know is in this situation, you can call DTE Energy at 800-477-4747 to get help.

"We can't emphasize enough that people should give us a call as soon as they realize they can't make a payment or get into financial difficulty," DTE Energy's spokesman Scott Simons told me.

Several options are available, from payments plans to the assistance of nonprofit organizations such as The Heat and Warmth Fund and the United Way to state aid for low-income people for heating bills.

If you're in a position to help, you can donate to THAW online at www.thawfund.org or by calling 800-866-8429 or mailing a check to The Heat And Warmth Fund, 607 Shelby St., Suite 400, Detroit 48226. The United Way may be reached at uwsem.org or by calling 313-226-9200. Checks also may be mailed to: United Way for Southeastern Michigan, 660 Woodward Ave., Suite 300, Detroit 48226.

Contact features editor KRISTEN JORDAN SHAMUS: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com

Leadership Next advocates for education

2010-01-29T15:36:00.000-05:00

Before the holidays, a group of Leadership Next members and United Way staff traveled to Lansing to advocate for the education reform proposals championed by Leadership Next. The legislation and language that we advocated for was part of the Race to the Top reform package proposed by the Michigan Legislature in order to compete for a portion of the federal Race to the Top grant.

The legislation we advocated for includes mandates that allow the state to take over failing schools and language supporting alternative teacher certification.

Click here to read more.

Tax time offers a new way to give to United Way

2010-01-29T15:33:00.000-05:00

When filing your 2009 state tax return be sure to ask about Form 4626, which allows taxpayers to donate all or part of their 2009 tax return to the United Way Fund. The United Way Fund has been created to assist low to moderate income families in Michigan with basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter.

Click here to continue reading.

United Way takes a stand against hunger

2010-01-29T15:32:00.003-05:00

At this moment, 1 in 6 Southeast Michigan residents aren't sure where their next meal will come from. Not because they're trying to decide what restaurant to go to for lunch, or what to cook for dinner, but because they don't have the resources for more than one meal a day.

It's known as food insecurity, and it's affecting more and more people every day. In fact, it's anticipated that the number of food insecure residents in Southeast Michigan could grow to 1 in 3 by 2013.

In 2009, unemployment doubled in Southeastern Michigan, as the state and nation were hit with an increasingly bad economy. Calls to our 2-1-1 call center have quadrupled since its launch in 2005, and for the past few months, the top request has been for food assistance.

In response to these alarming statistics, United Way has formed an unprecedented public-private partnership with Bank of America and the Ford Motor Company Fund. Together, we are leading a regional effort to improve access to food through three strategies:

Click here to continue reading.

Get involved

Give
Join United Way in addressing metro Detroit's growing hunger crisis through immediate and long-term strategies that improve access to food in our region. Give today!
Advocate
School-based nutrition programs provide nutritious meals to kids in need, yet many still can’t access these meals. Advocate for policies that help kids take advantage of this important source of food. Advocate now.
Volunteer
Start a One Can A Week food collection program in your neighborhood and help your local food pantry feed metro Detroit's hungry. Learn more and get started.

Career opportunity: Special FINSC 211 Counselor

2010-01-29T15:25:00.000-05:00

Working in a fast-paced call center environment, the Special FINSC 211 Counselor is responsible to answer incoming telephone calls, assess the individual’s human service needs, and refer the caller to one or more service agencies. Makes outbound call-backs and follow-up calls. This position is needed in order to help with the overload of calls to 211 as a result of increased activity around foreclosure assistance.

Click here to learn more.

Shareable.net: Building "We Space" in Michigan

2010-01-29T14:14:00.002-05:00

Shareable.net
http://shareable.net/blog/building-we-space-in-michigan

We've highlighted many examples of open office plans that try to encourage collaboration and democracy in the workplace, from an innovative office design in Utah to the open plan of Menlo Communications in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Shareabe.net reader Annemarie Harris writes to tell us about yet another exciting open source office in Michigan:

I work for United Way for Southeastern Michigan. As you may be aware, United Ways throughout the country are in a phase of transformation, changing their business model from one that primarily advances workplace campaigns and one that fosters social change in a collaborative way. We don't necessarily control how social change occurs, but rather, we serve as the platform for the community to foster and achieve social change, on behalf of all.

Click here to continue reading.

Everyday Leadership with Dan Mulhern: Corporate Volunteering

2010-01-27T14:43:00.001-05:00

In this podcast, Dan Mulhern is joined by Diana Kern (Vice President of Programs - NEW), Randy Dillard (Director of Volunteer Services - United Way [for] Southeastern Michigan), David Carroll (Vice President of Administration and Special Projects - Quicken Loans), and Tom Dekar (Regional Managing Principal - Deloitte).

Listen Now

REVIEW: Volunteering on MLK Day at Osborn HS

2010-01-27T14:17:00.002-05:00

Volunteer Jackie shares a reflection on her recent King Day of Service experience:

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said "Life's most persistent & urgent question is- What are you doing for others?" If you follow me on Twitter or receive my weekly newsletter, you know that I stress giving back to the community. So on this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I decided that my son and I would volunteer with American Express, United Way for Southeastern Michigan and City Year Detroit to beautify Osborn High School on Detroit’s eastside.

Click here to continue reading.

Will Teach for America Come Back?

2010-01-26T19:08:00.004-05:00

Posted by TIME.com Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 2:16 pm
http://detroit.blogs.time.com/2010/01/26/will-teach-for-america-come-back/

Teach for America, which came blazing into town in 2002 and promptly quit the city two years later, may be bracing for another shot at Detroit. “All eyes are now on Detroit,” says Ify Offor, vice president of new site development for the organization, which places college graduates and professionals in low-income school districts to teach for two years. “There's leadership that wants to take on this issue of education reform.”

Offor says he has met with officials in Governor Granholm's office, along with the Detroit Federation of Teachers and the United Way. “Our goal is to simply make Detroit a center for education reform and Teach for America is an integral part of that reform, as the place to come to do the very best work,” says Michael Tenbusch, vice president of education preparedness at United Way of Southeastern Michigan. As for the union, Offor's aim is to ensure that relations get off on a better foot than they did last time, when the Detroit Public School was facing budget issues and beginning to lay off certified teachers—creating resentment toward TFA members who had not completed Michigan's long and arduous certification process. (Tenbusch of the United Way successfully pushed the Michigan legislature to pass a bill allowing for a quicker certification process in certain cases.) With the lack of support, Teach for America had no choice but to finish its two-year commitment until 2004 and then withdraw.

If TFA does come back to Detroit, don't expect it to have a major impact. Start with the numbers: TFA had 35 teachers back in 2002. DPS employs a total of 6,000 teachers. Furthermore, TFA has a host of critics. Some contend that it's little more than a pit stop for Ivy League grads looking to boost their resume before moving onto their corporate careers. Former TFA teacher Nate Walker says that what he calls the organization's “number-driven” approach, which is focused on raising test scores, is too limited to deliver major change. Walker is one of many Detroiters working on alternative charter schools. His, called the Boggs Educational Center, would place more emphasis on having the kids create student portfolios and self-reflections, and apply skills taught in class to real‑life situations. “The models that we're working on, they build community,” says Walker. “We value kids for who they are and whatever they do regardless if they decide to go to Harvard or be a plumber.”

Still, DPS needs whatever help it can get. Detroit's fourth- and eight-graders recently scored abysmally on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a standardized exam that measures math, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography and U.S. history. “As we look at the low NAEP scores for Detroit's children, it is clear that this is a problem that we can and must, in fact, address,” Offor says. “We look at Teach For America as one critical source of talent in helping to address this problem.” —Mariem Qamruzzaman

Mariem Qamruzzaman is a life-long resident of metro Detroit and a 2009 graduate of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She has written for the Detroit Free Press, South Bend Tribune, and worked for Michigan Radio. Currently, she is freelancing and volunteering with non-profit organizations.

Michigan Realized $1 BILLION in Savings through Early Childhood Education

2010-01-25T23:37:00.000-05:00

Investments in school readiness over the past 25 years helped Michigan realize cost savings and revenue of $1.15 billion, according to the Wilder Research Study, "Cost savings analysis of school readiness in Michigan," commissioned by Early Childhood Investment Corporation.

Where did we see those savings? In K-12 Education ($221 million), Reduced Govt Spending and Increased Tax Revenues ($594 million), and Reduced Social Costs to Public ($347 million).

Career opportunity: Homeless Outreach Associate

2010-01-25T17:15:00.001-05:00

The Homeless Outreach Associate will own responsibilities encompassing ground-level work in assisting clients, analyzing data and monitoring program outcomes, and community-based job development. Click here to learn more.

Panera Bread Promotes Early Childhood Education in Metro Detroit

2010-01-24T20:20:00.002-05:00

Panera Bread is supporting United Way for Southeastern Michigan's Early Learning Communities program by hosting FREE Family Fun Days on the second Saturday of each month during the school year.

From 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on select dates, children will participate in educational crafts and reading activities. While the children play, parents will have the opportunity to learn about the Early Learning Communities program and how to best prepare children for school. The events are open to all ages.

The Early Learning Communities is a network of neighborhood-based hubs providing free training and resources to parents and caregivers of children aged birth to five. Research shows that the first three years of life are critical to a child's ultimate success in school and in life, making it an important time to intervene to guarantee long-term achievement. The Early Learning Communities was started to ensure that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan is Panera Bread's Operation Dough-Nation® partner in metro Detroit. For all donations made to Panera's Community Breadbox, located near the registers, Panera matches a portion back to UWSEM.

Panera Family Fun Day dates and locations:

Feb. 13 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Rochester Hills, 2508 S. Adams Rd.
[Download a flyer: PaneraFeb.pdf]

March 13 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Southgate, 13665 Eureka Rd.

April 10 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera locations:
Dearborn Heights, 26580 Ford Rd.
Sterling Heights, 36808 Van Dyke Ave.
Livonia, 37091 Six Mile Rd.
Farmington Hills, 37611 Twelve Mile Rd.
Allen Park, 3112 Fairlane Dr.

May 8 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Roseville, 31960 Gratiot Ave.

June 12 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Southfield, 23719 Greenfield Rd. (between 9½ Mile and Greenfield, located in a shopping plaza)

Sept. 11 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera locations:
Woodhaven, 23061 Allen Rd.
Troy, 823 East Big Beaver Rd. (located in the Troy Commons Plaza)

Oct. 9 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Livonia, 28551 Schoolcraft Rd.

Nov. 13 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera location:
Farmington Hills - KT Plaza, 34635 Grand River Ave.

Dec. 11 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Panera locations:
Orion, 4804 S. Baldwin Rd.
Canton, 41950 Ford Rd.

Who's caring for and educating Metro Detroit's children?

2010-01-23T19:00:00.000-05:00

In Michigan, 65,000 children in poverty are supported by the child care subsidy program. 65% of these children are being cared for by family, friends and neighbors. In Metro Detroit, we have about 15,000 FFN subsidy providers.

They (FFNs) have an important job - providing high quality early learning development opportunities for the children in their care, setting the foundation for success in both school and life. The problem is, most of them aren't aware of this most important role. They see themselves as helping out their daughter, friend or neighbor who's looking for or is working. In addition, they are at a significant disadvantage - in poverty, undereducated, in crisis - to focus on being a quality caregiver.

Click here to continue reading.

62, homeless, and nobody to talk to

2010-01-22T13:42:00.000-05:00

I could sense that she was hurting, and she told me she didn't have anyone to talk to. She's been an alcoholic her whole life, inherited from her mother who was also an alcoholic. At times she had been addicted to both drugs and alcohol, and experienced the darkness that comes along with those habits. She entered detox at Salvation Army after her addiction to alcohol led her into homelessness. She was such a sweet lady, and considered her time at Salvation Army to be a time when God wanted to use her despite the discomfort of the shelter environment. She told me about how she had become the peacemaker at the shelter, quieting arguments and being a source of comfort and support for one particular woman there.

Click here to continue reading.

Madonna students volunteer on MLK Day

2010-01-22T13:21:00.002-05:00

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20100121/NEWS24/1210589/1027

Approximately 90 Madonna University students and staff members - the largest group yet - volunteered their time and talents Monday at community organizations throughout Metro Detroit in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This was the fourth consecutive year that the Livonia university partnered with the University of Michigan-Dearborn, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Lawrence Tech University and Henry Ford Community College for this day of service. United Way staff recruited the agencies where students served and assisted Volunteer Solutions in creating and maintaining the extensive online volunteer database.

Madonna student volunteers worked with the following community groups: Beyond Basics, Bridging Communities, Child Help, Fish and Loaves, Gleaners Community Food Bank (Detroit and Warren), Habitat for Humanity, Ruth Ellis, Salvation Army (several locations), Stanford House and Van Dyke Schools (McKinley and Kennedy elementary schools).

United Way Receives Unprecedented Financial and In-Kind Support from Bank of America and the Ford Motor Co Fund to Address the Issue of Hunger

2010-01-20T14:29:00.006-05:00

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Event Photos

Media Contact:
Laura L. Rodwan
313-226-9484 or 313-477-2750

More than 700,000 people in the metro Detroit area are currently in need of food

DETROIT, Jan. 20, 2010 - United Way for Southeastern Michigan today announced the formation of an unprecedented public-private partnership between Bank of America and the Ford Motor Company Fund to address the growing food crisis in our region. Food insecurity affects more than 700,000 people in southeast Michigan. As the unemployment rate rises, the need for food increases dramatically. United Way estimates that currently one in six people face hunger problems.

United Way is leading the effort to improve food aid in three areas:

Utilization (significantly increase the use of existing federal food assistance programs and raise awareness of how to access them);
Distribution (double the amount of food provided through formal food distribution channels by aggressively addressing issues of supply, capacity and access); and
Expansion (adding programs and services to address growing community need).

Bank of America and the Ford Motor Company Fund have made substantial financial and in-kind contributions to support these efforts. Bank of America is making a $400,000 contribution and the Ford Motor Company Fund is making an in-kind donation of five specially-designed transport vehicles along with a financial contribution for a combined total value of $211,000.

Responding to the rising demand for food, United Way is taking a two-pronged approach by focusing its efforts on food assistance and early childhood programs. United Way projects that the need will exist for many years to come. The organization's goal is to link agencies, identify gaps in capacity and develop innovative ways to effectively address the issue. The funds from Bank of America will be applied to school programs in critical need of food support. The donated vehicles and funds from Ford Motor Company Fund will provide a model for revamping the food delivery transport system that could be replicated on a national scale.

"Bank of America remains focused and proactive on providing relevant, meaningful support to help individuals and families navigate difficult times," said Kieth Cockrell, Michigan Market President for Bank of America. "In these times of a shifting economy, the need to address our food distribution and access systems is critical to the health and vitality of our community. We are proud to support United Way, both financially and through the dedication and efforts of our associates. We hope this contribution will inspire other companies to join us, in partnership and address this basic need so that our youth, mothers, fathers, workers and families have access to fresh, nutritious and affordable food options."

"As part of our realignment into a community-impact organization through the Agenda for Change, United Way will continue to take the lead in unprecedented, innovative work throughout the region to address the food crisis," said Mike Brennan, president and CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan. "Through the generosity of Bank of America and the Ford Motor Company Fund, we are laying the groundwork for long-term success by working to redesign a system that is currently under tremendous stress."

"There isn't an issue that is more critical at this time in this region than hunger," said Jim Vella, President, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. "At Ford, we want to be part of the solution to the hunger problem by ensuring that every single person in need gets at least one meal a day. Our five Mobile Transit Connect Pantries—which are on the road right now - will help us structurally change the way food is delivered and also how food is recovered."

In 2009, The Kresge Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation joined forces to fund ($500,000 and $250,000 respectively) a study performed by McKinsey & Co. to evaluate the food assistance service gaps that United Way is now focused on bridging.

A meeting was held today to update community partners on United Way's food work. Representatives from Kresge, Bank of America, the Ford Motor Company Fund and other corporate and community partners were in attendance.
During his remarks to this group of key stakeholders, Brennan communicated the need for continued reform. "Now, more than ever, the success of the region in the 21st century will require us to address our communities' most pressing need for food assistance by taking rapid action and unprecedented approaches to systemic change."

About United Way for Southeast Michigan
United Way for Southeastern Michigan mobilizes the caring power of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to improve lives in measurable and lasting ways throughout the region. The organization is led by a diverse group of volunteers from business, labor, government, human services, education and the community. United Way provides opportunities to invest in the metropolitan Detroit community through its annual Campaign and is a leader in convening partners to impact local residents each year by increasing economic self-sufficiency, protecting children and youth at risk, strengthening families, empowering neighborhoods and communities, and promoting health and wellness. Additional information is available at www.uwsem.org.

About Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it serves, last year Bank of America embarked on a new, ten-year goal to donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions. Bank of America approaches investing through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Bank associate volunteers contributed more than 900,000 hours in 2008 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit www.bankofamerica.com/foundation.

About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is a community relations and philanthropic nonprofit funded by Ford Motor Company. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2009, Ford Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster and promote innovation in education, greater automotive safety and American heritage and diversity. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advance Studies (Ford PAS), which provides a 21st century skills-based curriculum to more than 40,000 high school students; and Ford Driving Skills for Life, which has taught safe driving skills to more than 337,000 young drivers. In addition, the Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, enlists the help of thousands of Ford employees and retirees who volunteer their time to continue Ford's legacy of community service worldwide. For more information about programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, please visit www.community.ford.com.

###

His dream lives on

2010-01-20T11:37:00.003-05:00

BY MATT HELMS
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100119/NEWS05/1190331/1001/News/His-dream-lives-on&template=fullarticle

Metro Detroiters gathered in song, marched and pitched in with community service Monday to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Members of City Year Detroit, an AmeriCorps program in which young people sign up for a year of community service and mentoring, teamed up with 650 students and other volunteers at 13 projects across the region.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, whose daughter Cecelia, 19, is a City Year volunteer in New Orleans, said at a morning rally that the day's message is that it's within everyone to make change in their communities.

"Truly, the greatest acts of courage and change have been from the most unexpected places," Granholm said.

Among the programs was a spruce-up and mural painting at Detroit's Osborn High School by members of City Year, the United Way of Southeastern Michigan, students and others.

Young volunteers also put together bags of toiletries for Freedom House, a Detroit group that provides temporary shelter for refugees.

Eunique Worthy, 12, of Detroit said she was glad to help make the kits, which included soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other necessities, and to learn that something so simple could be of help to people in Haiti who might emigrate to metro Detroit to escape the earthquake damage.

A friend's memories

The keynote speaker at Southfield's 25th annual Peace Walk Celebration to honor King was the son of the late Ralph Abernathy, widely considered King's closest friend.

Kwame Abernathy, 38, of Atlanta said his father was just 26 and King 29 when they organized the historic bus boycott in 1955 after Rosa Parks' arrest for sitting in the whites-only section of a bus.

"They went door to door on a Friday night to ask all blacks to protest her arrest by not riding buses on Monday. The word spread like wildfire," Abernathy said.

"For 381 days, no one (who was African American) rode the bus in Montgomery, Ala. Through rain, darkness, people organized car pools, did whatever they needed to do to not ride the bus ... and that's how the modern civil rights movement got started."

Abernathy said his father and King were "jailed together over 60 times." He said their churches and homes were bombed. And Ralph Abernathy was "on the balcony during the assassination, rode in the ambulance ... signed the death certificate and officiated at the funeral of Dr. King."

He said they were "special men (who) answered their calling when the alarm rang" in 1955.

"Will you answer the call when the alarm rings?"

Holding on to King's beliefs

"Hold On," they sang in multipart harmony, recreating a spiritual that consoled slaves in antebellum days.

The song, performed by the Achievers Ladies Ensemble from Detroit School of Arts, enchanted a crowd of 170 people gathered for a breakfast to kick off the 10th annual celebration of King Day at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit.

The song tells how slaves labored during the backbreaking work of tilling soil, holding on tightly to the plow and a faith that better times waited.

"That's what Martin Luther King did. He held on and made it through for us," said Keyandra May, 16, a Detroit School of Arts junior.

The Rev. J. Drew Sheard of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ in Detroit challenged Americans to refocus on achievement rather than status, commenting that some young men would rather be noticed for hanging shiny jewelry "around their necks, but not a diploma on their walls." And he scolded lax and highly sexualized behavior in society.

"I know we marched for freedom," said Sheard. "Is this the type of freedom he envisioned?"

Remembering the struggle

Dreams, scribbled on cutout paper white doves, adorned a board at the Farmington Community Library on Monday.

"Peace on Earth." "May all have food, water, shelter and love!" "Civility!"

In celebration of King, more than 150 people marched a short distance Monday from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Farmington Hills to the library for a program of performances and speeches.

For Curtis Higgins, 15, of Canton, the action of marching was a way to recognize the civil rights struggles.

"It shows that you ... actually care a lot and you believe in the things that he said," Higgins said.

A march in tribute

Several hundred people gathered Monday morning outside King High School in Detroit for the school's first annual Tribute March.

As the school band played "We Shall Overcome" and King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech blared from large speakers, hundreds walked on a 2.3-mile route around the school.

Justyce Morton, 8, held a sign: "The legacy lives." Her mother, Kenthia Morton, of Detroit said her son's sign means, "we have followed through on Martin Luther King's dream, where we can all be united and equal."

The march was the idea of Deborah Jenkins, who has been the school's principal for five months. "I couldn't understand why we had a school named after Dr. Martin Luther King and we didn't have a march emanating from here in Detroit," Jenkins said. "I'm trying to educate and unify our young people, so they understand that you don't have to resolve conflict with violence."

Staff writers Bill Laitner, Patricia Montemurri, Gina Damron and Jeff Seidel contributed to this report.

Detroit and the office of the future

2010-01-18T16:31:00.001-05:00

By Patricia Montemurri Free Press Staff Writer
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100118/COL35/100118027/1319/Detroit-and-the-office-of-the-future&template=fullarticle

When Leslie Andrus arrives at the office, she doesn’t plant herself at a conventional desk or in a cubicle.

Some days the corporate relations director for United Way for Southeastern Michigan may choose a spacious booth with banquette seating and a second-floor sunlit view of downtown’s Campus Martius, akin to a setting you might imagine for a trendy restaurant. But recently, she sat at a different booth on another floor, overlooking Cadillac Square.

“I do try to sit somewhere different every day,” says Andrus, 28, of Livonia. “I didn’t want a permanent desk at all. I like the idea of being able to sit in a different place.”

Andrus is among 100 United Way employees who moved last May from a narrow, 12-floor building to the renovated, cutting-edge quarters in downtown Detroit’s First National Building.

Two-thirds of United Way's 100 employees don’t have permanent desks; instead they choose to work at a range of booths, tables and open cubicles. Even the CEO, Michael Brennan, doesn’t park himself at a formal desk or a corner suite, but chooses from the array of booths and tables spread across 2.5 floors.

It’s an office arrangement known as free-range or hotelling, and the workplace gurus at Grand Rapids-based furniture manufacturer Steelcase say the United Way’s workspace represents the office of the future.

Jeff Block, a senior consultant in design strategy for Steelcase, the nation’s leading office furniture maker, says United Way’s arrangement is one of the first such designs of its kind in the Detroit area. Steelcase itself has test-run the design in parts of its headquarters, and expects more firms and agencies to adopt the alternative approach.

“Nobody’s done anything to the extent that Mike Brennan has done in terms of looking at space differently,” says Block. “He realized that giving everybody a workstation, which would sit vacant much of the time because they were in meetings or outside of the office, didn’t make sense."

At the end of the day, it’s hard for most organizations to make that dramatic a change,” said Block. “It’s a change in the culture, as much as a change in the space.

With the move, United Way is saving $300,000 annually in maintenance costs. The United Way offices are laid out over two floors, which also includes a mezzanine. Parts of the ceiling and the walls are exposed, revealing cornice work from the building’s original 1920s-era construction.

“In every location, you see the new tied to the old,” says CEO Brennan. “I describe this a Class A office space, loft living and urban ruins” all in one. Brennan gestures toward the bank of windows and the view below. He calls it the “front porch of Detroit” as he gazes down upon the bustle of Campus Martius.

There are sections of islands of glass-walled cubicles — known as fishbowls — with room for a desk and a chair, where staffers can park themselves. There are large banquettes alongside the expansive windows. If a staffer without a dedicated desk, feels the need for enclosure, there are cubicles with doors available.

People don’t need conventional offices to get their work done, says Dave Lathrop, director of research and strategy for Steelcase and an expert on future trends in the workplace.

He says the United Way’s office redesign taps into a growing and global office movement. It represents how the workplace is adapting to the instant anywhere, anytime connectivity made possible by technology.

“Allocating all of our real estate to individual spaces makes less sense than it used to in a world that’s all about collaboration,” says Lathrop.

A Steelcase survey last year found that 69% of firms surveyed were using alternative work strategies – such as allowing employees to work from home and hotelling. They expect those arrangements to grow, as a way for employers the costs of maintaining real estate and office buildings.

Without a desk, Andrus says she’s learned to become less paper-dependent, which helps eliminate unnecessary paperwork, and rely more on technology. She, like other desk-less employees, each has access to one drawer to keep files.

“It makes me rethink do I need a hard copy of this. Do I really need this?” says Andrus.

Every staffer has a landline phone number, and they can log into that phone from any location, including their cells. They also have laptop computers.

At their old headquarters, at 1212 Griswold, staffers were spread out over 12 floors, and it wasn’t unusual to go months without seeing various employees, and communicate via phone and e-mail.

Rebeca Torres, 35, an accounting manager, has an assigned desk because work keeps her in the office five days a week. But Torres says the overall environment gives her a sense of spaciousness and mobility.

“I’m not glued to my desk,” says Torres. “And because we do so much collaboration, I often find that I’m not at my dedicated workspace. And that’s one of the things I like about this building is that we have so many options.”

Kira Putt, 28, the United Way’s regional coordinator of student engagement, often works with campus groups away from the office three days a week. She doesn’t miss having photos on her desk. If she wants to show off a shot of her dog, she beckons a coworker to glance at her laptop.

“It’s not so much what I miss,” says Putt. “The benefits are that I’m much more organized. And it gives me an opportunity to be a lot more green, because I use lots less paper.”

Contact PATRICIA MONTEMURRI: 313-223-4538 or pmontemurri@freepress.com.

Help the people of Haiti

2010-01-13T16:24:00.001-05:00

On the evening of January 12, 2010, a major 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. It is the most powerful quake to hit the impoverished country in more than 200 years. The tremor struck 15km (10 miles) south-west of the capital Port-au-Prince, and was quickly followed by two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude. Reports describe the destruction to affect as much as 70 percent of the buildings, with debris filling the roads making emergency response difficult. The Prime Minister reported on January 13 that hundreds of thousands of lives may have been lost.

You can help people affected by donating to the United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund.

Gifts to the Fund support long-term recovery efforts to rebuild lives and infrastructure devastated by disaster and to address educational, financial and health-related challenges.

McGregor Fund approves $1 million in grants to Detroit area organizations

2010-01-11T11:47:00.001-05:00

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20100108/FREE/100109915

By Sherri Welch

The Detroit-based McGregor Fund approved $1.09 million in grants in December.

The grants support human services, education, arts, public benefit and health care.

The grants are:

• $300,000 to the Coalition on Temporary Shelter in Detroit to support operation of the emergency shelter and supportive services for the homeless.

• $250,000 over two years to Madonna University in Livonia to support development of new science courses and other enhancements in conjunction with opening a new science building.

• $100,000 to the Detroit Historical Society to support general operations of the Detroit Historical Museums.

• $100,000 to Detroit-based United Way for Southeastern Michigan to fund development of a citywide education strategy for Detroit.

• $85,000 to Pontiac-based Haven Inc. to support shelter and programs for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

• $60,000 to the Southwest Detroit Business Association to support traveling performance opportunities for participants in the Center of Music & Performing Arts-Southwest.

• $60,000 to Turning Point Inc. in Mt. Clemens to support shelter and programs for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

• $50,000 to World Medical Relief Inc. in Detroit to support the Affordable Prescription Program which provides low-cost medication prescriptions for uninsured, low-income adults in metropolitan Detroit.

• $45,000 to United Negro College Fund Inc. in Detroit to support scholarships for Detroit-area youth to attend historically black private colleges and universities.

• $40,000 to Ann Arbor-based Nonprofit Enterprise at Work Inc. to provide board assessment, building, development and training services for nonprofit organizations in southeast Michigan.

Wayne County news briefs: Federal food program sending $2 million to service agencies

2010-01-11T11:42:00.002-05:00

http://www.freep.com/article/20100110/NEWS02/1100526/1001/News/Wayne-County-news-briefs-Federal-food-program-sending-2-million-to-service-agencies

COMPILED FROM REPORTS BY CHRISTINA HALL AND GANNETT NEWSPAPERS

Public and private social service organizations are to receive more than $2 million in federal funds from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to house and feed needy people.

Organizations in Oakland County are to receive nearly $1.1 million, and those in Macomb County are to receive $940,777, according to a news release from U.S. Rep. Sander Levin.

A local board, chaired by the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, will divide the allocation among the groups. They can use the money for mass shelter, mass feeding, food distribution through food pantries and food banks, one-month utility payments to prevent cutoffs and one-month rent or mortgage help to prevent eviction.

The United Way for Southeastern Michigan is accepting grant applications on behalf of the Macomb and Oakland Emergency Food and Shelter Program Local Boards.

A group must be a nonprofit or government agency, have the capacity to provide emergency food and/or shelter services, have at least one full-time, paid staff member and use the money to supplement and extend existing resources, not substitute or reimburse ongoing programs and services. Applications are due Wednesday.

Job posting: Director of Donor Relations

2010-01-08T15:31:00.001-05:00

The Director of Donor Relations will establish a strategy surrounding Leadership Giving’s (1K to 10K) donor pool; evaluate donor capacity to increase donors’ giving and personal commitment to United Way for Southeastern Michigan. S/he will establish a volunteer committee to assist and participate in growing the base of support.

In addition, s/he will work closely with Alexis de Tocqueville Society Committee members on targeted projects including lapsed donors and the identification and engagement of new prospects.

Click here for more information.

2009: Year in review

2009-12-29T22:37:00.004-05:00

	Students, volunteers unite for MLK Day of Service Students and Volunteers from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Madonna University, Henry Ford Community College and Lawrence Tech University join United Way for Southeastern Michigan for a day of service in honor of the late Martin Luther King, Jr. Over 400 volunteers served at 20+ sites, packing meals, cleaning neighborhoods and showing, first-hand, what it means to Live United. Donate to United Way now and help send volunteers out into the community on MLK Jr., Day, and every day of 2010!
	Advocates travel to Capitol Hill On Feb. 11, 200 community leaders stormed Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of United Way priorities including The Calling for 2-1-1 Act. 2-1-1 reaches approximately 234 million people (over 78% of the total U.S. population) in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Yet, additional funding is needed to connect millions of Americans. Donate to United Way now and help 2-1-1 improve its service in Southeast Michigan!
	Young adults Live United at Alternative Spring Break United Way helps young adults Live United by offering a way to spend Spring Break volunteering. Sponsored by Deloitte, the 2009 United Way Alternative Spring Break program sent hundreds of young adult volunteers to make a difference in communities across the country, including Detroit. Donate to United Way now and help to improve the quality of life in metro Detroit through volunteerism!
	Early Learning Communities expand with the help of the NCAA In March, the National Collegiate Athletic Association made its first ever legacy program grant of $250,000 to United Way for Southeastern Michigan to help fund the establishment of four early childhood learning program sites. The NCAA Final Four was long over in April, but its legacy to Detroit is just beginning. We expanded the ELCs to serve residents in two Detroit neighborhoods: Southwest and Brightmoor. Donate to United Way now and ensure that children enter school ready to learn!
	$30 million in tax credits returned to metro Detroit Tax season wrapped up in late April. By May nearly $30 million in tax credits were returned to local residents, due largely to IRS-certified volunteer tax preparation sites operated by the Regional Asset Building Coalition, which United Way created to help families become financially stable. Donate to United Way now and help metro Detroiters overcome the cycle of poverty and become financially independent!
	2-1-1 serves as the official information line about the H1N1 virus This summer, the H1N1 Influenza reached pandemic status. Through it all, 2-1-1 was on hand to serve as a resource for information about the flu. Call center staff participated in disaster response training. Donate to United Way now and ensure that 2-1-1 continues to be prepared to assist our region during future emergency situations!
	Summer lunch program expands to feed hungry children When school is in session, about 135,000 kids in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties receive free breakfast and/or lunch based on need. However, when school is out, many of those children go hungry. As a first step to combat the growing hunger crisis in southeastern Michigan, United Way worked with local partners to expand the free summer lunch program to feed over 6,000 kids during the summer months. Donate to United Way now and help increase access and availability of food for our region's residents!
	Requests for food reach #1 for the first time In August, CNNMoney.com reports that, as the area's economy worsens, the food crunch is intensifying, and spreading to people not used to dealing with hunger. As middle class workers lose their jobs, the same folks that used to donate to soup kitchens and pantries have become their fastest growing set of recipients. Calls to United Way 2-1-1 triple and, for the first time ever, food is the number one reason people are calling. Donate to United Way now and help increase access to basic necessities, like food!
	Supporters rally for Michigan school reform Over 2,000 advocates rallied at the Michigan state capitol, calling for changes that would make the state more competitive to win federal Race to the Top funding. Additionally, over 1,000 college students e-mailed their legislators on the 9/11 Day of Service in support of reform. This, Coupled with a late-year push by United Way and other supporters, historic education reforms are headed to Gov. Jennifer Granholm for signing. Donate to United Way now and help ensure that our voices continue to be heard in Lansing and in Washington!
	Venture Fund launches first investments Hundreds of high school freshmen in Detroit and Warren entered a more supportive learning environment this academic year with the help of United Way. These environments include nine "small schools" and three learning communities, launched as part of the first round of investments made by The Greater Detroit Education Venture Fund. Donate to United Way now and help turn around our poor performing high schools!
	United Way named a 2009 Crain's Best-managed Nonprofit finalist United Way for Southeastern Michigan was selected as one of the 2009 Best-Managed Nonprofits from Crain’s Detroit Business. This is a huge honor for us. In a year marked by an exceedingly tough economy, our organization has been faced with meeting increased community need with shrinking financial resources. Donate to United Way now and rest assured that your gift is being invested in an organization that you can trust!
	Early Childhood Investment Corporation gives $2.8 million to United Way Our ELCs expanded again, thanks to the Early Childhood Investment Corp., who awarded us a $2.8 million grant. With the grant, United Way plans to expand the free training it provides for childcare providers through the ELCs. Donate to United Way now and ensure that children enter school ready to learn!
These are just a few examples of the successes of United Way and the needs of our community in 2009. To read more, visit our news page and/or read our 2009 archived electronic newsletters.