United Way of Greater St. Louis News & Events

Infuz launches helpingpeople.org

sfaulkner — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:06:00 GMT

From Infuz.com Posted September 28, 2011 Just last week Infuz launched a new site for the United Way of Greater St. Louis. Since 1922, The United Way of Greater St. Louis has helped nearly 1 million people in 16 counties in Missouri and Illinois to advance the common good and mobilize the caring power of the community. HelpingPeople.org is a humbling look into how the United Way is making a real difference for people in our community. In St. Louis, they’ve already helped 631,362 people, but there efforts extend to neighboring counties as far as Clinton, Randolph and several others. Rukus provided the beautiful video production for the project, allowing all of us to see the magnitude of the United Way’s impact in our neighborhoods. Exploring further, the website can calculate what a specific monthly donation to the United Way would amount to in real life. For example, just $5 a month provides breakfast for six children for a week, transportation to the doctor for two low-income adults and clothing for two children being adopted through foster care. The website also provides links for volunteers who would like to get involved. We hope the new site launch will play an active part in their mission, and we look forward to seeing the enormous impact they have on our community continue.

St. Louis designers inspire dueling fashion shows

sfaulkner — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:59:00 GMT

By Debra D. Bass St. Louis Post-Dispatch September 29, 2011 It's not actually a competition, but fashion lovers will have a hard choice to make on Friday. The Inspire: A Fusion of Fashion and Culture show kicks off at 7 p.m. in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel's Khorassan Ballroom. Designers and boutiques will present a joint fashion show from 10 St. Louis sources. And a few blocks away, the Project: Design! launch party and fashion show starts at 7:30 p.m. The six new designers competing for a prize at St. Louis Fashion Week will be unveiled and Andy Thouvenot of Andy J Designs will debut his latest collection. Decisions, decisions...

A campaign thank-you from the Tri-Cities Area Division

sfaulkner — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 19:34:00 GMT

Thank you to the following companies who gave to United Way this week: Snelson Auto and Irwin Chapel Congratulations to Chuck Unger for receiving the Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Citizen of the Year award! Thank you again to Chuck Unger and the Campaign Team for the great leadership throughout the 2011 United Way Campaign in the Tri-Cities Area. The Campaign Team includes: Kate Allaria Tom Beckerle Mark Bethell Rosemarie Brown Thomas Butts Barbara Cempura Patrick Coyle Cindy Gavilsky David Gavilsky Mark Holshouser Katie Jackson Joseph Juneau Lydia Kachigian Jennifer Kelley Bob Kmetz Nancy LeVault Bob Minzes John Niehaus Ron Payton Steve Ralston Ryan Robertson Joseph Schuler Irvin Slate Darryl Slater Angie Standefer Brian Tieman Paul Wellhausen Chuck Whitehead Dennis Wilmsmeyer

Even in hard times, we can help neighbors; Letters to the editor, September 25

sfaulkner — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:13:00 GMT

Extraordinary times require an extraordinary response. With an economy that remains anemic and persistent unemployment, more people than ever are turning to the 177 United Way agencies for the health and human services they need to live and, in some cases, to survive. Public funding for those agencies is being cut by as much as $30 million as governments at all levels deal with budget deficits. Fortunately, as thousands of people are experiencing need for the first time in their lives, there is something we can do to help: support United Way of Greater St. Louis. Together, we can help people like the parents down the street who were just laid off, the grandmother with Alzheimer's and the child with a learning disability. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of one in three through our United Way. Given the urgency this year, we have set our United Way goal at $71 million, the largest goal in our 89-year history. I hope that you will join me and the thousands across our community who support United Way. Please call 314-539-4101 or pledge online at stl.unitedway.org. Together we can make our response extraordinary. Danny Ludeman • St. Louis 2011 Campaign chair, United Way of Greater St. Louis

A campaign update from the Tri-Cities Area division

sfaulkner — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:46:00 GMT

The Tri-Cities Area campaign is off to a great start! Thank you to the follow companies who gave to United Way this week: · Juneau Associates, Inc. P.C. · Magnesium Elektron North America, Inc. · Arnette Pattern Company · Morgan St. Farm Insurance Company Don’t forget to check out the Silent Auction! Local items are at Ravanelli’s while additional items are online at: http://www.stl.unitedway.org/tricities2011 Please note that the pictures being displayed are from the Leadership Recognition event that took place on September 8 at Southwestern Illinois College- Sam Wolf Granite City Campus. Thank you for supporting United Way! $1 a week: One week of after-school programming to prevent a child from being home alone $2 a week: Two hours of counseling for a victim of sexual abuse $5 a week: Books and learning supplies for an early childhood classroom $10 a week: Two weeks of shelter for an abused woman and her children $20 a week: A job skills course to help 10 people gain full time employment and economic security By pledging $50: Two complete outfit and school supplies for a child in need By pledging $250: Four days of shelter, meals, and counseling for an individual suffering from alcohol and chemical dependency By pledging $500: 50 pairs of shoes for children in need By pledging $1000: 25 days of care or respite for caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease

Giving is ‘Greek' to the Ferguson family

sfaulkner — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:27:00 GMT

Posted: Thursday, September 22, 2011 12:10 am By Ebony Sherod St. Louis American People are often looking to be a part of something greater than themselves. Lathon and Chalana Ferguson were searching for the same thing. They found it through the Greek community and United Way. While in graduate school at Webster University, Lathon joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Its mission is simple: to uplift mankind. "I joined Alpha Phi Alpha, because it was the best fit for my goals with life accomplishments and the community," Lathon Ferguson said. Chalana Ferguson had a similar revelation after she graduated from the University of Missouri. Through law school at Saint Louis University, she joined the St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Area Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.

Call for 2,000 mentors launched at Salute

sfaulkner — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:23:00 GMT

Posted: Thursday, September 22, 2011 12:10 am By Chris King St. Louis American “Tonight is our call to action,” said Johnny Furr Jr., president of the St. Louis CARES Mentoring Movement. Furr chose the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2011 Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala on Friday to announce the launch of a new initiative called the Education Express. The initiative is a partnership between the non-profit founded by Furr and his wife Minga Furr, the St. Louis American Foundation and the United Way of Greater St. Louis. Cheryl Polk, executive vice president for the United Way of Greater St. Louis, said the new partnership aims to recruit 2,000 new mentors to volunteer for “existing programs and schools.”

Cardinals and Rams fans – show the true spirit of St. Louis generosity Sept. 23-25 text-to-give challenge

sfaulkner — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:46:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Carrie Zukoski, carrie.zukoski@stl.unitedway.org; 314-539-4029 Cardinals and Rams fans – show the true spirit of St. Louis generosity Sept. 23-25 text-to-give challenge ST. LOUIS, MO (September 19, 2011) – Cardinals and Rams fans have a chance to rally around the spirit of St. Louis giving this weekend with a text-to-give challenge. Help United Way of Greater St. Louis beat United Way of Metropolitan Chicago during the Cards/Cubs rivalry in St. Louis Sept. 23-25. All weekend at the Cardinals/Cubs rivalry at Busch Stadium, Cardinals fans can text UWSTL 20222* for a $10 donation to United Way of Greater St. Louis. On Sunday, Rams fans also have the chance to text a $10 donation to UWSTL 20222* during its home game against the Baltimore Ravens. Wells Fargo Advisors has announced they will match up to $10,000 for the Cards/Cubs series and the Rams game for a total of $20,000 toward United Way of Greater St. Louis’ text-to-give campaign this weekend. All donations to UWSTL 20222* will go toward the $71 million United Way of Greater St. Louis fall fundraising campaign which Danny Ludeman, CEO and president of Wells Fargo Advisors is chairing.

United Way kicks off 2011 campaign

sfaulkner — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:20:00 GMT

September 15, 2011 7 By KATHIE BASSETT The Telegraph ALTON - The Southwest Illinois Division of United Way of Greater St. Louis has its sights on a $1.95 million campaign goal. The target was announced Tuesday by David Braasch, president and CEO of Alton Memorial Hospital and the 2011 Southwest Illinois Division campaign chair, during a kickoff at Julia's Banquet Center in East Alton. "Services provided by the United Way in our communities vary widely, but they each are extremely important to the people that need them," Braasch said. "The United Way is able to help people in many different areas and this is made possible by the generosity of people throughout our region because they know the money raised helps our whole community. The beauty of the United Way is that the money raised here, stays here."

Local family continues tradition through United Way leadership

sfaulkner — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:21:00 GMT

By Ebony Sherod September 15 St. Louis American Some families bond over food or sports or games. The Slaters? They bond through giving back. Tim Slater, 52, has been giving back to the community through service and donations for more than 30 years. As a young adult, Tim became actively involved with United Way while enlisted in the Air Force and has never stopped. He has since served on various United Way board and cabinet positions including chair of the Illinois Division board and past chair of its annual fundraising campaign. His leadership has inspired many, including his own family. "It's like you move from a family tree to a giving tree," TC, Tim's son, said. Tim, president of his family-owned company, New Horizons Computer Learning center, in St. Louis, takes the duty of leadership seriously. "It is our responsibility to become leaders within the community," Tim said. Each family member has found their niche in giving back. For Tim and TC it's United Way. For Shelia, Tim's wife, it's the Komen Race for the Cure and Toys for Tots and for Tiffany, the youngest in the family, it's Voices for Children. But even with these diverse interests they have all chosen to give back through United Way's Charmaine Chapman African-American Society. "I contribute to United Way through the Charmaine Chapman Society because I know more than 90 percent of my dollar goes to help people in need," Tiffany said. "By giving to nearly 200 agencies all at once, it simplifies who to give to." The family can often be seen together at Charmaine Chapman Society events. "Contributing is the right thing to do," Tim said. "It's part of our DNA." To find out more about United Way's Charmaine Chapman African-American Society, contact Orvin Kimbrough, senior vice president with United Way at 314-539- 4249 or visit www.stl.unitedway.org.

Tri-Cities Area Division launches annual silent auction

sfaulkner — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:14:00 GMT

The Tri-Cities Area Division has launched its annual Silent Auction. Auction items are on display at Ravanelli’s Restaurant in Granite City. Bid today! Additional auction items are available online, including signed celebrity photographs from Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Steve Tyler and more. Bid online at http://www.stl.unitedway.org/tricities2011.

Tri-Cities Area Division holds leadership recognition event

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 03:39:00 GMT

The recognition event was held to acknowledge our local Leadership Givers. A Leadership Giver is an individual who gives $1,000 throughout one campaign year. Last year, 53 Leadership Givers in the Tri-Cities Area Division contributed 10% of the total $1,054,000 that was raised. More than 90 cents of every dollar collected will go to help people in this community. The 100 Club was created to recognize those individuals who give at the Leadership level. Please consider joining the 100 Club. Welcome Tri-Cities Area Division’s Campaign Representatives: Lauren Cox and Maureen Sackmann Tri-Cities Area Division Campaign Goal= $1,065,000 United Way of Greater St. Louis Campaign Goal= $71 million

Anheuser-Busch Donates $2 Million to United Way of Greater St. Louis

sfaulkner — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:28:00 GMT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Joe Muehlenkamp, Anheuser-Busch, 314.577.7528 joseph.muehlenkamp@anheuser-busch.com Carrie Zukoski, United Way, 314.539.4029 carrie.zukoski@stl.unitedway.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Anheuser-Busch Donates $2 Million to United Way of Greater St. Louis To Celebrate the Donation, Budweiser Clydesdales Join A-B Employees and Suppliers at Busch Stadium for ‘Anheuser-Busch Night’ ST. LOUIS (Sept. 6, 2011) – Continuing its role as one of United Way of Greater St. Louis’ largest corporate sponsors, Anheuser-Busch is announcing tonight a $2 million gift from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation to the 2011 United Way annual campaign. This year’s donation, which will be presented at Busch Stadium before the Cardinals game, brings Anheuser-Busch’s total giving to United Way in St. Louis to more than $35 million since 1985. “This donation to United Way represents Anheuser-Busch’s steadfast commitment to St. Louis and our neighboring communities,” said Dave Peacock, president of Anheuser-Busch, who is slated to be the United Way of Greater St. Louis campaign chairman in 2013. “In addition to this $2 million contribution from the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, our employees also generously give to United Way, and we encourage all St. Louisans to support a great organization that benefits so many people throughout the region.”

Anheuser-Busch gives $2 million to United Way of Greater St. Louis

sfaulkner — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:23:00 GMT

Anheuser-Busch said Tuesday it plans to give $2 million to the 2011 campaign for the United Way of Greater St. Louis. This year’s donation, which will be presented at Busch Stadium before the Cardinals game tonight, brings Anheuser-Busch’s total giving to United Way in St. Louis to more than $35 million since 1985. Dave Peacock, president of Anheuser-Busch, will be the United Way of Greater St. Louis campaign chairman in 2013. On Wednesday, United Way plans to announce its $71 million campaign goal for this year, the largest amount yet. United Way of Greater St. Louis, led by President and CEO Gary Dollar, serves 16 Missouri and Illinois counties, and donations help United Way reach more than 170 health and human service agencies each year. Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD) owns Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis.

9/11 tribute events: An interfaith prayer circle under the Arch and a remembrance ceremony at Art Hill

sfaulkner — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:09:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS, MO (September 6, 2011) — Several memorial and tribute events take place on this 10th anniversary of 9/11. Visit www.stlremembers.org for more information. Two of these events are: Interfaith prayer gathering – open to the public When: 12 – 1 p.m. Sunday, September 11 with the program starting at 12:15 p.m. Where: St. Louis Arch – the grassy area near Memorial Drive What: Leaders from various faith traditions will gather under the Arch to pay tribute to those who perished on 9/11 and pray for unity in the world. Led by CAIR-St. Louis. 9/11 tribute concert and ceremony – open to the public When: 6 – 9 p.m. Sunday, September 11 with program starting at 7 p.m. Where: Art Hill in Forest Park, St. Louis, MO What: Several events taking place including the flag memorial (nearly 3,000 flags displayed on Art Hill) Events include: 6 – 8:30 p.m. – Police vehicles such as the Black Mariah and SWAT truck will be on display as well as a fire truck (on top of Art Hill outside of the St. Louis Art Museum) 7 – 9 p.m. at the base of Art Hill will be a tribute concert in honor of all first responders and military, testimonials, volunteer recognition and a candlelight vigil (just before 9 p.m.). Musical entertainment is by the Mid America Woodwind Quintet (from Scott Air Force Base) and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Choir 6- 9 p.m.: Food trucks will be serving food Volunteer opportunities still exist through United Way and several partners to help throughout the community between now and 9/11 to pay tribute to those who were lost and those who rose in service. Visit www.stlremembers.org to find out how.

United Way kicks off 2011 Multicultural Society

sfaulkner — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:51:00 GMT

More than 170 people attended the United Way of Greater St. Louis’ Multicultural Leadership Society kickoff event held at Monsanto’s Research Center in Chesterfield on Thursday, August 25. Arindam Kar, 2011 Multicultural Leadership Society campaign chair, addressed the crowd, noting that St. Louis does have a culturally diverse population that is growing and how this society is becoming an important way for all cultures to connect and learn about one another. Created in 2009, this society recognizes people of diverse backgrounds who donate $1,000 or more to United Way annually and provides a platform for people in the region to serve in our community.

United Way of Greater St. Louis kicks off its 2011 campaign and officially announces the campaign goal at Lumen on Sept. 7

sfaulkner — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:46:00 GMT

When: Wednesday, September 7, 2011 from 5:00 – 7 p.m. (goal announcement at about 5:30 p.m.) Who: At least 300 hundred people are attending including: Danny Ludeman, CEO of Wells Fargo Advisors and 2011 United Way campaign chair What: Official United Way of Greater St. Louis annual fundraising campaign goal announcement for 2011 and kickoff celebration to start the campaign with the United Way chorus, a cupcake display by Sarah’s Cupcakes and more. Where: Lumen, 2201 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO 63103 Why: To create awareness that the annual United Way of Greater St. Louis fundraising campaign has officially begun. With funds raised from the campaign, United Way is able to invest more than $1 million each week locally to help one in three people (that’s more than one million people) each year. To find out more about United Way or to help, go online to www.stl.unitedway.org.

A campaign update from the Tri-Cities Area Division

sfaulkner — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:12:00 GMT

G.C.S. Federal Credit Union has already run their 2011 Campaigns. They have raised a total of over $41,000. Great job! Granite City School District #9 has already kicked off their campaign. We appreciate their support and look forward to reporting their campaign total. We have received many corporate gifts from local companies. Thank you for your support! Barney's Wheel and Brake Lueders/Ross Agency Buenger Leasing Management Magnesium Elektron North America, Inc Charbonnier State Farm Insurance McFarland Heating and Cooling Company Coyle Supply Processors Industrial Credit Union Curly's Corner Market Snelson Auto Body Dial Properties State Street Warehouse Fornaszewski Music Store The Medicine Shoppe Gebco Machine, Inc TheBANK of Edwardsville Guardian Savings Bank United Steelworkers of America Local 68 THANK YOU. A special thanks to the Granite City School District National Honor Society for their contribution. Don’t forget to come to the Tri-Cities Area Division Kick-Off Event! Come find out our 2011 Campaign goal! September 8 – 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Southwestern Illinois College- Sam Wolf Granite City Campus 4950 Maryville Road, Granite City, IL 62040 If you have not already, RSVP to Debbie Gorsuch (618-877-6780)

Rams Kick-Off Lunch For The United Way

sfaulkner — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:33:00 GMT

Shawndrea Thomas FOX2now.com 5:35 p.m. CDT, August 25, 2011 ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) Watch the video of this story Today the Rams joined forces with the United Way to hold their 2nd Annual Kickoff for Charity event at the Ballpark Hilton. Fans had lunch with their favorite players to get a first hand experience with the team and a preview of the season. Rams COO and VP of Football Operations Kevin Demoff said, "It's a chance to meet the players as we call under the helmet to develop a fan favorite to follow someone on the field to get to know someone to know our players a little better." Rams Superfan Charlene Schellenberg AKA Rampage Mom has been a fan since the 1970's. She's Happy to cheer on her team and one of her favorite charities. "I think it's wonderful to give to a charity that really needs your help and there's a lot of people in need our help this year in the St. Louis area," said Schellenberg. "We thought it was a fantastic idea. We started with it last year, it was the first year, had a couple hundred people. This year the turnout is over 600. It's something the fans are excited about, something we're excited about and the entire Rams organization is excited about," said R.J. Crunk of the United way The United Way is still in need of donations.

Organizations find changed landscape for fundraising

sfaulkner — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:19:00 GMT

Three years or more of a bad economy have tested nonprofit organizations in a time of high demand for their services while the money and other resources they need to operate have been harder to find. Yet non-profit leaders and university instructors agree the resources are there for the asking - as long as the nonprofit is well managed, transparent and paying very close attention to the interests of donors and volunteers who are crucial to making it function successfully.

Ninth annual United Way 5k Run/Walk hosted by UniGroup

sfaulkner — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:50:00 GMT

For Immediate Release For more information, contact: Carrie Zukoski, 314-539-4029; carrie.zukoski@stl.unitedway.org Melissa Sullivan 636-343-2659 melissa_sullivan@unigroupinc.com The ninth annual “United Way 5k Run/Walk” is Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8:30 a.m.. Proceeds from the event will benefit United Way of Greater St. Louis. The run is held by UniGroup, the parent company of United, Mayflower and other transportation-related companies. New this year: the top three male and female runners will each receive $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third.

News on 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance

sfaulkner — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:56:00 GMT

Wanted: Volunteers 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance Projects 9/1/11, Hazlewood Patch If memory serves: United Way seeks volunteer for 9/11 service 9/1/11, St. Louis Beacon Extra Edition: 9/11 Day of Service 8/13/11, KMOV.com United Way seeks volunteers for 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance 8/10/11, Belleville News-Democrat

When it comes to volunteering, St. Louis is top-notch

sfaulkner — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:51:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS • St. Louisans are a giving bunch when it comes to volunteering. The region ranks 10th in the country based on the percentage of people volunteering their time, with just under a third of us doing so. Most of that volunteering is with church and school organizations. We jump to ninth place based on number of hours per year donated, at just under 40. Statewide, Missouri ranks 22nd in the percentage of people who volunteer; Illinois finishes at 29th.

Report: St. Louis ranks among top volunteer cities

sfaulkner — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:15:00 GMT

(KMOV.com) -- St. Louis, once again, ranks among the top ten cities in the nation for residents who volunteer. Among 52 large cities, St. Louis ranks 10th according to a report from Volunteering in America. The state of Missouri as a whole ranks 22nd in the country. "At United Way, we've always known people in this community are extremely generous with their time," said Rick Skinner, vice president of United Way of Greater St. Louis' volunteer center. "It is great that our region is being recognized as a leader in the nation as a tribute to the many amazing achievements and contributions volunteers make in our area every day." If you would like to get involved in volunteering, United Way of Greater St. Louis has opportunities for everyone. Visit the United Way website or call 314-539-4063 or 2-1-1 from a land line phone.

St. Louis ranks 10th in nation in volunteering

sfaulkner — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:06:00 GMT

Spokesperson for United Way’s Volunteer Center: Rick Skinner, vice president, 314-539-4284. ST. LOUIS, MO (August 10, 2011) -- St. Louis once again ranks 10th in the nation of residents who volunteer among 52 large cities according to a new report from Volunteering In America. Overall, Missouri ranks 22nd in the country for residents who volunteer. “At United Way we’ve always known people in this community are extremely generous with their time,” said Rick Skinner, vice president of United Way of Greater St. Louis’ volunteer center. “We provide ways for youth, college students, families, employee groups and retirees to connect to their communities through quality volunteer experiences so that together we can help make our region stronger. It is great that our region is being recognized as a leader in the nation as a tribute to the many amazing achievements and contributions volunteers make in our area every day.” United Way of Greater St. Louis’ Volunteer Center has opportunities for everyone in the community to get involved: http://www.stl.unitedway.org/volunteercenter.aspx or call 314-539-4063 or 2-1-1 from a land line. Since 1933, United Way’s Volunteer Center has ensured its volunteers quality experiences in numerous volunteer roles. Today, through the programs St. Louis Cares and Days of Caring, its allocations panels, board of directors, GenNext, BoardLinkSTL and more, United Way continues to provide meaningful opportunities for volunteers. About United Way of Greater St. Louis United Way funds more than 170 health and human service agencies located throughout a 16-county area in Missouri and Illinois. One in three people (that’s more than one million people) in our community receive services that strengthen families, help the elderly, keep children healthy and safe, and build stronger neighborhoods. For more information, contact 314-421-0700 or visit www.stl.unitedway.org. ###