The Young and the Homeless

It's 16 degrees right now.

According to figures released by the New York City-based Homes for the Homeless, the average age of a homeless person is nine. It's estimated that, right here in Rochester, 22,000 children could be on the cusp of becoming homeless. That's two of every five children in the city.

There are many reasons why some kids and their families become homeless. A parent’s unexpected illness, a work layoff, or the inability to find and keep a job that pays a living wage. Or, it happens when women with children finally decide they must escape their living nightmare of domestic violence.

Ruth Nieboer, who is the Salvation Army’s director of social services shares that, too often, her staff has met some of these parents before… except the first time around, the parents were kids themselves. Seeing the ‘next’ generation come in for services is deeply disturbing.

I guess it doesn't really matter whether it's 16 degrees - or 85. When you don't have a home to go home to, and especially when you're a kid, it's just plain traumatic.

And, if you saw the Pursuit of Happyness, I'm sure you understand that having a strong parent can make all the difference. We invest $2 million each year into the Emergency Services Collaborative... it's eight agencies that help families in crisis... so that parents can get the support - and shelter - they need to get their lives back on track. So they don't have to ever be homeless again.

We're also investing another $9 million into programs that help kids find success. A few of those programs include shelter and help for teenagers who are homeless... kids who had to escape some pretty tough 'home' situations. The Center for Youth Services has a fantastic program.

Thanks for helping these kids... and these families. You're bringing stability back into their lives.

Flash Cards for Kindergarten?

My daughter is headed off to kindergarten this fall - so, lately I've been getting the 'save the dates' for new parent night, and learning when she'll get screened to determine whether she's ready for school.

I'll be the first to admit I'm nervous as to how she'll do. She was born a couple of months early, and by the time she was two (thanks to early intervention) she had speech therapy and occupational therapy. She's doing well, and she's as sassy as ever - but I'm still nervous.

I learned, in Monroe County, nearly half of our kids arrive at kindergarten with at least one issue that puts them at risk for academic failure. That surprised me. It seems high, but it's correct.

So, as a parent, I started wondering - should I pull out the preschool flash cards to get my daughter moving? Should I stop letting her watch too many episodes of Wonder Pets? Is spending too much time with Barbie and Polly dangerous?

If you're reading this - and you're a teacher - please write in and share your thoughts... in the meantime, though, I wanted to share a little bit about a program in Rochester that makes me, as a parent, feel relief.

United Way is a big supporter of Strong Start - which is currently in two schools right now, and will begin at a third school next year. Essentially, kids who are screened for kindergarten, and considered at-risk for academic failure will get help from Strong Start teachers the following year.

By the time kids 'graduate' from the program, nine out of every ten test at or even above average. Color and shape recognitions are strong, social interaction is improved.

It makes a huge difference. I visited the School #12 classroom - it's fantastic. I'm so glad to know programs like this are out there for kids and for their parents.

I decided, for now, since my daughter can correct me about what colors Barbie is wearing - and she can tell me the difference between a poisonous snake or a non-poisonous one because someone on Zoboomafoo told her so - I'm not going to overreact and go into study mode with her. I'll let it be... a program will be there to help us if we need it.

Fun story

I wanted, quickly, to tell you about Anna Mitchell. She's the young lady in front, wearing the purple sweater.

Anna's a sixth grader, lives in Marion, and every year she and her friends get together to make gifts - so they can raise money for United Way through their "Helping Hands Auction."

Anna and her friends worked for months on those gifts - which even included furniture they made!

All told, they raised $750... which is very cool. And, it shows that it doesn't matter how old you are - you can always make a difference.

Doesn't matter either, whether it's financial support - or the gift of time. If one of your New Year's Resolutions is to volunteer - we have some great ways you can volunteer in our community. All you have to do is click here... 

Happy Holidays

If you're surfing around, and end up here - thanks for taking the time to read this blog.

This holiday season, know that you're helping out (right now), even though you may not realize it.

Your support is helping families stay warm and stable in their homes.

You are helping seniors get meals delivered to their homes.

You are helping people with disabilities get the transportation they need to medical appointments, and to the food market.

You are helping a woman and her children, who are escaping domestic violence, find a safe place where they can recover and start anew in 2007.

Hopefully there is little homework this holiday break... but you are helping kids get a hand up at life in so many ways too.

The holidays tend to offer us a deeper reflection - a sense that we should all be giving and lend a hand.

You should also know - the needs are just as great in our community, when it's 85 degrees on a sunny July day. And, you're helping then too, because your gift works all year round.

On behalf of United Way - happy holidays, and have a great new year.

Literacy and Mentoring

I was thrilled to read, this morning, about First Niagara's $500,000 investment to make sure mentors are prevalent in our public schools.

Studies show that drug use, violent behavior, and school absenteeism are higher when kids don't have a mentor. Mentors are a big deal - both in school, and out of school.

Big Brothers Big Sisters has done a lot of research to show this. We fund their mentoring program - they do such incredible work.

You may not know this, but United Way's single largest investment into helping kids goes to before, afterschool, and summer programs that offer mentors, among other things. (Technically, they're called "youth development" programs - but that term is a little too nebulous in the real world. So, I stick with afterschool programs.)

We support them at the Community Place of Greater Rochester, the Urban League, the Boys and Girls Club, and many other places.

Through these programs, each year more than 24,000 kids get the mentors, tutors, and support they need to stay in school. And - literacy is on the agenda.

At the Boys and Girls Club, they have what's called the Acclerated Reader program. Close to 300 kids are in this program - and over the past two years, they read and passed quizzes on more than 10,000 books. For real - 10,000 books - that's amazing.

Seven out of every ten of the kids increased their reading levels by at least one grade level. Many - close to two grade levels.

It's something to think about. Congrats to First Niagara - what a great move.

The film shoot has wrapped up

If you’ve ever seen a United Way film during the campaign, you may have noticed that there are very few leaves on the trees in the outdoor footage. That’s because we shoot it in the fall.

We just wrapped up our 2007 video last month. I traveled to see the Lemcke family—incredible people. Doug, who is 40, has ALS –or what many know as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. We shared the afternoon with him, his wife Jeanne, his mother Bernadette, and Christie his coordinator from CP Rochester. That's Doug and Jeanne in this picture.

We featured Doug and his family in the film this year because United Way’s funding essentially helps pay for a technology device that allows him to communicate with people, and for a coordinator to regularly visit his home to help him and his family with it.

As I understand it, the voice can be one of the first affecting those with ALS. Doug cannot speak much anymore. He can say “I love you” to his wife. Often, though, he uses this communication device you see in the picture. He talks with her through it, he helps his kids with their math homework. He can go on the internet, write poetry, and so much more. It’s amazing what technology can do.

Nothing can do justice to show how brave and wonderful the Lemckes are. Not the film, not the pictures, certainly not this blog. I just consider myself really lucky to have spent time with them. We need to enjoy every moment we have. It’s all I could think about after I left the film shoot. I headed home, picked up my kids, and worked on doing just that. 

Red Cross in the news...

If you read the paper this morning, you may have noticed an article about American Red Cross Blood Services getting fined for a procedural issue.

I thought it might be helpful to let you know that Blood Services is a totally separate entity from our fundraising partner, the Greater Rochester Red Cross.

I didn’t realize this at first—but they are actually distinctly different organizations.

So, if you give to the annual United Way/Red Cross Campaign, your donation goes directly to the Greater Rochester Red Cross—which takes care of local disaster services and a lot of other great programs. Even if you designate to the Red Cross, it’s the same deal—it goes right to our local chapter.

I called our friends at the Red Cross this morning. Regardless of the different organizations, they assured us any donations to the Red Cross will never, ever go to pay the Blood Services fines. What the FDA was concerned about was procedural in nature, and the blood collected was not a concern.

The Greater Rochester Red Cross has been a fundraising partner of United Way for decades. I believe it was the 1960’s when—instead of competing with each other—we decided to team up to raise money once a year (in the spring.)

They’re a great group of people, and they do incredible work helping people in times of crisis. So – don’t panic – our local chapter has not done anything to be nervous about. If you want to check out their web site, you can visit it at www.rochesterredcross.org.

Write in with questions, or post comments if you would like to share your thoughts with us… thanks.

United Way actually has a blog?

You betcha. Finally, we’ve entered the new age of technology—so, without much ado—welcome to the You Keep it Real blog.

So, what’s “You Keep it Real?” In a nutshell, people have been telling us they need to hear from us all year long—not just during our campaign, when there may be someone in your workplace, or a friend asking you to donate.

We teamed up with a group of really bright people in town to find the best way to let you, and everyone else, know about what happens the whole ‘rest’ of the year, as a result of our campaign.

You Keep it Real. Basically, it means you’re the one who keeps all the good and the help real. You’ll start to see thought-provoking ads now, and all kinds of really cool and meaningful features that will showcase this.

(In case you wondered why we didn’t use You Make it Real – it’s because the word “make” implies it wasn’t there before… so it would mean you’re making it start. Not so – you’re keeping and evolving the good stuff. We liked “keep.”)

I almost forgot. The good folks at our web company, Auragen, have been helping me learn more about the power of blogging. They suggested that I have a photo of myself on this blog, or at least, a United Way logo so that we’ll have a strong host identifier in this.

Here’s the deal. This blog really has absolutely nothing to do with me (I’m the host – that’s about it), and a logo is just way too corporate and sends the wrong message.

So, I think I have a good compromise. I'll use a picture of me with the You Keep it Real billboard. Because, truly, this blog is about you.

We’ve got big plans for this blog. Soon, you’ll be hearing real life stories from people who work at local agencies, and seeing pictures about what’s happening in their lives. The day to day, real life elements that our funded programs—and you—face and fix.

We’re looking forward to some great conversations and dialogue.

Thanks for reading this. I hope you join us in this blog – write in, ask questions, learn more, and make a difference.