Seniors in Springerville, Eagar and surrounding towns have missed visiting the Round Valley Community Services and Adult Center since it stopped hosting lunchtime meals and in-person programs last year due to the pandemic.
In fact, Community Services Director Robin Aguero says she gets calls every week from seniors asking when they can come back.
That long wait might be over soon, as the center – a partner agency of UWNA – works to slowly reopen in-person programs.
Key to the success of the United Way of Northern Arizona is our Board of Directors. We are fortunate that in our 50+ years, this organization has always been led by volunteer leaders who keenly understand the needs of the communities we serve.
Recently, we held our organizational meeting where we named a new Board Chair, installed the 2021 officers, and welcomed a new member.
Happy New Year’s Eve!
I wanted to first and foremost send you well wishes for the New Year. It’s my hope that 2021 brings you and yours much happiness and good health.
I also wanted to take a moment to provide you with an update on the United Way of Northern Arizona’s annual campaign and our plans for the coming year.
For most of 2020, we focused on mitigating the economic impact of Covid-19. That work will continue because even with the vaccine rollouts, we are still facing the often devastating consequences of the pandemic in our communities.
When things feel like they are falling apart, we pull together. We forge partnerships and put aside the bureaucracies and red tape so we can make an impact fast.
Nowhere has this need for collaboration been more evident than during our COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve told you a lot about how we’ve forwarded your gifts to the agencies through our COVID-19 Fund, but today we wanted to talk about some partnerships that are making it easier to get PPE to groups here in northern Arizona.
The Coconino County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and the United Way of Northern Arizona have been working with our state VOAD organization and Phoenix-based partners like the Valley of the Sun United Way and Phoenix ToolBank to secure masks, gowns, hand sanitizer and other supplies for northern Arizona organizations.
We are looking forward to this evening’s premier of The Library That Dolly Built, a documentary about how the Dolly Parton Imagination Library started as an effort to honor her father and grew into one of the largest non-governmental literacy programs in the world.
The film, being streamed on Facebook, will be followed by a live Q&A session with Dolly Parton. (We hear she might even sing a song.)
Dolly Parton, simply put, is a legend. An icon. A cultural touchstone. She’s had phenomenal commercial and critical success. She’s earned an “EGOT,” winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. Her career spans a half century and she’s still going strong. Not bad for a kid born in a one-room cabin in the mountains of east Tennessee.
But before he passed away, her father told her that probably the most important thing she’s ever done was to start her “Imagination Library.”
Nationally, only 3 in 10 students entering the 4th grade are proficient readers.(1) That’s disheartening enough, but here’s the really scary statistic: children who aren’t reading proficiently by the 4th grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.(2)
Instilling a love of reading is the key to success for our children. It’s the foundation upon which their education is built.
That’s why United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) is proud to partner with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) to make sure children in Coconino, Navajo and Apache counties discover the world of books in those critical years before they enter school.
According to the Association for Supportive Child Care, almost 1 in 3 young children in Arizona live in poverty. More than half of low-income children are not prepared for kindergarten. That is not only a tragedy for the present; it means their, and our, future is at risk too.
Because the majority of children who start behind, stay behind. They are less likely to be ready for kindergarten or to read at grade level during elementary school; they have more behavioral issues; they have higher high school dropout rates; and without their diploma, their economic prospects are dimmed.
Sometimes as adults, we make things too complicated when they really are quite simple. Like why it’s so important to Live United.
That’s why we asked our friend (and United Way “spokes-kid”) Priah to break it all down and show how your donation to our Annual Campaign changes lives and makes our community stronger.
She has props. She has costumes. She thinks she needs a latte, but we’re not so sure we agree.
Take a break and enjoy this video!
What do W. L. Gore & Associates, Wells Fargo, Northern Arizona University, Kinney Construction, Nestle Purina, the City of Flagstaff and Navajo County all have in common?
They are a handful of the companies and organizations that have lent their best and brightest to serve on the United Way of Northern Arizona Board of Directors.
This year we are proud to say that we have 100% participation by our 22-member board in this year’s Annual Campaign.
Why give to the United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) during the annual campaign? Because in this extraordinarily challenging year, your help is needed more than ever.
“United Way stepped up for our community as we’ve all dealt with the consequences of COVID-19,” says UWNA Board Chair Janet Dean in the video below. “Now we ‘re asking you to step up and help United Way during our annual campaign.”
Shortly after it became clear this spring that coronavirus was going to change life as we know it, the United Way of Northern Arizona created the COVID-19 Fund to help nonprofits as they addressed the pandemic.
Thanks to your generosity, UWNA has distributed more than $379,866 to local groups addressing the economic fallout from COVID-19. Typically these grants are for large, round numbers that help these groups as they deal with increased demand for basic needs.
But today we wanted to talk about a smaller, and very specific, grant that is changing lives in the Grand Canyon area: a check for $4,717.29 to the Grand Canyon Food Pantry.
A recent report from Save the Children further proves how location can profoundly affect a child’s prospects in this country, and why it is vital that we continue to Step Up for Our Youth in northern Arizona.
The report, called “The Land of Inopportunity,” is a part of the nonprofit’s annual evaluation of how children are faring around the globe. This year, however, Save the Children added a powerful tool that allows regions to see how they measure up – an online interactive map ranking U.S. counties by how well they prioritized and protect children.
The ranking is determined by four factors that “end” childhood: poor education, malnutrition, teenage pregnancy and early death due to ill health, accident, murder or suicide.
At the United Way of Northern Arizona, we Step Up for Our Youth because we believe in the power and potential they have. Recent events, however, have shown how far we need to go to create a world in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect, enjoys a level playing field, and receives equal justice under the law.
A mix of racism, prejudice and privilege threatens future generations unless it is dealt with now. In this, as in so many things, children will learn from what we choose to do – or the actions we fail to take. To Live United, we need to act on the values we hold dear by helping our youth understand what racism is and how to combat it. In this way, we ensure a better and more equal future for our community and our children.
Coconino County has suffered greatly from the coronavirus pandemic. Our residents only make up about 2% of the state, but we have 6% of the COVID-19 cases and 10% of the fatalities attributed to the disease – the highest death rate in Arizona.
Add to that the economic impact of the disease. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the four industries that have been hardest hit in terms of unemployment during this time are hospitality, retail, education/health care services, and government. Those also are the sectors that make up the bulk of our jobs in northern Arizona.
The demands on our nonprofits are unprecedented. Which is why United Way of Northern Arizona established the COVID-19 Fund two months ago, and why we are teaming up with Coconino County to lead the COVID-19 Social Safety-Net Services Coalition.
The United Way of Northern Arizona and Coconino County have developed a COVID-19 Social Safety-Net Services Coalition Resource Guide.
The Social Safety-Net Services Coalition is a county-wide coalition of safety-net service providers who are working together to lead, support and coordinate Housing, Food and Emergency Cash Assistance in response to Covid-19.
The guide includes information on organizations providing Spanish-language assistance including the Circle of Page, the Page Domestic Violence Center, St. Vincent de Paul’s food boxes, utility and other services; and Williams Food Pantry and More.
Catholic Charities Helping Families, Vets, Homeless & Children During COVID-19 In case you missed it, Catholic Charities, the nonprofit recently named Flagstaff’s “Organization of the Year,” wanted to share a message with those of you who have given to the…
Threaded Together Using UWNA COVID-19 Grant to Create Protective Masks One of the first grant applications the United Way of Northern Arizona received after starting the COVID-19 Fund last month was a modest request from Threaded Together. This nonprofit was…
During this pandemic, we have been advised to stay at home to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But what does that mean for people who are homeless or worry that they could lose their shelter during this uncertain time.
The United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) recently awarded a total of $45,000 to Flagstaff Shelter Services and The Salvation Army, front line local responders dealing with the issue of providing shelter or keeping people in their homes.
It is with regret that we must announce that the United Way of Northern Arizona and our partners have decided to close our VITA sites for the remainder of the 2019 tax season
United Way of Northern Arizona has recently awarded a $50,000 grant from its COVID-19 Fund to the Flagstaff Family Food Center (FFFC), a nonprofit meeting the challenges of COVID-19 by adapting how it provides services while dramatically expanding its services to those in need.
Click here for the entire e-newsletter UWNA Launches COVID-19 Fund Hello, We at the United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) hope that this message finds you well during these turbulent times. Today we launched the UWNA COVID-19 Fund, an…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter VITA Services Suspended Through April 4 Due to COVID-19 Concerns The United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) announced today that Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services in Flagstaff, Williams, Tuba City, Page, Fredonia, Whiteriver,…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter VITA Helping Residents on Taxes United Way of Northern Arizona and its community partners are once again helping our friends and neighbors save significantly on their taxes through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter NAU Students Step Up for Youth Northern Arizona University (NAU) is hosting the next generation of volunteers and philanthropists who are stepping up for our youththrough their work with the United Way. The…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Flagstaff answered the call. Because of hundreds of volunteers throughout our community, we now have thousands of sandbags ready to go in case of flooding as a result of the Museum Fire. We…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Ways to Help During the Museum Fire Good morning. Just a week ago this Sunday, the Museum Fire began. The blaze has scorched close to 2,000 acres just north of Flagstaff in the…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter KinderCamp™ Supply Drive This year’s KinderCamp™ classes have just wrapped up, and the program got a terrific graduation present – a $20,000 donation from Wells Fargo. “We understand the importance of investing in…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter KinderCamp™ – the one-month “boot camp” that ensures that every child is academically, emotionally and socially ready for kindergarten – begins next week in Flagstaff. These classrooms of eager young learners at Thomas,…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter FLAGSTAFF — In about a month, hundreds of Pre-K children will be participating in one of United Way of Northern Arizona’s signature initiatives, a program that ensures that youngsters entering kindergarten this fall are academically,…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Q&A with Carol Dykes Carol Dykes is a 20-year veteran of United Way of Northern Arizona and has served as Vice President of the organization for several years. Last month, with the departure…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter VITA Volunteer Spotlight: Cynthia Mackin The story that sticks out for VITA volunteer Cynthia Mackin this year happened a couple of weeks ago, when a brother and sister in their early 20s came in…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Thanks to all of you who came out to be part of our 2019 Recognition Eventat Little America last week. It was wonderful seeing you there, and we were grateful for the opportunity…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Our annual Recognition Event is just one week from today. We hope to see you on March 6 when we honor our workplace campaign coordinators, volunteers, partners and outgoing President & CEO Steve…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Leadership Transition Dear Friends, Change is never easy. I have served as the President and CEO of the United Way of Northern Arizona for the past four years and it has been one…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter You are cordially invited to the United Way of Northern Arizona Recognition Event. We’ll be gathering at the Little America Hotel on Wednesday, March 6 at 11:30 am to celebrate YOU, our wonderful…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter VITA Dates Announced United Way of Northern Arizona is again offering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in several communities to provide FREE help with filing 2018 income tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter UWNA Establishes Fund to Benefit Workers Impacted by Government Shutdown United Way of Northern Arizona has established a special fund to benefit federal workers, contractors and others being impacted by the ongoing partial shutdown…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Greetings! I hope you and your nearest and dearest are enjoying a wonderful holiday season. I wanted to reach out to you personally to ask for your support to sustain the Dolly Parton…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Happy Thanksgiving We couldn’t do it without you. Together, we are uniting for an educated and thriving community. Together we are promoting early childhood education, feeding the hungry and helping create financial stability for…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter We cordially invite you to join us as we kick off the holiday season with two events next week that will light up your night, give you a head start on your holiday…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter The United Way of Northern Arizona is looking for some fun-loving volunteers to help us with two events this month: the Little America Holiday of Lights on Wednesday, November 14, and the Mountain Campus Holiday Arts &…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter DONATE HERE At the heart of the United Way of Northern Arizona’s annual campaign is the Community Impact Fund, a volunteer-driven process that invests your donations into the proven programs, partnerships and initiatives that are…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Another Record Year for VITA It has been another record year for the United Way of Northern Arizona’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance(VITA) program. This year, 113 IRS-certified volunteers filed 3,268 returns for residents of…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter ‘I Hope This Program Will Always Be Around’ 2018 KinderCamp™ Scores High with Kids, Parents One of the most rewarding parts of each summer’s KinderCamp™ is that day when dozens of children in our region…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter See KinderCamp™ in Action It has been 14 years since United Way of Northern Arizona and its community and school partners launched the KinderCamp™ program. In that time, this four-week summer boot-camp has helped…
United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) is working with its agency and government partners to help local residents coping with the destruction being caused by the Tinder Fire. The Tinder Fire has burned more than 16,000 acres in the Blue Ridge…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Thanks to all of you who joined us recently for our Annual Meeting and Recognition event. We celebrated that this year’s campaign has netted more than $1.3 million so far. (If you haven’t…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Northern Arizona University is helping create the next generation of philanthropic pioneers by establishing a Student Chapter of the United Way at NAU. The student founders of the organization are part of the university’s new Non-Profit…
VITA Dates Announced United Way of Northern Arizona is again offering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This initiative provides FREE help with filing 2017 income taxes from IRS-certified volunteers for households with incomes under $85,000. Depending on the community, tax filers can…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Happy Thanksgiving Why We Are So Thankful for YOU We could not do it without you. The United Way of Northern Arizona is truly grateful to you for helping make lasting changes in…
Click here for the entire e-newsletter Kick Off the Season & Live United Two Family-Friendly Events to Benefit UWNA We cordially invite you to join us as we kick off the holiday season with two family-friendly events next week…
The United Way of Northern Arizona improves lives by mobilizing communities to make lasting changes in community conditions. Great things happen when we#LiveUnited. Wildflower Hosts Fundraiser for United Way Join Us on August 2nd Join us on Wednesday, August 2 at…
The United Way of Northern Arizona improves lives by mobilizing communities to make lasting changes in community conditions. Great things happen when we#LiveUnited. The VITA Initiative: Changing Lives There’s a lot of great statistics showing the impact of the Volunteer Income…
FLAGSTAFF — The mission of the United Way of Northern Arizona – to improve the lives of our residents by mobilizing communities – could not be done without our agency partners. They are the front lines in our collective effort to…
FLAGSTAFF — “Read On Flagstaff,” a literacy project within the larger Read On Arizona network of organizations and agencies, is seeking families in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Flagstaff to participate in the program. A Collaborative Literacy Project facilitated by the United Way…
The Flagstaff Back to School Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 11 at the Flagstaff Family Food Center — Food Bank and Kitchen, 1903 N. Second St., Flagstaff. Sponsored by the Flagstaff Family Food Center, the second annual event will feature more…
