LIVING UNITED2009, ISSUE I

The economic turmoil of the last few months has led to an unprecedented level of need in our community, and exposed some of the underlying problems we have been struggling with for years. And though we may hear bad news every day about specific challenges, it’s often difficult to understand the big picture.

United Way of Central Ohio has always been a place where volunteer community leaders could gather to share their views and experiences and try to understand the big picture. United Way brings together more than 300 volunteer experts with diverse backgrounds and professions to guide our work, and sponsors the research needed to understand community conditions and make effective decisions.

This broad perspective gives our volunteers a unique view on the interconnectedness of the challenges that face us, and helps us develop a holistic approach to addressing them. Based on this broad perspective, United Way concentrates its work in the areas of education, income, health and home, recognizing that improvements in each of these areas bolster progress in all of them.

Part of our mission is to share the information we find with our supporters and inspire each person to be a catalyst for change in our community. With that in mind, here is a look into the current state of some key areas of concern for central Ohio. Later this year United Way plans to announce concrete ten-year goals that address each of these interconnected areas.

Just as the problems we face in each of these areas are connected, the solutions must be as well. We must understand the big picture in order to create effective, lasting community-level change. United Way of Central Ohio is dedicated to bringing the people and resources together to make that change happen.

ThE BIG PIcTUrE for cENTraL ohIo: GrowING NEEDS ThaT rEqUIrE a BoLD rESPoNSE

EDUcaTIoN The direct relationship between high school graduation and higher income levels was made very clear in a report issued in April by America’s Promise Alliance, a national group that advocates for at-risk children. The report shows that the median annual income for a high school graduate in Columbus is $25,420 – more than double the $11,000 median income a dropout makes. This gap is much wider than in other major metropolitan areas studied, showing that a high school diploma is even more important for success in central Ohio than in other areas of the country.

INcomE Even before the economic downturn began, central Ohio faced the problem of significant increases in the number of working poor. A Brookings Institution study found that in the first half of this decade the number of people living in central Ohio neighborhoods where at least 40% of the residents qualified for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) increased by 2.4%, or over 6,100 people. The EITC is only available for working households making less than $40,000 a year. This increase caused central Ohio to be ranked 26th worst out of the 58 metropolitan areas surveyed.

Another indicator is the rise in the number of people in Franklin County receiving food stamps. According to a report issued this January by Children’s Defense Fund – Ohio the number of households with children in Franklin County that rely on food stamps to meet basic needs doubled in the past seven years from 14% to 28%.

hEaLTh Many people are unable to afford the care they need to stay healthy. The 2008 Ohio Family Health Survey found that 17% of Ohioans age 18 to 64 are uninsured, an increase of 2% over the previous survey conducted in 2004. Over three-quarters of these uninsured people live in households that make below 300% of the federal poverty line, or about $55,000 for a family of three, and cannot afford to contribute to health care without sacrificing basic needs.

Rapidly rising obesity rates are also adding to health problems. Approximately 25% of children and 60% of adults in Franklin County are overweight, and a recent national study found that the fastest rising segment of obese children are in the 2- to 5-year old age group. Since we know that obesity is a major contributing factor to serious health conditions like diabetes and heart disease, this preventable trend is likely to lead to even greater future burdens on our health care system if we do not take action.

homE Vacant and abandoned housing is a major problem for central Ohio. There are now more than 5,000 vacant homes in Columbus. This number is up sharply over the past two years with the rise in foreclosures, but even before the foreclosure crisis thousands of vacant properties helped lead to the decline of neighborhoods like Franklinton and Weinland Park. These abandoned houses are often havens for criminals and impediments to neighborhood groups working to improve the places where they live. The crime that accompanies these vacant properties leads to stark statistics like the fact that a child who lives in Weinland Park is five times more likely to be a victim of crime that the average for a child in Ohio.

I want to begin with a simple “thank you.” If you are receiving this newsletter you are a friend and supporter of United Way of Central Ohio, and through that support you are making a big difference in the lives of so many people in need right now. As we continue to navigate through the most difficult economy many of us have ever experienced, you have remained steadfast in your support of our important work.

By any measure central Ohio is one of the most generous communities in our country. Despite the economic challenges we all face, our annual campaign once again raised over $51 million to advance the common good in our community. We should all be proud of that achievement.

But the past year has also been a time of shared sacrifice. As needs have risen the ability to give has decreased for many people, and that has led to hard choices. Like the leaders of many other local organizations, I have made the painful decisions to cut the pay of dedicated employees and to eliminate some positions altogether.

Reduced resources means we cannot do as much as we would like, but it motivates us to strive for even greater efficiency and effectiveness. And lean times remind me of just how important United Way is to our community.

United Way of Central Ohio has always been dedicated to helping people meet basic needs like food and shelter, and as the number of people who need these services has grown, the programs we fund have been there to help them. We are proud of that role and it will always be a part of our mission.

UNITED way moVES forwarD wITh NEw ProGram SELEcTIoN ProcESS

2 LIVING UNITED

On May 15th, United Way of Central Ohio took the next major step in the process of selecting programs that will most effectively create lasting change in our community.

For the first time in its history, United Way opened its funding process to all 501c3 nonprofit health and human service agencies in Franklin County. The aim behind this competitive process is to ensure the best programs that support education, income, health and home in central Ohio are funded.

The response was overwhelming. In December 2008, United Way received 376 proposals from 117 agencies requesting program funding.

Total requested funds were more than double what United Way has distributed in the past. On May 15th United Way notified 89 agencies, including 28 new potential partners, that their programs had been selected to move on to the next phase of the process, which requires a more detailed proposal.

Teams of volunteers and staff will analyze each detailed proposal thoroughly and make final recommendations to United Way’s board in November. New program funding will begin January 1, 2010.

This process is the culmination of years of thoughtful analysis and discussion by more than 300 volunteers on how United Way can be the most effective agent for change in central Ohio.

However, I believe you support United Way not only because you want to help meet today’s needs, but because you know that the most effective way to move our community forward is to have a broad vision for the future. A vision that recognizes the challenges we face are interrelated and our response to them must take a holistic approach to succeed -- a vision that encompasses both today and tomorrow.

United Way shares that vision and we structure our work so that our resources are invested in programs that not only meet immediate needs, but also create the greatest lasting change.

Through careful research and the expert input of over 300 volunteers, we have crafted strategies that address the four key areas of education, income, health and home. We believe if we can ensure everyone in central Ohio has a quality education, stable income, good health and a safe place to call home, more people will reach their potential and our community will thrive.

Making our vision a reality is a big, bold endeavor, but it is worth every hour of our time and every measure of our dedication. It is a shared purpose we can all rally around.

Though we are in the midst of a difficult time, I am confident we are on a path that will lead to long-term success for our community. Thank you for your continued generosity and support and for everything you do to LIVE UNITED.

Janet E. JacksonPresident and CEOUnited Way of Central Ohio

PrESIDENT’S UPDaTE

UNITED way ThaNkS rETIrING BoarD mEmBErS aND wELcomES NEw mEmBErS

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christie angel is vice president of the legal and government affairs firm Sean P. Dunn & Associates, where she is involved in all aspects of client representation in legislative, procurement, administrative, and community relations matters. Previously, she served as director of External and Government Affairs for AT&T, and as Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Angel was recently appointed by Governor Ted Strickland to the Public Utilities Nominating Council as a member representing the business community. An active community volunteer, Angel serves on the boards of directors of both the Capitol Square Foundation and Leadership Columbus, and is Chair of the YWCA of Columbus.

Joseph hamrock is president and chief operating officer, AEP Ohio, which serves approximately 1.44 million customers in Ohio and West Virginia. He has authority for distribution operations and a wide range of customer and regulatory relationships. Hamrock joined AEP in 1986 and has served in many senior positions during his career. He received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1985 from Youngstown State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a Sloan fellow. He is a registered professional engineer in Ohio.

Jordan miller serves as president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank (Central Ohio), which has $3.6 billion in assets. He is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the bank. Mr. Miller is very active in the community. He is a member of the boards of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the Lincoln Theatre Association, the Ohio Bar Association, and the Bank Insurance Securities Association. He is vice chair elect of the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges. He is a former member of the board of St. Stephen’s Community House and Huckleberry House.

craig morford is chief compliance officer for Cardinal Health, Inc. He is responsible for ensuring compliance with the internal policies and external regulations that govern the products, services and operations of Cardinal Health, a Fortune 20 corporation. Morford joined Cardinal Health in May 2008 after more than 20 years of distinguished service with the United States Department of Justice. During his tenure, he served as First Assistant United States Attorney in Cleveland, interim United States Attorney in Detroit and interim United States Attorney in Nashville. In July 2007, he was appointed acting Deputy Attorney General by President Bush.

kathleen murphy, president and founder of MurphyEpson Advertising/Public Relations, has worked in the field of advertising/public relations/journalism for 35 years, establishing her own agency in 1989. Today MurphyEpson is one of the top 20 agencies in central Ohio with billings exceeding $1.5 million. Murphy has held a variety of communications positions in her career including: television/radio reporter, press secretary for a gubernatorial candidate, and executive in a local advertising agency. She has served on the boards of Action for Children, the Columbus Urban League, Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation and the YWCA of Columbus, as well as the United Way of Central Ohio Safety Vision Council.

The United way of central ohio Board of Trustees thanked two retiring board members for their years of service and welcomed five new members this spring.

Gene T. harris is superintendent of Columbus City Schools. She served on the board from 2002 to 2009, and was a member of the Governance Committee. Harris remains an active member of United Way’s Key Club, and helped lead the group as co-chair of the 2006, 2007 and 2008 campaigns.

Susan Tomasky is executive vice president, Shared Services, at American Electric Power. She served two three-year terms on the board beginning in 2003. Tomasky was a member of the Governance, Nominating and Audit Committees.

UNITED way of cENTraL ohIo’S cELEBraTIoN of ExcELLENcE hoNorS oUTSTaNDING orGaNIzaTIoNS

On May 4th United Way of Central Ohio presented awards to six organizations for the excellence of their campaign efforts at our Celebration of Excellence held at the Columbus Convention Center. american Electric Power (aEP) / IBEw Local 1466 received the highest honor, The community Impact award of Excellence, which recognizes overall achievement in corporate and volunteer philanthropy.

Award judges found that AEP excels in all aspects of their campaign including strategic performance, leadership giving, and employee education and volunteerism. AEP’s employee-driven campaign has done an excellent job of communicating the work of United Way, and has experienced significant growth over the past three years. The company’s emphasis on encouraging employees to give at leadership levels has resulted in a high level of these important gifts. This is the fifth year The Community Impact Award of Excellence has been presented. Previous winners are Nationwide, UPS, Deloitte & Touche and Bruner Corporation.

4 LIVING UNITED

The five other awards recognize accomplishments in specific areas:

Employee Volunteerism Bruner Corporation

Employee Education Emerson Network Power, Liebert Division

Leadership Giving Ernst & Young

Strategic Performance KPMG LLP

Best first-Time campaign Turner Construction Company

The awards were presented by Ann Pizzuti, chair of the United Way of Central Ohio Board of Trustees, Michael Morris, chairman, president and CEO, AEP, who hosted the event, and Greg Overmyer, president and CEO, Willis HRH, who served as the 2008 General Campaign Chair. “Today’s award winners represent the best of central Ohio,” said Janet E. Jackson, president and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio. “They are agents for change whose dedication and creativity have inspired the generosity of thousands of donors and volunteers.”

Overmyer also announced that the 2008 campaign raised a total of $51.8 million. The campaign’s ambitious goal was $56.1 million. “Even in a time of historic economic challenges, the United Way of Central Ohio campaign once again raised more than $51 million to advance the common good in our community,” said Overmyer. “That is a tremendous achievement, and all of our donors deserve sincere thanks for their contributions.” Overmyer thanked Labor Co-chair Rocco Evangelista, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Number 78, and Phil Urban, president and CEO of Grange Insurance who served as Leading Edge Chair. Leading Edge is a group of companies that pioneer innovative campaign techniques and share best practices. Celebration of Excellence host Michael Morris announced that Dave Daniel, vice president of Operations for Giant Eagle, will serve as the 2009 General Campaign Chair, Rocco Evangelista will continue in his role as Labor Co-Chair, and Randy Sleeper, president and CEO of Bruner Corporation will serve as Leading Edge Chair.

Dave Daniel2009 General Campaign Chair

Greg overmyer2008 General Campaign Chair

rocco Evangelista2008 & 2009 Labor Co-chair

randy Sleeper2009 Leading Edge Chair

LIVEUNITEDcENTraLohIo.orG 5

community Impact award of Excellence american Electric Power (aEP) / IBEw Local 1466 Mike Morris (second from left) congratulates (left to right): John Biskner, Chuck Tippie, Brad Signet and Barry Schumann

Employee Volunteerism – Bruner corporation(from left) Mark Klingler, Rocky Carr, Sandra Patton, Micah Alexander, Shirley Fradette, Kristi Laurent, Autumn Owdom, Randy Sleeper, Mark Wenger and Mike Stemen

Employee Education – Emerson Network Power, Liebert Division(from left) Frank Bibens, Tina Hampton, Amanda Dixon,Melissa Shockcor, John Judge and Chuck Spears

Leadership Giving – Ernst & young(back row, from left) Eric Schreiber, Tyler Schleich (front row, from left) Femi Adeyanju, Heather Sargeant, Teresa Gossman, Celina Hardy, Terracina Pavkov, Chris McFarland, Craig Marshall

Strategic Performance – kPmG LLP(from left) Jason Recard, Tom Daugherty, Claire Lacey, Paul Phillips, Christine Locher, Amanda Ackerman, Jenese Boyd, Michael Nelson, Clyde Pehl

Best first-Time campaign – Turner construction company(from left) Maria Washington (United Way), Kyle Rooney and Susan Vosper

yLG YLG wrapped up its 2008 campaign by welcoming 177 new, and 392 returning members. A highlight of the 2008 campaign year was the presentation of the Robert S. Crane Young Philanthropist Award to Kevin E. Walker, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for American Electric Power. Kevin was recognized for his many efforts to improve our community including his key role in forming and leading Impact Community Action, an organization that works to expand economic opportunity, and empower low-income people to become self-sufficient.

YLG also announced the team that will lead the 2009 campaign as co-chairs:

• Dennis Duchene - Dominion Homes, Inc.

• Chad Readler - Jones Day

• John Brown - Deloitte

• Qiana Williams - Limited Brands

TocqUEVILLE SocIETyTocqueville Society once again stepped up to help United Way advance the common good by raising $5.6 million in the 2008 campaign. To publically recognize the continued generosity of Tocqueville Society’s 272 members, United Way of Central Ohio produced an ad that ran in the May 15th edition of Business First.

In June, United Way will ask Tocqueville Society members via email for their thoughts on community building activities. And to better serve members who like to communicate through the growing world of social media, Tocqueville Society has created its own Facebook page at UWCO Tocqueville Society.

cINqUEfoIL fELLowShIPCinquefoil Fellowship thanks co-chairs Teri Berliner of American Electric Power and Bill Calvert of Merrill Lynch for their leadership during the 2008 campaign. Under Bill and Teri’s guidance, the Cinquefoil Fellowship grew by 88 new members, which represents more than $450,000 for United Way’s programs and initiatives. Bill and Teri have agreed to continue as co-chairs for the 2009-2010 Cinquefoil Fellowship campaign.

kEy cLUBKey Club thanked Dr. Gene Harris, Stan Harris and Larry Seward for their dedication and support as Key Club co-chairs since 2006. Under their leadership, Key Club celebrated its tenth anniversary as one of the premiere African American giving groups in the country,

Tocqueville Society: Donors who give $10,000 or more

cinquefoil fellowshipDonors who give $5,000 - $9,999

LEaDErShIP

GIVINGUnited Way of Central Ohio’s Leadership Giving groups offer the opportunity for donors to learn more about how their contributions are helping improve lives in central Ohio, develop meaningful service projects and network with fellow donors.

young Leadership GroupDonors 45 years or younger who invest $2,500 or more

key clubAfrican Americans who invest $1,000 or more

raising more than seven million dollars since its inception. During the 2008 campaign 98 new members joined Key Club, bringing total membership to 456.

Key Club also welcomed Peggy Simmons, Manager of Renewable Energy for American Electric Power, and Bill Darby, Human Resources Learning and Development Manager for UPS, as the new Key Club co-chairs, and congratulated members, Aaron L. Granger of Schottenstein Zox & Dunn, Janelle N. Simmons of Limited Brands, and Mark Hatcher of Baker Hostetler, on being named to this year’s Business First Forty Under 40 list. Aaron, Janelle and Mark are also graduates of the African American Leadership Academy.

contacts:

key club and cinquefoil fellowshipTasha Booker, 614.227.3082tasha.booker@uwcentralohio.org

yLGVanessa VanAtta, 614.227.8715vanessa.vanatta@uwcentralohio.org

Tocqueville SocietyKatie Matney, 614.227.8706katie.matney@uwcentralohio.org

6 LIVING UNITED

Janet E. Jackson and Young Philanthropist Award recipient, Kevin E. Walker

2009 Key Club co-chairs, Bill Darby and Peggy Simmons

young Leadership GroupDonors 45 years or younger who invest $2,500 or more

key clubAfrican Americans who invest $1,000 or more

UNITED way NEwS

GENNExT UPDaTE United Way of Central Ohio is engaging a group of young vibrant volunteers through its young professionals group, GenNext. This group is made up of more than 400 community-minded volunteers who are interested in serving central Ohio. In October 2008, United Way of Central Ohio launched GenNext, a group where young community-minded volunteers could come together and help advance the common good. GenNext has now completed five service projects centered around United Way’s priorities of education, income, health and home, and membership has surpassed 400. GenNext members have provided free tax preparation for low-income families as part of the Franklin County EITC Coalition; collected and wrapped books and toys for at-risk children during the holidays; removed graffiti in Franklinton; planted an urban garden in Weinland Park that should provide

fraNkLIN coUNTy EITc coaLITIoN ExPaNDS frEE Tax PrEParaTIoN SErVIcE

The results for the latest tax season are in and The Franklin County EITC Coalition once again greatly increased the number of low- and moderate-income people it served with free tax preparation services. In just three years of operation, the Coalition has more than doubled the returns filed from less than 2,000 in 2007 to over 4,000 in 2009. Likewise, the amount of refunds has risen from less than $2 million in 2007 to over $4.6 million this year. Additionally, the Coalition estimates that it saved its clients over $950,000 in tax preparation and refund anticipation loan fees.

eitc earn it. keep it. save it.

Franklin County EITC Coalition

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UNITED way INcrEaSES ITS oNLINE oUTrEach In 2007, United Way of Central Ohio began using social media to engage donors and volunteers and communicate about our work. We have posted advocacy alerts calling for quick action on the microblogging site Twitter; regularly post our latest event photos on Flickr, and we’ve produced more than 30 web videos which can be viewed on YouTube and Vimeo. We’ve also launched multiple Facebook pages over the past two years, and our latest fan page has garnered so many friends that we rank at the top among United Way organizations nationwide. To continue to take advantage of the power of social media, we recently launched an advertising campaign on Facebook, and one on Weatherbug, which reaches over 100,000 people in central Ohio. If you are not a United Way fan on Facebook, just search for our page under “UWCO,” join us, and keep up on our latest news. You can also follow our tweets on Twitter by searching for “UWCO” and signing up.

40,000 pounds of fresh vegetables for Faith Mission’s community kitchen, and helped clean up downtown neighborhoods.

On Saturday, July 11th, GenNext volunteers will tackle their largest service project to date – a house renovation for Central Community House. Members will spend the afternoon painting, landscaping and removing interior fixtures of an 1890’s home and help transform it into the new Center for Art and Community, a designated community arts space for residents on the Near East Side. GenNext is inviting other volunteers to join this project. If you want help with the renovation alongside central Ohio’s next generation of leaders who are working to improve our community though

volunteering, please contact Vanessa Van Atta at 614.227.8715 or vanessa.vanatta@uwcentralohio.org for more information.

cENTraL commUNITy hoUSESUmmEr ProJEcTJULy 11, 2009

One of United Way of Central Ohio’s WeatherBug advertisements.

360 South Third StreetColumbus, Ohio 43215-5485

LIVING UNITED

You can now help support the work of United Way of Central Ohio when you shop at Kroger through the Kroger Community Rewards program. Kroger is donating $1.25 million each quarter to registered nonprofit organizations. The percentage of the overall donation that United Way receives is based on the number of Kroger customers who designate it as their choice to receive the funds. (The donation comes directly from Kroger, not from customers.) Once you register, each time you shop at Kroger your support of United Way will be tracked automatically through your Kroger Plus Card.

Registration is easy:

1. Go online to www.krogercommunityrewards.com.2. Choose “Ohio” for your location.3. Select “Enroll” and follow the step-by-step instructions. This is an easy and free way for United Way supporters to increase the funds United Way can use to advance the common good and create lasting change in central Ohio.

SUPPorT UNITED way of cENTraL ohIo whEN yoU ShoP aT kroGEr