Lisa Gardner
Allocations Director
United Way of Tyler Smith County
903-581-6376 ext. 206

The Community Builders, a collaborative effort between United Way of Tyler/Smith County and East Texas Communities Foundation, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2009 Community Builders Grant.

 The committee was tasked with the difficult job of prioritizing the needs of the 34 organizations that applied and those they serve in these difficult economic times.  The focus of this year’s grants was to provide funding to organizations that need assistance in sustaining existing programs so that they maintain a meaningful impact in the community.  With $20,000 to allocate, the committee met on February 22, 2009, to review the 34 grant applications, totaling $141,000 in requests.

Ten agencies, listed below, were chosen to be the recipients of these funds.  With several agencies requesting assistance with food purchases this year, the Committee decided to collaborate with the East Texas Food Bank in an effort to address this issue and serve as many agencies as possible:

Food Related Grants

- East Texas Food Bank $3,850
Assistance with food                                    
-East Texas Rescue Mission $2,000 (in form of credit at the Food Bank)
Assistance with meal program                      
-Meals on Wheels $2,000 (in form of credit at the Food Bank)
 Assistance with meal program                  
 - St. Paul Children’s Foundation $2000
 (in form of credit at the Food Bank)
Assistance with food for pantry                
-Tyler AIDS Services, Inc. $2000 (in form of credit at the Food Bank)
Assistance with food for pantry

Job Preparation and Training Related Grants 

- Christian Men’s Job Corps $2,750
Education & mentoring of economically distressed men needing job training
 Literacy Council of Tyler $2,500
Support for on-going Adult Education Program

Child Related Grants

- ADAPT   $500
 Replacement of food preparation items for KIDS CAFÉ program
-Junior Achievement Tyler $1,200
 Funding of 2 JA classes at Ramey Elementary     
-Niños de Promesa Preschool $1,200
  Assistance in purchasing Champions for Children’s School Curriculum

United Way of Tyler Smith County “Shop United” participants for September are:”

Celebrations on September 2^nd.

Edible Arrangements on September 21^st

United Way of Tyler Smith County has announced that “Shop United” will take place Wednesday September 2^nd and Monday September 21^st. Celebrations and Edible Arrangements have agreed to give 15% of their proceeds for that day to the United Way of Tyler Smith County.

Celebrations 2312 ESE Loop 323 Tyler www.celebrationswithatwist.com

Edible Arrangements 6100 S. Broadway Tyler www.ediblearrangements.com

Gifts to our local United Way are put to work right here in our community, helping our neighbors, friends, families, and countless others and helping to make our community a stronger, healthier and safer place to work and live. Contributions support 25 United Way partner agencies who served over 53,000 of our Smith County neighbors last year and face increasing demands this year.

Help us reach our goal for 2009 by SHOPPING UNITED at the following business!  

15% of the day’s sales will be donated to United Way of Tyler/Smith County
in our efforts to raise funds for 25 local agencies.

This program is designed to engage our community in its continued
progress through the support of local businesses and area nonprofit agencies.

Shop United participants are:
Whole Health 4834 South Broadway Ave.  Tyler on August12,www.wholehealthstore.com
Daisy’s 108 East 8^th, Street Tyler August 22, 2009
Celebrations 2312 ESE Loop 323 Tyler September 2^nd  www.celebrationswithatwist.com

Please join together with us to LIVE,*GIVE*and SHOP UNITED!

If you would like to get your business involved in the Shop United program,
 contact Sheri Redden at (903) 581-6376

Jakes to donate a portion of proceeds on July 22nd

United Way of Tyler Smith County has announced that “United We Dine” will take place Wednesday, July 22^nd. Jakes has agreed to give 15% of their proceeds for that day to the United Way of Tyler Smith County.

Gifts to our local United Way are put to work right here in our community, helping our neighbors, friends, families, and countless others and helping to make our community a stronger, healthier and safer place to work and live. Contributions support 25 United Way partner agencies who served over 53,000 of our Smith County neighbors last year and face increasing demands this year.

For more information call 903-581-6376

Special thanks to our local media partners who bring awareness to these opportunities to give and participate by promoting these important events!

Beginning in July,  United Way of Tyler Smith County will be partnering with locally owned restaurants as part of our second annual UNITED WE DINE program. This program is designed to engage our community efforts to raise funds for the 25 local agencies that we support. On Monday July 6th Culinary Crossroads located at 2127 South Broadway will be our first restaurant participant in the UNITED WE DINE program. 15% of Monday’s sales will be donated to United Way’s LIVE UNITED CAMPAIGN. Please show your support and enjoy an abundance of healthy options to choose from. Visit their web site at www.culinarycrossroad.com

The Nonprofit Development Center is offering basic and advanced classes in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The class will be instructed by Eileen Whitaker with Allegiance Computer Technologies. The course will include a copy of “In Easy Steps” with Michael Prince.

Basic: June 10-Word, June 17-Excel, June 24-PowerPoint

Advanced: July 15-Word, July 22-Excel, July 29-PowerPoint

You can secure your spot today by signing up in our web store or by calling Vicki Harvey at 903-581-6376 ext. 211

The Loaned Executive team of 2009 recently attended an all day training held at the Garden Valley Golf Club. Bob Turner with the City of Tyler gave pointers on public speaking, Nan Moore offered her expertise in leadership skills development and Marilyn Abegg-Glass with fundrasinginfo.com followed up the with “The Art of the Ask”. United Way agency speakers Susan Hawkins with the ARC of Smith County, Patty Garner with CASA for Kids of East Texas, Nancy Crawford with the Literacy Council of Tyler and Mary Thrasher with Parents Anonymous were on hand to share the impact United Way monies have on their agencies. Executives left  with a new found confidence and ready for the challenge ahead!

Grant Development &  Proposal Writing Services

Finding sources and writing proposals take time. Sometimes, that’s something you just don’t have. That’s why the Nonprofit Development Center has developed grant writing  services with packages to suite your needs. Consider contracting with the center to conduct research on possible funding sources, lead your organization in planning the perfect project, write proposals and letters of inquiry that you can customize for use with other sources, write longer formal proposals or review RFP’s and complete the application process. You can schedule an appointment  to find out more by calling 903-581-6376 ext. 201 or 225.

United Way of Tyler Smith County is gearing up for 2009 Day of Caring.  This year’s event is scheduled for Friday, June 26.  The 2008 event saw more than 400 volunteers dispersed across the community to complete special projects for health and human service providers throughout Smith County.  2008 Day of Caring sponsors included Walmart, Trane, Carrier, Tyler Junior College, Chick-fil-A, CB&I, ETMC, Bank of America, First Christian Church, Southside Bank and others.  To sponsor our 2009 Day of Caring or for information about volunteering or submitting a worksite project, please contact Lisa Gardner at lgardner@uwtyler.org or 903-581-6376.

Thanks to the dedicated work of our volunteers and the generosity of our donors over 50,000  of our Smith County neighbors will continue to receive services from our 25 partner agencies.