As a result of United Way of Greater Mercer County’s annual holiday food drive and the generosity of many caring people, Thanksgiving 2006 was one of joy for over 300 economically disadvantaged Mercer County families who were recipients of all the fixings for a traditional holiday meal – including gift cards to purchase turkeys.

On behalf of the individuals whose lives have been touched by these acts of selflessness and kindness, we would like to express a heartfelt “Thank You.” This goes out to our corporate, small business and individual partners for their donations of food, money, and time. We salute the following companies for their continued support of our efforts: Berlitz, Bristol Myers Squibb, Convatec, Delaware River Basin Commission, Ortho-McNeil Janssen Pharmaceutical, JC Penney, Johnson & Johnson Consumer & Personal Products Worldwide, Klatzkin & Company, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Mercer Business, Merrill Lynch Hopewell Campus, Michael Baker, Jr. Inc., Monroe Township Recreation Track Coaches, Navigant Consulting, NRG, Rhodia, Inc., Saul Ewing, Sean John, Stony Brooke Elementary School, Trane, UPS-SCS, Wachovia Wealth Management, and Waste Management. Thank you to Young Leaders United for providing much-needed volunteer help and to the local human care agencies that work daily to help foster self-sufficiency and assist individuals in moving beyond poverty. These are the people that partnered with United Way to distribute the food to those in need. This very successful collaboration between United Way, community agencies and local businesses demonstrates the power of bringing people together to accomplish so much more than any one group could accomplish alone.

The goal of today’s United Way Community Impact Agenda is to engage the community in focusing on our most pressing needs, to create partnerships that will generate lasting solutions, and to produce results that improve lives and neighborhoods. Everyone involved in this initiative was instrumental in helping to fulfill that goal. Together, we will create a more caring community. Together, we will make a difference.

Thanks to the generosity and caring of so many of United Way of Greater Mercer County’s corporate, small business and individual partners, the joy of the winter holidays was once again spread throughout the greater Mercer County area in December 2006.

Each year, United Way looks to its friends to support this important initiative. Each year, those friends respond without hesitation and fill the UW conference room with games, dolls, basketballs, clothing, books – just about everything you can imagine a child would wish to receive. 2006 was one of the best drives yet!

Our deepest gratitude goes out to everyone who helped make this year’s drive so successful. Special kudos to donors at Bristol Myers Squibb, Ceridian, Comcast, Delaware River Basin Commission, Formax Financial, Homasote, JC Penney, J&J Consumer Products, Kohl’s, Liberty Mutual, Macy’s, Merrill Lynch, NEC, Princeton University, The Dance Corner, UPS/SCS, Waste Management, West Windsor Plainsboro High School North track teams, and the law firm of Windels, Marx, Mittendorf.

We salute members of the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church for their generous grant that was used to purchase new coats and clothing for the children. We would have been lost without our “workshop” helpers who sorted, matched and kept track of gifts coming in and going out. Sincere thanks to chief toy shop supervisor Bob Nutbrown and his helper Charlotte, our friends at PARK, Jennifer Hartman, Elena de Jesus, and all the other folks who stopped in to help out. Your kindness and generosity of spirit is so appreciated – we honor you and your good works.

The numbers tell it all: Over 1,000 children in the greater Mercer County community who are living in adverse financial situations received gifts that were selected especially for them by our donors. UWGMC worked with the following agencies to identify the children and distribute the gifts before the holidays ended: Trenton Cares, New Horizon Baptist Church, Brain Injury of NJ, Catholic Charities, Department of Health and Human Services, STEPS, Capital Corridor, Isles, Rowan Towers, YWCA, Boys & Girls Club, Family Support Agency of Mercer County, Princeton Young Achievers, PARK, Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries, Mercer House, Circle of Friends and East Trenton Outreach Center. Thank you for not only helping during the holiday season but for your excellent work helping people throughout the year.

Greater Mercer County is truly a wonderful place to work and/or live. Just take a look around – everyone cares about what matters. Would you like to help? Watch your email for the next great project or contact us at 609.637.4900 to be placed on our mailing list.

Craig E. Lafferty

Dear Friends,

Once again the angels of greater Mercer County have provided a wonderful Holiday Season for the less fortunate children and their families in the community. Gifts of clothing, toys, trucks, dolls, basketballs, footballs, board games – and the list goes on – were all donated by men and women at our local companies and organizations. The Board Room was converted to Santa’s workshop and special “elves” arrived to help sort and distribute the gifts. A thank you does not seem adequate.

As we now turn our attention to the New Year, let me take this moment to wish a joyous and prosperous New Year to each of you. May you find the happiness that you seek and all the joy that makes life so very special.

Winter brings many challenges to each of us and our families. Weather can wreak havoc on school and work schedules. Snow days are great, but for many it can be especially hard. Lost time from work can reduce a family’s household income and create challenges to make ends meet. Please think about supporting programs in the community that provide utility assistance to low-income families. A donation of $25 or $50 can mean the difference between having heat or sitting in the cold for these families. Please send a check today to any one of a number of agencies helping to “keep the lights on and the homefront warm.”

Finally, if you can, help an elderly neighbor dig out after the next snow storm. Check on “shut-ins” to make sure that they are okay and that they have non-perishable foods on hand just in case. Your gestures of kindness will assure that everyone in our community makes it through winter and enjoys the beauty of spring.

In late November our community lost an extraordinary volunteer. Patricia (Pat) Cherry passed away on November 30. She leaves a legacy of volunteerism and community activism that is second to no one. Our thanks to Pat for setting an extraordinary example of volunteerism. Her warm smiles and her thoughtful contributions to improving the community will be missed.

Pat joined the Board of Trustees of the Princeton Area – United Givers Funds (the forerunner of United Way) in 1964. For more than 41 years, Pat served on the Board, continuing her service on the Board of Trustees of United Way of Greater Mercer County when the merger of Princeton Area – United Way and Delaware Valley United Way occurred. Pat finished her service as a Trustee in May 2005 and continued to volunteer for United Way on the Resource Investment Cabinet.

On January 25, 2007, the Project Homeless Connect, a one-day, one-stop event for the homeless in Mercer County, will be held at the YWCA, 140 East Hanover Street in Trenton, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The event, coordinated by community leaders, is designed to provide those experiencing homelessness with an opportunity to access in a single place, all of the services available to them-including housing referrals, medical care, food, and clothing.

Mercer County’s Project Homeless Connect is conducted in partnership with statewide efforts to offer similar one-day, one-stop events for the homeless on January 25th, throughout New Jersey. The event coincides with the state’s annual homeless count, when volunteers band together to count each county’s homeless.

If you or your business would like to contribute time, services, or donations to Project Homeless Connect, or would like to volunteer to count the homeless on January 25th, please contact Tarry Truitt, at 609. 844.1008 x4932, or ttruitt@merceralliance.org.

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In the 2006 tax season, the Mercer Alliance partnered with the City of Trenton’s Greater Trenton Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Asset Building Coalition, to increase the number of Mercer County households filing for EITC refunds. The result was a resounding success-households filing for the EITC through partner sites increased nearly 2000%; and for the first 3 months of the 2006 tax credit season, total EITC dollars returned to Mercer County households increased 53%, with nearly $4 million more in returns for Mercer families. The Campaign was awarded Exemplary Program status by the United States Conference of Mayors.

2003-2004 IRS figures show Mercer households failed to apply for $12 million in EITC refunds they were due. Receiving an EITC, which can reach $4,536 per household, is a vital way for low-wage earners to reduce the great gap between their income and housing costs.

According to the New Jersey Policy Perspective, “In contrast to government programs that are criticized by some as having the effect of discouraging work because earning more means an immediate loss of benefits, the EITC concept is widely praised. The consensus is that it rewards people for their effort to get out of poverty and provides an opportunity to transition with some assistance into a stable working arrangement.”

Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer launched the Greater Trenton EITC and Asset Building Coalition in October 2004, which is overseen by Trenton’s Department of Health and Human Services. It is the only city-driven EITC campaign in the state.

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Rod Robertson

Mr. Rod Robertson joined United Way of Greater Mercer as Assistant Vice President of Resource Development in July of this year after 8 ½ years as the lead development officer for the United Way of Passaic County in Paterson, NJ.

During his 29 year career in the health, education and human service fields, he served in various capacities. His first work in New Jersey was in 1984 as the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Trenton, NJ. Since then he has held positions at Monmouth University, Upsala College, the Visiting Nurse Assn (Trenton), and as a consultant to non-profit organizations.

Mr. Robertson resides in Pemberton Township, Burlington County with his wife and 16 year old son. He also has two grown daughters.

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