Have you ever wondered how to find a community service when you or someone you know needs help? If you're thinking of calling First Call For Help, think again. Now you can dial 2-1-1 in New Jersey - a 24-hour helpline that links callers with information specialists connecting them with important community services and volunteer opportunities.

Faced with a dramatic increase in the number of agencies and help lines, people often did not know where to turn and in many cases, people would go without these necessary and readily available services. 2-1-1 may soon change that.

United Way of Greater Mercer County has been working collaboratively with Info Line of Middlesex County to provide 24 hours, 7 days-a-week assistance. "Callers to 2-1-1 seek a variety of services" according to Steve Nagel, Executive Director, Info Line of Middlesex County. "Most callers are seeking emergency financial assistance, access to child day care, and other basic human needs". Other types of referrals can be to food banks, home health care, family resource centers, tutoring, drug and alcohol intervention, transportation assistance, and job training.

The 2-1-1 helpline is accessible to anyone living and or working in the State of New Jersey and is part of a nationwide initiative. Currently, about 25% of the U.S. population has 2-1-1 access, and plans are focused on bringing 2-1-1 to 50% of the U.S. population by the end of 2005. For more information, please visit http://www.uwgmc.org/first_call.html.

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Greetings from United Way of Greater Mercer County! After an extended hiatus, we are once again producing a newsletter designed to keep our volunteers, investors, and friends informed about what matters.

"By The Way…" will bring you succinct and timely news about community impact, volunteer opportunities, and resource development activities, as well as a useful calendar of events. We hope you enjoy "By The Way…" and stay tuned to learn more about what United Way is doing to make our community a better place for all of us to live and work. Thank you for taking time to learn about our work and joining us in making our community stronger.

Sincerely,
Craig E. Lafferty
President/CEO

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United Way of Greater Mercer County ushered in the New Year with a new look. The updated logo incorporates recognized elements of the 33-year old brand mark, and gives the well-known rainbow, helping hand and human figure a vibrant and energetic look for the future. "One of the most recognizable symbols in the world, the new logo represents a long history of community impact and the new energy that United Way brings...," said Craig E. Lafferty, President/CEO of United Way of Greater Mercer County.

This logo signals a change for a new approach to the future while preserving the heritage of our past. The symbol is now joined together with the United Way name in a permanent, bold alliance. The simple rectangular shape is unifying and inviolable. These minor adjustments will help contributors identify United Way materials with greater ease.

As United Ways across the country adopt this new look it is critical that we all work to maintain the integrity of our new logo and we ask that you do not modify the logo in any way. We are asking organizations who support us as well as our funded programs to phase in the new logo for 2005. The consistent and correct application of the United Way brand mark is essential and if you have any questions or need clarification please contact Kim Shores at 609.637.4903 or via email at kim.shores@uwgmc.org.

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The winter holidays were brighter and happier for those in need in greater Mercer County thanks to the generosity and caring of so many United Way supporters and friends.*

The efforts and donations of corporate volunteers, community groups and individuals provided items for a traditional Thanksgiving feast for nearly 350 families.

Our Holiday Gift Drive brought in toys, clothing, books, games, and a variety of exciting presents. Over 1200 low-income children and their parents received not only holiday presents but also the knowledge that people in greater Mercer County truly care about others.

With the holiday season over, the needs did not stop. Young Leaders United, an affiliation of young professionals within the Mercer County community, initiated a food drive to help "Pack The Pantry" by collecting food for Mercer Street Friends Food Cooperative. At the time of publishing, over 3,500 lbs. of food will have been collected and donated.

Several drives and activities are being planned for 2005 - food drives, back-to-school drives, and other volunteer projects to assist non-profit agencies in our area. Won't you partner with us? If you would like to get involved with any of our projects, please contact Eta Yager at 609.637.4901 or at eta.yager @uwgmc.org.

*A special thanks to some new friends of United Way who helped with our drive(s): students from The College of NJ, Bordentown Regional High, Hopewell Valley Central High, Stony Brook Elementary, Junior League of Princeton, MD Advantage, Paul Family Chiropractic, and Pearson Education.

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The partnership of UWGMC, Mercer County Board of Social Services and a faith-based organization, provides support to families looking for employment and or housing.

On a monthly basis, about 60 people are referred by the Mercer County Board of Social Services to the Partnership. Referrals to the Community Public Partnership are considered "clients" and as such, are treated with the utmost respect and compassion. Laverne Ombadykow, who helps manage the Partnership said, "We strive to be welcoming, cheerful and helpful. They[clients] may show up in tears because if they don't get a job, they'll lose their apartment and if they become homeless, they will lose custody of their children."

A number of services offered can help with stress management, resume development, and strategies for entry or reentry into the workforce. The efforts and relationships do not end there. Follow-ups are made via phone calls, letters of encouragement and personal visits to ensure the success of the clients. A lot of good is being done with this program and it can be summed up with Laverne's comment, "I am touched by the lives of the people we serve."

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On October 6th we kicked off the 2004/2005 Campaign with a Community Day of Caring. Over 70 company coordinators and volunteers convened at the Mercer County Boathouse for a continental breakfast and work assignments. Everyone enjoyed a day of community service and the agencies really appreciated the extra help.

Total dollars raised in workplace campaigns to date is $4,000,000

A sampling of final campaign results to date:
Best Buy employee contributions increased by 8.5%
ETS increased by 22% to over $200,000 locally and over $300,000 nationally (our BEST local campaign)
Princeton University raised over $200,000
Klatzkin giving went up 14%
FMC is up 6%
Parsons Corporation increased by 102%
Rue Insurance increased giving by 22% raising over $4,000
Sarnoff Corporation increased giving by 15.5%
Sovereign Bank employees raised $12,900, an increase of 82%
State Street Corporation increased giving by 78%
The Hun School of Princeton is up by 23%

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From left to right: Craig E. Lafferty, President and CEO of UWGMC, Eugene Marsh, Vice Chair of UWGMC Board of Trustees, and Kurt Landgraf President and CEO of ETS

To promote the Tocqueville Society (leadership givers of $10,000+), a special reception was held at ETS' Chauncey Conference Center on February 1, 2005. Hosted by Kurt Landgraf, President and CEO of ETS and Gary C. Wendt, Major Gifts Chair for Tri-State and Chairman of the Tocqueville Society Growth Initiative, the evening was attended by over 100 guests. Various speakers touched on ways to increase participation and promotion of the Tocqueville Society in one of the wealthiest regions of the country. As Carolee Kueller, VP of Major Gifts, said of the evening, "...Gary and Kurt did a fabulous job; there was a lot of positive energy in the room and a renewed understanding of the Tocqueville Society program. People left with smiles on their faces asking how they could help."

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The Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) of United Way of Greater Mercer County was formed two years ago to harness the power of women to effect positive change in our community. Members have organized days of caring, fund-raisers and holiday projects to benefit United Way funded programs for Children at Risk. For information on events or to receive more information, contact Janice Carson at 609.637.4904 or janice.carson@uwgmc.org.

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