You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2007.
TAMPA, Fla. (March 30, 2007) Executives from non-profit agencies seeking to hone their business skills and apply them in the non-profit arena are invited to apply for a full scholarship to the Executive MBA program at the University of South Florida in Tampa. This all inclusive scholarship, valued at $37,500, includes tuition, books, fees, and parking for the two-year weekend program. Classes begin in August.
Applicants must:
- have at least five years professional experience
- have a proven record of commitment with a Tampa Bay 501 (c)(3) non-profit agency
- commit to at least three additional years service to a local not-for-profit upon graduation
- have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution
This scholarship is not limited to those with a business degree. Applicants who hold degrees in other fields, such as juvenile justice, psychology, social work, or education are eligible to apply.
This is the seventh year USF has offered this scholarship. Past recipients include executives from Metropolitan Ministries, MacDonald Training Center, and Hillsborough County Aging Services.
The deadline to apply for the scholarship is June 1; applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early. Applications must include letters of recommendation, a statement of support from a current employer, and a current resume. Personal interviews will be scheduled. Program specifics and application forms can be found HERE. For more information, call 974-4877.
If you dial 2-1-1 you can get information about human services from trained information specialists. The phone call is FREE. While services that are offered through 2-1-1 vary from community to community, 2-1-1 provides callers with information about and referrals to human services for every day needs and in times of crisis. For example, 2-1-1 can offer access to the following types of services:
- Basic Human Needs Resources: food banks, clothing closets, shelters, rent assistance, utility assistance.
- Physical and Mental Health Resources: health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health, Children’s Health Insurance Program, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation.
- Employment Supports: Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance, education programs.
- Support for Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities: adult day care, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, home health care, transportation, homemaker services.
- Support for Children, Youth and Families: child care, after school programs, Head Start, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, protective services.
- Volunteer Opportunities and Donations.
Next time you have a question related to the above list, DIAL 2-1-1. It is available in many communities in Florida, including Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.
United Way funds 2-1-1 services in Tampa Bay. In Pinellas County the service is operated by 211-Tampa Bay Cares and in Hillsborough the service is operated by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
Did you know that the United Way of America has played a lead role in bring 2-1-1 services to the nation? Currently around two-thirds of the United States has a 2-1-1 service.
Dean Brunk, a law student, wanted to make the most of the limited free time he had helping kids in the community. “Something in side of me said this would be a great experience,” said Brunk. Brunk was paired up with his new Little Brother DiQuez, an 11-year-old living in the St. Petersburg area. DiQuez’s mother believed this well-rounded law student would be a great male influence for DiQuez since his father, step-father and grandfather had all been incarcerated.
“I was a little nervous at first,” said Brunk. “I thought the men in DiQuez’s life might resent me or be angry at the fact that another male could be trying to take their place.” While DiQuez’s step-father was out of prison on work release Brunk had the opportunity to meet him. “He was very receptive to me,” said Brunk. “I was very encouraged to know that he approved of my friendship with his son.” Brunk and DiQuez spend most time hanging out together on Sunday afternoons. Their outings are filled with exciting trips to the beach, the YMCA and Devil Rays games. They also like to toss around a football, watch television, and catch up on what is happening in each other’s lives. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s not that far away and while we all hope for an uneventful hurricane season, being ready for one makes sense, doesn’t it. There are some common sense things that will come to mind for sure, but there are resources out there to help all of us make sure we have developed the best “readiness plan” possible. United Way encourages you to take the time to investigate what you should do to be ready for such a disaster. The State of Florida can help you. Click here for its advice.
United Way has other resources on Diaster and Hurricane planning as well. This link gives you a quick overview of a plan, and this link will result in a listing of dozens of sites that you might wish to reference.
Reading. All of us know how important it is. Imagine not being able to read a sign, a menu, the newspaper, or a good book. You couldn’t get a good job. You wouldn’t be able to read a warning label. For those of us who can read, we just take it for granted. Can we even understand what life would be like if we couldn’t?
Some stats:
The rate of children growing up with low literacy skills is a national problem. More than one million children drop out of school each year, costing the nation over $240 billion in lost earnings, forgone tax revenues, and expenditures for social services (The Literacy Crisis: False Claims, Real Solutions, Jeff McMullan, 1998.
Seven out of ten fourth graders cannot read at grade level and children in the poorest families are six times as likely as children in more affluent families to drop out of school (“The State of America’s Children”).
Just as literacy is important to you and your family, it is important to United Way — especially when it comes to disadvantaged children. Last year we partnered with many to launch the United Way Children’s Book Drive.
The community responded as we imagined it would. More than 100,000 new and gentle used books were collected. By partnering with the school systems in Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties, approximately 20,000 children received books. This year will do it again, sometime in late July and early August, so stay tuned.
United Way is also a partner in the Imagination Library, a wonderful program developed by Dolly Parton. Working with seven other partners, Dolly’s brainchild is now happening in Hillsborough County in specific neighborhoods identified by zip code. Infants in those neighborhoods will get a book per month until 2011 thanks to donations from people in the community who want to help low income children not only learn how to read, but also build their own library of books.
The kids who are eligible are infants born on or after September 1, 2006, and living in one of the following Hillsborough County zip codes: 33563, 33604, 33610, 33612, 33614 or 33619. More information is here.
You can also visit Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library site.
At United Way’s Volunteer Tampa Bay site there is a great learning center called the Citizen’s Academy. The learning program was designed for people to learn more about community issues. Topics include: homelessness, literacy, neighborhood revitalization, employment, disaster relief, literacy, and many more. Not only will you learn about these issues, you will read about ideas you can put into action to address them.
Here’s a taste of what you will find there:
Employment
Learn about employment trends such as what industries have experienced the most job cuts and which ones are experiencing substantial growth. Read about outsourcing, the changes that labor unions are undergoing, as well as information about the minimum wage. You can also take a look at a variety of project ideas you and your family, friends, and/or colleagues might wish to undertake.
Homelessness
The Citizen’s Academy has a lot of information about the homeless, who they are, what challenges they face, the role that shelters play, affordable housing, and so on. As well, you can review some project ideas or how you might volunteer to make a difference.
While you’re there, take a look around the Volunteer Tampa Bay site. If you are looking for a variety of volunteer opportunties to choose from, this site can help you. As well, if you are a non-profit organization that has volunteer opportunities or projects, you can list them.
