FROM DIANA’S DESK

United Way’s Susan Ivins, left, Macy’s Campaign Coordinator Sherron Riles, student Maya Goss and Macy’s VP Ish Falla at Macy’s executive team kickoff in Clearwater.

Campaign season is upon us and I feel something different in the air. While it’s still 90+ degrees and the mosquitoes are fierce, the beginning of this year’s United Way campaign feels upbeat and positive.

That may be because we have so many exciting things going on. The official United Way of Tampa Bay Campaign Kickoff is Friday, August 19 at Tropicana Field, courtesy of the Tampa Bay Rays. The festivities begin at 7:30 a.m. and we’ll have you out and on your way back to work by 9:30 at the latest. Plans include many special presentations, a lot of fun and some very special announcements; if you can make it, click here to RSVP.

Nearly 900 companies in the Tampa Bay area conduct United Way campaigns. Some have full-fledged celebrations with presentations, outside speakers, giveaways, games and competitions within groups to see who can raise the most money for the community. Macy’s, for example, kicked off their campaign with a silent auction in which the executives contribute items or services. Macy’s employees across the country who make a pledge get entered to win some fabulous prizes, including tickets to New York to see the Thanksgiving Day parade. Other companies conduct low-key campaigns that are just as important to us and to the community we serve. Our own internal campaign includes a breakfast, a community service project and the ever-popular food-tastings. Our team is still planning, I’ll let you know next month how we did.

If your company is interested in new ideas for your campaign, our Little Book of Big Campaign Ideas has some – well, big ideas. And your relationship manager is always available to help.

Whether your campaign is loud and gregarious or quiet and deliberate, I’m grateful for each person and company who helps us make a difference in our community. Last year you invested more than $23 million in your community through United Way. Thank you for your enthusiasm and for caring about those who need our help. You are making a difference.

 

 

 

Diana Baker, President and CEO

Operation Graduate – Helping Kids to Graduation

Clearwater kids with who have had difficulty with law enforcement and keeping up in the classroom have found a new resource to get back on track toward graduation.

Many of these students have lost academic credits — but through Operation Graduate, many are recovering academic credit and on the path to their cap and gown.

Credit recovery students completed Operation Graduate, each with his or her own unique success story. Twelve students received certificates of completion August 4th, 2011, during a ceremony at Clearwater Police Headquarters. The following two success stories highlight the positive impact this program has had on participating students. United Way of Tampa Bay has been a partner in this program and the results are optimistic.

A teenager with a 0.5 GPA missed 118 days of school and was arrested five times between 2010 and 2011. When this teen entered the program he was skeptical and not convinced he was able to graduate. He was encouraged to put the effort forth in credit recovery to get back on track in school. The teen was present every day for Operation Graduate’s credit recovery program and earned a half credit for English and is well on the way to completing the second half credit. A half credit is equivalent to half of a normal school year. Since joining the program, the teen has not had additional contact with law enforcement other than mentoring.

Another teenager never attended a full day of school last year.
This teen had a 1.1 GPA and was arrested six times in the past two years. She was also skeptical of the program and was also encouraged to put forth an effort in the program. She has earned one full credit in algebra, making up for two failing grades. Since joining the program, this teen also has not had additional contact with law enforcement other than mentoring.

The credit recovery portion of the program includes juveniles who are currently on probation. Officer Christian Zarra is the coordinator and works with the Department of Juvenile Justice. “This job is more than about making arrests. It’s about helping people,” said Ofc. Zarra. “We don’t want to simply continue arresting these kids. We want to do something to help change their lives.” During yesterday’s ceremony, several children spoke about how Operation Graduate changed their outlook on life and gave them a second chance and a new dream. Due to confidentiality and public record laws exemptions, no names or photos will be released.

Operation Graduate seeks to increase the number of youth with on-time graduation, introduce high school students to college and work experiences, help develop life skills and provide students and their families with service referrals and interventions. Partners include the Clearwater Police Department, United Way of Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg College, Clearwater Campus, Pinellas County Schools, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Clearwater Parks and Recreation and the Upper Pinellas Ministerial Alliance.

YOUTH IS SERVED: RAYS SENIOR VP DRIVEN FOR UNITED WAY

Brian Auld is helping United Way change the landscape of leadership giving.

Brian, the Tampa Bay Rays Senior Vice President of Operation, is the face of United Way’s young leaders group. The unassuming California native is quick to rally whoever will listen regarding the community, but does it by example and a passion that is honest and impactful. He has degrees from a prestigious Pac-10 school and Harvard Business School. At age 34, he’s risen in the Tampa Bay Rays organization to become a Senior Vice President.

In 2005, as Brian was finishing his second year of business school at Harvard, he got a call from a high school friend, Matt Silverman. Matt told him he was just named President of the Tampa Bay Rays. He offered Brian the position of Director of Planning and Development. He jumped at the opportunity.

“I satisfied my personal desire to make the Rays organization a better place. The ultimate goal is to have the team’s impact reflected in the community,” Brian said. He plays an active role on the board of the Rays Foundation, supporting youth education programs and field renovations for youth baseball leagues.

Aside from his successes in the lecture halls, board rooms and community chests, his biggest accomplishment may have been in the classroom. He started his career as a fourth grade teacher at the fledgling East Palo Alto Charter School in California. The school was created to give children a better opportunity for a brighter future they may not otherwise have gotten.

Brian is proud that the school is among the top five charter schools in California and that he helped bring resources to the school to help it flourish. He’s brought those experiences to Tampa Bay.

“Teaching has been the most valuable experience for me in the job I do with the Rays. It helps me to run an organization effectively. And if people aren’t learning, the process isn’t working,” he said.

In 2009, Brian agreed to endorse United Way during the Rays first campaign fundraiser for the organization. As United Way staff mentioned at the time, Brian was a natural. He had the passion, the honesty, and the understanding on what it means to support an organization that helps so many in a variety of community impact areas.

He’s since taken the lead for the newly formed United Way Young Leaders program. The program engages and provides young professionals in Tampa Bay the opportunity to support United Way programs and services, advocate for change, and volunteer for a variety of impactful activities.

Thanks to Brian and Rays Senior Vice President Mark Fernandez, the Rays Baseball Foundation worked with United Way to form the Step Up matching gift program. This program allows donors who give less than $1,000 annually to step up their gift to become a leader, on and off the field

“There’s no question that the Rays and United Way are partnering together to conquer large scale social problems in the community,” said Brian, who will speak about the Step Up program later this month at the Campaign Kickoff Celebration at Tropicana Field. “Personally, I feel a lot more people should be giving. If you don’t have a specific passion about one cause, United Way is the best place to give.”

Brian puts his money where his mouth is. Besides his work for United Way and the Rays Foundation, he’s on the board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters and Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay. He helped create an employee volunteer program that allows Rays staff to take a few hours every week to volunteer for a local charity. And despite being thousands of miles away and many years removed from his work there, he still keeps an eye on the California charter school where his career began.

Now his focus is on the Step Up program. With $100,000 of support over the next two years, the United Way advocate is expecting big things.

“If things work well, I expect 100 new leaders. We want to keep building and building new advocates for United Way.” Thanks to Brian and key advocates like him throughout Tampa Bay, United Way expects the matching program to meet capacity by early fall.

For more information about United Way’s Young Leaders program or how to Step Up with a Rays Foundation matching gift, call Karis Turner at 813-274-0901 or e-mail her at kturner@uwtb.org.