Living United: December / January

December 2011 - January 2012

• Legal Sector Lives United – page 4• Help for First-Time Moms – page 5• African-American Initiative Grows – page 6

A message from Michelle A. Taylor

Dear Friends,On behalf of the United Way of

Delaware family, I’d like to wish you andyours a safe and joyous holiday season.

For many here in Delaware whostruggle just to make ends meet, the hol-iday season can be a challenge.

In fact, with one in 10 Delawareansliving in poverty – and one out of five children – the addedpressure of exchanging gifts, hosting meals and travelingto see friends and family can be overwhelming.

It’s important, though, to remember that the holidays arealso a time of hope.

Hope in the hundreds of nonprofits, businesses andfaith-based organizations that collaborate to support theirneighbors in need.

Hope in the thousands of volunteers who give of theirtime, talent and treasure to help in any way they can.

And hope in the millions of acts of kindness that happenalong the way.

So, as the New Year approaches, we are hopeful.

Hopeful that Delawareans will continue to Give, toAdvocate and to Volunteer to make the season brighter forour friends and neighbors throughout the state.

As always, thank you for your support, this year andbeyond.

Warmly,

Michelle A. Taylor

If you or a loved one needs assistance this season,please call 2-1-1 and a referral specialist will connect youto local health and human services programs that can help.

President and Chief Executive Officer,United Way of Delaware

UW2 United Way of Delaware December 2011 - January 2012 www.uwde.org

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www.uwde.org December 2011 - January 2012 United Way of Delaware UW3

United Way of Delaware welcomesthree new board members by Pam George

Ask Joseph Schorah’s neighbors to describe him andmore often than not, they’ll mention his community serviceand volunteerism. “I generally like to help people,” saysthe Delaware native. He’s chaired fundraising campaignsto help the victims of the tsunami in Japan and HurricaneKatrina, and he’s been involved with the DiabetesFoundation’s golf outing.

Schorah became acquainted with UWD while workingfor some of its partners, such as the Salvation Army. Hesays UWD’s goals are very similar to those of organizedlabor. “There are similar values: education, income and

health,” he says. Schorah, who’s worked as a sheet metal worker since

1988, has been an officer with the Sheet Metal Workers Local19 since 2005. As a member of the Joint ApprenticeshipTraining Committee, he is particularly interested in education.He’s part of an initiative to teach construction skills at FerrisSchool for Boys. They learn the trade on site, and then workon Habitat for Humanity homes. “Young people definitelyneed to learn a skill and get hands-on work experience,” hesays. “They need to know they can make a living and helpmake change in their communities.”

Joseph J. Schorah Jr.Business AgentSheet Metal Workers Local 19

Sue Getman became executive director of theWilmington Senior Center in 1996, and it didn’t takelong for her to appreciate UWD, which supports thecenter. “I quickly recognized how important UnitedWay allocations are to the success of our programs forolder adults,” she says. “I also found great benefit formy organization and my professional developmentthrough regular participation in meetings of theUnited Way Council of Agency Executives.” Sheeventually became chair of COAE, which enables her to

be an ex officio member of the UWD board.As a board member, Getman is interested in linking

partner agencies with the three UWD pillars—education,income and health—so they can work together to meet theneeds of vulnerable populations.

Getman also chairs the Delaware Aging Network andparticipates on additional UWD committees. “I hope that Ican speak for the aging population of Delaware and helpensure that the UWD vision and initiatives includewhat some call the ‘silver tsunami.’”

Susan R. GetmanExecutive DirectorWilmington Senior Center

John A. D’AgostinoDirectorSantora CPA Group

John D’Agostino, a CPA with 22 years of public accountingexperience, has much to offer a nonprofit board, especiallysince the majority of his clients are nonprofits. Along withthe financial side, he’s also familiar with the governance sideof a nonprofit organization.

For 10 years, he was chair of the Delaware Helpline’sboard of directors, before the agency merged with UnitedWay of Delaware. The service links callers who dial 2-1-1 tomore than 2,000 health and human service resources. “Igot involved because I wanted to help connect people inneed with services, whether the services are from the state or

nonprofit agencies,” D’Agostino says. “When people are incrisis, you need to give them a place to turn to with aneasy-to-remember number.”

In July, Delaware Helpline became part of UWD, andit’s now known as Delaware 2-1-1. As part of the merger,D’Agostino joined the UWD board of directors. “I want tolend my expertise from the last 10 years to United Way,”he says.

D’Agostino is also working on the capital campaign forthe Henrietta Johnson Medical Center, and he works withthe Kelly Heinz-Grundner Brain Tumor Foundation.

Milford

Rehoboth Beach

Lewes

Bridgeville

Bethany Beach

Georgetown

Laurel

Seaford


No one understands this better than Peggy Geisler, Executive Director of theSussex County Health Promotion Coalition. “If you address one facet withoutaddressing another, whatever benefit you put in place may be short-lived,” she says.

But residents of Sussex County – especially western Sussex County – often face uniqueobstacles when seeking help. Not only are there are not enough health and humanservice agencies to meet the need, the rural nature of the county combined with inadequatepublic transportation often make it difficult for people to reach the agencies.

“People in Seaford are completely isolated from a lot of services,” says KarenMatteson, Associate Director of Community Impact, Income at United Way ofDelaware (UWD). “Many of the services in Sussex County are centralized inGeorgetown, which is a 40-minute drive away.”

Language barriers are also common, with a larger number of immigrants inSussex than Kent or New Castle counties.

To tackle these problems, the Coalition and UWD are spearheading the SussexSUCCESS Program. “SUCCESS” is an acronym for “SUpporting Communitiesthrough the Coordination of Education and ServiceS.”

The Sussex SUCCESS program’s purpose is to pull agencies with a variety ofmissions together in order to meet the local need. The program is based out of theWestern Sussex Boys & Girls Club in Seaford.

In addition to the Coalition, UWD and theWestern Sussex Boys & Girls Club, participating

agencies include:

• Connections Community Support Programs, Inc.• Generations Home Care• La Red Health Center• Seaford Delaware Libraries Job CenterAlready, the partnerships have proved mutually beneficial. “Agencies are

dovetailing on each other’s resources in creative ways,” Geisler says.For instance, Connections Community Support Programs has used the commercial

kitchen at the Boys & Girls Club for workforce development in the culinary arts.The Sussex County Health Promotion Coalition is also using the kitchen topromote its healthy eating, farm-to-table initiatives.

Similarly, the Sussex Technical High School Adult Division, which providesEnglish as Second Language classes, is looking to partner with the Boys & GirlsClub for childcare services. The school administrators feel that theirstudents’ attendance would increase if those students were able to have a reliable,high quality source of childcare.

“We’re overcoming access barriers and pulling resources together,” Geisler says.Beyond bringing additional resources to Seaford, Sussex SUCCESS aims to

strengthen relationships between the partner agencies. “We can look systematically at how we’re delivering services, to identify

opportunities for improvement,” Geisler says.

UWD is able to support this program because of a grant from the Arsht-CannonFund, given to support underserved and minority communities.

by Pam George

Financial stress and poor health often go hand in hand.Therefore, community programs often need to offerholistic solutions.

New collaboration brings agencies together – literally

Addressing needin Sussex County

Peggy Geisler, Executive Director of Sussex County Health Promotion Coalition, talkswith Charles Mathews, Executive Director of Western Sussex Boys & Girls Club andAnthony Zarello, Chef for Connections Community Support Programs, Inc. about theThanksgiving dinner they made for children who attend programs at the center.


“Mom and baby are doing well”

Having worked part time at an early care andeducation center, Johanna Santiago had some ideaof what it was like to be a parent. But when shebecame pregnant at age 24, she felt unprepared. Santiagohad dropped out of high school in 11th grade, andher efforts to get a GED faltered when she facedeconomic pressures.

Santiago turned to Children & Families First’sNurse-Family Partnership program, which connectsfirst-time moms-to-be with nurses, who conduct regularhome visits. The nurses perform health checks onboth the mom and the baby, offer education onparenting and provide hands-on training. Visits startby the 28th week of pregnancy and continue until thechild turns two years old.

“I thought the nurse was going to come into myhouse and tell me how to raise my baby,” Santiagosays. “But she respected me from the beginning andhelped me make the right decisions.”

The Nurse-Family Partnership is a national programmodel developed by Dr. David Olds, professor of

pediatrics, psychiatry and preventive medicine at theUniversity of Colorado Denver. Olds tested his nursehome visiting model with different populations over15 years. He found that the program improvedpregnancy outcomes, as well as the health anddevelopment of children. It also decreased use ofemergency room visits, increased economic stabilityand decreased criminal justice activity of the mom

and the child. “It’s a wonderful program that’s evidence based,”

says Leslie Newman, CEO of Children & Families First.Not surprisingly, the nurses must undergo extensive

training. Although Children & Families Firstreceived a federal grant, it didn’t cover the directservice time of the nurses. United Way of Delawarestepped in with a three-year grant to cover that costfor one nurse.

The Delaware program has seven nurses throughoutDelaware, who will each have a maximum caseload of25 moms. The young women learn about the free,voluntary program from their doctors, wellnesscenters, clinics and public health resources.

Newman is excited about the program’s measurableoutcomes. Good health and competent care givingaren’t the only goals.

Today, Johanna Santiago has a healthy son. She isfinishing her GED and plans to complete training foran early care and education certificate, which willincrease her employability.

“This program has taught me not just how to be abetter parent, but so much more,” she says.

Program helps first-time moms raise healthy childrenby Pam George

Johanna and Jeremy

Given that Delaware has been dubbed the nation’s “corporate capital,” it’s not surprising that thelegal sector is strong in the state.

“The legal profession is such a big employer group in Delaware,” notes Bob Martz, senior resourcedevelopment consultant at United Way of Delaware. “And so many attorneys and firms support theircommunity.”

As a result, United Way of Delaware (UWD) formed Bench & Bar, an initiative that providesattorneys and other legal sector employees with opportunities to get involved.

Give: UWD created a Bench & Bar segment of its Tocqueville Society, a group ofphilanthropic leaders who give $10,000 or more to UWD.

Advocate: UWD joined with the Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies (DANA) tooffer the “Board Excellence” training seminar to attorneys who serve on nonprofit boards orwho want to serve on boards.

Volunteer: The Delaware State Bar Association (DSBA) partnered with UWD to provide itsmembers access to a volunteer engagement website, customized for the legal sector. UWDmanages the database of local volunteer opportunities.

To attract new members and serve existing members, UWD recently hosted a luncheon at PotterAnderson & Corroon. The event featured guest speaker was Thomas Sager, Vice President andGeneral Counsel for the DuPont Co. UWD plans to host more luncheons that offer topics of inter-est to Bench & Bar members.

For more information on Bench & Bar, call (302) 573-3738.

Initiative Helps Legal Sector Give Back

David Brown, Esq. accepts the Bench & Bar TocquevilleSociety Award on behalf of Potter, Anderson & Corroon LLPfor being the local law firm with most Tocqueville donors.Pictured, from left to right: Bob Martz of UWD; David Brown,Esq., Of Counsel for Potter, Anderson & Corroon; MichelleTaylor, President and CEO of UWD; and Victor Battaglia,Sr., Esq., Senior Attorney with Biggs & Battaglia.

Christopher W. White 2011 AwardsUWD recently honored local law firms for their

commitment to philanthropy at the Christopher W. White2011 Distinguished Access to Justice Awards Breakfast,hosted by the DSBA. Recognized law firms included:

• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP • Blank Rome LLP• Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP

Bench & Bar Starts Strongby Pam George

If you haven’t heard of Revive the Village:Back to the Basics, you will soon. Revivethe Village is an African-AmericanIni t ia t i ve led by United Way ofDelaware (UWD) volunteers. Thename reflects their belief that it “takesa village” to raise a child.

Revive the Village officially kicked offin May 2011. Led by Dr. Regina Allen-Sharpe, Senior Director of CareerServices and Student Life/AssistantProfessor at Wilmington University,they met throughout Summer 2011,and agreed to focus on Income initiativesin their first year.

Sharpe says that the group wantedto help with workforce developmentefforts in downtown Wilmington. Sowhen they heard about the program atWest End Neighborhood House inWilmington, they felt it was a perfectfit. They started leading résumé-writingworkshops there.

“The people in the class already hadrésumés,” Sharpe said. “They justneeded some help. And they were verymotivated. They would come back thenext week with everything fixed.”ButRevive the Village members volunteer with avariety of other initiatives. They also

helped the local Basket Brigade sortboxes of food for distribution over theThanksgiving holiday.

And the group is looking to expand.In October, they expanded into KentCounty. True to form, they kicked offthis expansion with another service

event. Members cooked and servedbreakfast to homeless men at theDover Interfaith Mission of Housing.And to recruit additional members inNew Castle County, they held a receptiona t C h r i s t i a n a H i l t o n H o t e l o nNovember 15.

In 2012, they will adopt the EducationPillar. But, Regina says, they will notneglect Income initiatives movingforward. “We are just building ourefforts, as we gain experience,” shesaid. “It’s all about helping the underserved,in any way we can.”

In October, employees at The DowChemical Company in Newark did morethan donate money to United Way ofDelaware (UWD). They invested sweatequity too. More than 30 employeesvisited three different UWD partners tolend a hand.

“The important thing is making animpact,” says Peter Palena, the Newarksite’s environmental health and safetydelivery leader. Palena coordinates thesite’s United Way employee campaign.

The service projects are part of Daysof Caring, a United Way initiative thatlinks companies with agencies that needvolunteers as well as donations.

First, employees went to Home-ward Bound, an agency that helpshomeless families with children (aspart of Emmaus House Family Shelterand Services). The volunteers helpedclean and organize the rooms where

donated household items are stored.On another day, employees went to

Newark Day Nursery and Children’sCenter, tackling landscaping maintenance.One employee, whose children onceattended the nursery, even power-washed the building.

On a third day, employees went to theNewark Senior Center to help renovateand update a recreational room.

This is the first year that Dow createdteam activities to inspire employees andmake significant, local improvementsthroughout the campaign, Palena says.(Last year, they worked on a Habitat forHumanity house.)

“It’s part of our site’s culture to be anactive member of the community. It’sgreat to work for Dow, a company thatwants us to do that,” Palena says.

For Days of Caring ideas, visitwww.delawareonline.com/getinvolved orcall (302) 573-3708.


Dow Chemical – Caring for Newarkby Pam George

Dow team members at the Newark Senior Center, a United Way partner agency.

Lucas “Amillion” Mayfield, Bill Allen and Kim Allen pause at Revive theVillage’s kickoff event, held in May. Mayfield gave a spoken word performanceat the event.

For more information onRevive the Village, call (302) 573-3724 or email

[email protected]

UWD’s African-American Initiative is gathering steam


Jim Cronin from DuPont (third from left) recently pulled together some friends tohold a target shooting event – Clays of Caring – to benefit UWD. They raisednearly $2,000! Pictured, from left to right: Troy Francisco, Carolann Wicks, JimCronin, Lois Hunn from UWD, Jud Orescan and Karen Bloch. Rob Fox of BBQGrills of Dover and Jim Enslen of JR's Catering provided food for the event. Thankyou for your support, everyone!

Clays of Caring

Wesley College Student United Way members recently attended the nationalStudent United Way Leadership Retreat in Alexandra, Virginia. UWD’s JohnMoore stands with Nashi Watson, Erika Tanase and Chaplain Erica Brown fromWesley College.

Wesley College Student United Way

Jeff Haas, Director of Resource Development and Strategic Initiatives at UWD,reads to a class. This initiative does more than promote literacy. It also encouragesmen to get involved as positive role models for children in the community.

Volunteers gather for 100 Men Reading Day, an event organized by Reading isFundamental and Brandywine Valley Friends, with support from ChristianaCare’s Learning Institute and UWD. Volunteers spend the day visiting Wilmingtonarea schools and community centers, reading to children.

100 Men Reading Day

United Way of DelawareThe Linden Building, Third Floor625 North Orange StreetWilmington, DE 19801

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit #194

Wilmington, DE


AFL-CIO Community Services698 Old Baltimore PikeNewark, DE 19702

Sussex County Office206 Academy StreetSuite #2Georgetown, DE 19947

Kent County OfficeCommunity Building of the CenDel FoundationSuite #2B101 West Loockerman StreetDover, DE 19904

Coffee Lovers Unite! You’re Invited!

Mark your calendarsnow for our next

Annual Get-Together:

June 18, 20125:00 PM

The location and the theme are tobe determined, but it’s sure to be a

fun, informative event.(Kent and Sussex Annual Meeting

date to be announced soon – watchour website at www.uwde.org for

updates!)

Stop in to your local Brew HaHa!beginning this winter and pick upyour favorite hot beverage with aUWD coffee sleeve! Thanks to our

friends at Brew HaHa! for their con-tinued support!

Living United: December / January

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