United Way of the Capital Region Blog

UWCR Sponsors Second Annual Fatherhood and Family Celebration

Want to enjoy a fun-filled day with your children? Join us for the Second Annual Fatherhood and Family Celebration on Saturday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.

This FREE event focuses on helping fathers share, learn and grow their family skills, while providing a great day for the entire family. The featured speaker is Kofi Asante, executive director of the National Fatherhood Center, based in Philadelphia. The event includes panel discussions on topics such as parenting through conflict and entertainment for the whole family including games, activities, music, African dance classes, poetry, vendors and more.

This year the celebration will also feature a film festival. The House of Reconciliation, from Philadelphia will provide a TV documentary and scenes from their stage play “Baby Mama Drama.”  The YWCA of Greater Harrisburg will show the video “Boys and Men healing,” which deals with child sexual abuse of boys. Tonia Grady will be on hand to show and discuss her award winning film “Man Up:  Exploration of a Fatherless Nation” and Kofi Asante will air his award winning documentary, which was nominated for an Academy Award. 

Addressing Emerging Needs in Our Community

Most people know that United Way of the Capital Region (UWCR) funds more than 80 programs and services through our Community Improvement (or general) Fund. But did you know that UWCR also funds other programs in the Capital Region that address new, emerging, or critical needs in our community? We do this through our Community Response Fund.

Each year, UWCR’s Board of Directors sets aside money to fund programs that address specifically identified needs in the community. Community Response Fund grants are open to any non-profit 501(c) (3) organization that serves the residents of Eastern Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties that needs funding for programs that address one of UWCR’s identified priorities. We identify priority issues by conducting research and soliciting input from experts in our community who work with us through our Focus Care Councils. 

We just completed our Community Response Fund process for 2012/2013 and 11 programs were selected that address our identified priorities of basic needs and access to health care. UWCR will distribute a total of $200,000 to the following programs:

UWCR Offers Cultural Awareness Workshops

Over the past few decades the Capital Region has become a vibrant and ethnically diverse area. The U.S. Census continues to document significant changes in our region’s demographics across ethnic, racial and religious demographics. 

Recognizing the challenges in understanding, respecting and embracing these different cultures, United Way of the Capital Region (UWCR) created a series of Cultural Awareness Workshops several years ago. Workshops for 2012 will take place over the next several months.

Geared toward health and human service providers, the workshops were designed to offer a snapshot of various cultures.  This year, the workshops will focus on Japanese, Thai and Caribbean Island cultures.

If your profession gives you the opportunity to work with people from other cultures, or if this is simply an area of interest, UWCR encourages you to check out these workshops. You might be surprised by how much information you’ll walk away with!

For more information, contact Heidi Neuhaus at hneuhaus@uwcr.org.

 

Tax Preparation Program Gives Local Man Peace of Mind

For Jeff Myers, the Money In Your Pocket (MIYP) program is more than a transaction to complete his taxes. The program is a life line at a critical time in his life. A resident of Steelton, Jeff was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1992. The disease has made it difficult for him to remember and process information. The free tax preparation services offered through the MIYP program gives him the security of knowing his taxes are completed correctly. 

 

For the last five years, Jeff has gone to Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg where trained local volunteers and students of Professor Michael Hussey, who teaches federal income taxation, prepare taxes every Saturday morning during tax season. The volunteers prepare and file state, local and federal returns, using an online program for the state and federal returns. Since Jeff doesn’t own a computer, he is very grateful to have this service.

 

UWCR Offers Adolescent Mental Health Workshops

All children and adolescents have difficult days, but sometimes these days stretch into weeks, months or even years. These problems may not just be “growing pains,” but signs of mental health issues.

Studies now show that approximately 20 percent of adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder. We may never know if more children are affected now as opposed to 20 or 30 years ago, or if improved diagnostic practices have helped us to identify disorders earlier. We do know that around one in five children is affected by some sort of diagnosable mental health disorder and that for every affected child affected there is a parent, family, or caregiver who is impacted as well.

Getting treatment is essential and early intervention works best. It’s important to remember that treatment and recovery take time. If you suspect your child may need mental health treatment, please don’t hesitate to seek help. There are a variety of service providers in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties who are available to help, including some who offer services on a sliding fee scale. 

Volunteers Help United Way Distribute Funds

Each fall, United Way of the Capital Region (UWCR) asks residents of Eastern Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties to make a contribution to help us provide a variety of services to our community. We fund services for the economically disadvantaged and those challenged by an illness or a disability; we help house the homeless, feed the hungry, and help people survive many of life’s challenges.  Through UWCR, youth have a safe place to go after school, get homework assistance, and find mentors to provide positive role models.

Many people wonder how UWCR decides where contributions will go and how much funding programs will receive. Its people just like you that make our fund distribution process work.

Every February, more than 150 volunteers come together to decide how gifts to UWCR’s Community Improvement Fund will be distributed. Volunteers from all walks of life are recruited through an open process. They receive training, visit program sites, review funding requests, meet with agency staff and board members, and evaluate programs. They make sure programs are needed, evaluate their success, and make sure agencies applying for funding meet our accountability standards. Volunteers review audits and other financial reports and consider an agency’s financial health in the decision-making process. When needed, these volunteers will also meet with agencies that are facing challenges throughout year to provide oversight and technical assistance.

As you can see, volunteers are essential to the fund distribution process here at UWCR. We invite you to join us for next year’s process. For more information, contact Susan Wokulich at swokulich@uwcr.org.

Fatherhood: The Missing Link

United Way of the Capital Region (UWCR) has created the Fatherhood Academy and the Tri-County Fatherhood Coalition to help local fathers form strong bonds with their children.

The issue of absent, non-engaged fathers, is a national concern, most recently addressed by President Baraka Obama.  The role of a parent is critical to the development of a healthy, well-rounded child. Being a parent is a difficult job, made even more challenging when one half of the equation is missing. The Fatherhood Academy is held every Monday evening from 6:30 8:00 at the United Methodist Neighborhood Center, 3^rd and Kelker Streets, Harrisburg, PA. The classes are free and open to all men. The Firm Foundation, Hamilton Health Center and the Community Action Center also have free Fatherhood classes, and participate in the Tri-County Fatherhood Coalition.

The Fatherhood Academy uses two curriculums, which are designed to educate and inspire the men in attendance. The first curriculum was developed by a Shippensburg University Graduate student, in the School of Social Work, who was interning for UWCR. The student introduced the concept to her graduate class, who then took it upon themselves to research the most effective fatherhood programs in the country. The second curriculum called “Knights of the 21^st Century,” which was developed by the founder of Pennsylvania Counseling Inc. The DVD based curriculum covers 26 weeks of excellent instruction for fathers, and is well received by the participants of the Fatherhood Academy.

Any father who wishes to be a part of the Fatherhood Academy can attend one of the Monday night sessions, without pre-registration. For more information, visit, www.tricofatherhood.net, or contact Nathaniel Gadsden, at 732.0700.    

Prosperity Centers Help Families In Tough Times

Helping families weather tough times is at the heart of United Way of the Capital Region’s (UWCR) work in our community. UWCR has long supported critical services to help families deal with the unexpected - be it a natural disaster, a child with special needs, or a physical disability. Beyond dealing with a crisis, we also want families to have the skills and tools they need to be self-sufficient.

UWCR has launched Prosperity Centers as one of the ways to help families be economically self-sufficient. The purpose of the centers is to empower individuals and families in the Capital Region to be financially prosperous. The centers provide a service in the community by building on the three pillars of financial stability - financial literacy, access to mainstream benefits and case management. The centers assist individuals and families to plan, manage and improve their financial resources. Trained volunteers help families learn to budget, plan and manage their money, build their assets, reduce their debt, and gain financial stability. Assistance at the Prosperity Centers is not based on income level. Everyone is welcome. All services are free and confidential.

Prosperity Centers offer people the opportunity to think about their money in new ways and build for a stronger financial future. With a little support and guidance, achieving a more prosperous future can be a reality.   

Helping Families Become Financially Stable

Strong and financially self-sufficient families are critical to building a successful community. Here at United Way of the Capital Region (UWCR), we understand that more and more families are struggling to make ends meet and need the assistance of local agencies. 

No family sets out to live on the charity of its community, but this is a growing concern in our region. The cost of living in the Capital Region is outpacing wages.  The 2010 Self-sufficiency Wage for Dauphin and Cumberland counties was about $55,000 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 children under 5 years old) (Pathways PA).  Yet, the Dauphin County median household income in 2009 was $48,792.  What does this mean? It means thousands of people in the Capital Region are under-employed and unable to obtain sufficient income to maintain a home.

Here is breakdown of the unemployment and under-employment statistics in our area:

Dauphin County
Unemployment: May 2010 = 8.3%; May 2011 = 7.2%
Under-employment:  May 2011 approx. 18%

Cumberland County
Unemployment: May 2010 = 7.2%; May 2011 = 6.4%
Under-employment:  May 2011 approx. 16%

Perry County
Unemployment: May 2010 = 8.2%; May 2011 = 7.2%
Under-employment:  May 2011 approx. 18%