United Way of the Midlands Blog

Ed Mullins of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has been named the 2011 Alyce Kemp DeWitt award winner. The award recognizes a volunteer whose creativity and passion have made an extraordinary impact on United Way of the Midlands. Mullins will be recognized along with seven other volunteers or groups at EdVenture Children’s Museum on Thursday, April 19.

Every year United Way of the Midlands recognizes outstanding volunteerism throughout the community by awarding groups and individuals who during the previous year have exemplified what it means to give back to the community. Eight awards are given out in three different categories, Community Impact, LIVE UNITED and the Alyce Kemp DeWitt award.

The Alyce Kemp DeWitt award is United Way’s most prestigious award for long-term service to the organization and community. In order to be eligible, an Alyce Kemp DeWitt Award winner must have worked with United Way for a minimum of four years and made a measurable impact on the organization.

This year’s recipient is Ed Mullins, who has spent his career addressing human service issues and community needs both financially and with his time serving on boards, volunteering, or soliciting others into service and giving. Mullins is of counsel to Nelson Mullins, which has over 180 donors to United Way as well as 58 leadership givers. Mullins has a long history of board service, having served on the boards of the American Red Cross – SC Region, the Columbia Area Mental Health Association, the Richland Sertoma Club, the March of Dimes Walk, and the S.C. Mental Health Association.  He is currently on the board of directors of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics.

The United Way of the Midlands LIVE UNITED Award recipient is a volunteer that has dedicated herself to service throughout the year and helped promote the spirit of volunteering back into the Midlands through service to United Way of the Midlands. Winners are submitted and chosen by United Way and our certified partner agencies.

United Way of the Midlands is proud to present this year’s LIVE UNITED award to Shannon Flynn for her hard work to Access to the Arts, a program that began in September 2011, which allows families who receive food assistance through the Department of Social Services to enjoy local cultural events for $1.

The United Way of the Midlands Community Impact Award recipients are a person or group that have demonstrated a commitment to volunteering and made an impact to causes, programs or projects that support human service needs in the Midlands. Award recipients are volunteers with United Way of the Midlands’ Certified Partner Agencies

The 2011 Community Impact Award recipients are the University of South Carolina, nominated by Harvest Hope Food Bank; Sarah Moran, nominated by Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands; I AM WOMAN Community Health Workers, nominated by Columbia Urban League; and The Dickerson Center for Children Fun(d)raisers, nominated by The Dickerson Center for Children.

For more information about the volunteer awards or the ceremony, contact Bridgett Molony at 803-758-6987 or bmolony@uway.org.

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

-Fredrick Douglass

An interesting article was posted in the New York Times in January with the simple idea that we could end poverty with a hug, or lots of hugs, rather. In the article, Nicholas D. Kristof examined the impact of “toxic stress” in early life, and even before.

Where does toxic stress come from? Kristof explains it as something that can “arise from parental abuse of alcohol or drugs. It could occur in a home where children are threatened and beaten. It might derive from chronic neglect — a child cries without being cuddled […] the stress emerges when a child senses persistent threats but no protector.”

This toxic stress has an immediate and lasting impact on young children, perhaps even before leaving the womb. Cortisol, a stress hormone, can change children’s metabolism or even decrease brain function, and children facing toxic stress are more likely to have trouble with academics, be quick to anger, and tangle with the law. Stress in early childhood development can cause lasting symptoms as adults, too, with higher rates of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other physical problems.

Kristof suggests addressing poverty with this information by using it to break the cycle. He says, “Poverty is difficult to overcome partly because of self-destructive behaviors. Children from poor homes often shine, but others may skip school, abuse narcotics, break the law, and have trouble settling down in a marriage and a job. Then their children may replicate this pattern.”

It is our job to set up programs to raise awareness and help young children. Many times no one steps in until the child starts school, but as Kristof points out, this is already too late:

“At age 6, studies have found, these children are only one-third as likely to have behavioral or intellectual problems as others who weren’t enrolled. At age 15, the children are less than half as likely to have been arrested.”

By simply teaching parents to pay attention to children and act as protectors, maybe we can help break the cycle of poverty.

What do you think? Read the article and share your thoughts below.

What fires you up? Literacy? Poverty? Hunger?

Whatever it is, there are opportunities waiting for you to get connected.

United Way of the Midlands has just launched Get Connected, a tool where volunteers can match their preferences with the needs of non-profit agencies throughout the Midlands.

Visit uway.org/volunteer to sign up or log in with your Facebook account. Once you’re in, you can choose a cause and find volunteer opportunities, see requests for in-kind needs, board opportunities, and even look for employment opportunities. You can even subscribe to updates from your favorite cause. Because it’s all based on your preferences, you don’t have to worry about anyone spamming you, and United Way will never give your personal information to anyone else.

“We looked at the work we were doing with partners in our community and realized just how great the need for volunteers is,” said Mac Bennett, President and CEO of United Way of the Midlands.  “We’ve been a leader in promoting volunteerism in the Midlands through our community-wide Days of Action and through our workplace campaigns and this website is a way to continue that work with a broader reach.”

Non-profit agencies in the Midlands, even those not affiliated with United Way, are encouraged to create an agency page and utilize this resource to further connect with their community and volunteers. More than 1,400 people have signed up already, and there are over 40 agencies with 100 volunteer projects, 60 in-kind needs and 30 events.

“We wanted to use this website as a way to strengthen not just our partners, but all non-profits in the Midlands,” said Bennett. “This is a resource that will benefit everyone in our community.”

For more information on “Get Connected” contact Bridgett Molony at 803-758-6987 or bmolony@uway.org. To sign up as a volunteer or agency, visit the website at www.uway.org/volunteer.

Find out more on our Facebook pages as well:

United Way:
http://www.facebook.com/uwmidlands

Young Leaders Society: http://www.facebook.com/UWYoungLeadersSociety

Women in Philanthropy: http://www.facebook.com/WomenInPhilanthropy

If you’re interested in nonprofits and you don’t know about Blue Avocado then take a minute and get to know it.  It is good reading for nonprofit staff, board members, or folks generally interested in nonprofits.  The magazine offers great articles and great commentary.  They also post something akin to “the Shameless Self promotion” award, so they have a sense of humor.

While it is an older post, this Blue Avocado article deserves some extra attention. Jan Masoka, nonprofit rock star, believes it is the executive director who is responsible for the organization.  ALL of it- including the how well the board operates. She’s right- everything hums along when both the board and the director are strong and are working well together.  She’s also right that when the board is weak something has to change, and the board likely won’t change unless the director gets involved and helps make the change.

I agree with Masoka to a degree.  However, I’m a fan of checks and balances, so I’m concerned about the director’s power.  I think it is too easy when operating from Masoka’s framework for board members with busy lives to defer to the director.  This deferment can further weaken or disengage a board.  Finally, and I hate to say it, but sometimes bad executives take advantage of or unwittingly hurt organizations. Call me skeptical and slightly paranoid, but I don’t want power of a charitable organization concentrated in one person.

So at Blueprint we work to cultivate an educated and trained group of volunteers who are prepared to step up and work on boards to make sure the best possible work is being done in an organization. The checks and balances from staff, to executive director to a Board of Directors made up of donors and volunteers keeps our message and efforts connected with the community and prevent them from being created in a vacuum, a crucial part to making an impact.

What are you doing to ensure your Board of Directors is engaged?

Last month a couple of us attended the United Way Worldwide Brand Forum in Atlanta. The conference focused on individual engagement and giving your donors and volunteers a cause to advocate for and participate in. We listened to a lot of speakers and watched several presentations but there is one video that stuck with me after the trip.

It’s an interesting interpretation of what is actually happening in the video, that much is clear, but I have to appreciate it for what it is saying. Nurturing our followers (or donors, or volunteers) as equal participants in our cause is something we can all do a little better on. We call on our donors to support us, and we call on our volunteers to give us their time, but do we continue to engage them once we have their ear? It’s not just our excellent fundraising and marketing skills that bring them in- they actually care about these things too!

Each of the followers in the video took ownership of the movement, and then brought friends. If we can give our donors and volunteers something that they care about, and can feel included in and responsible for, not only will we achieve a more authentic connection with them, but perhaps they too, will bring their friends in to follow, to give, or to volunteer. I won’t speak for all non-profits, but that’s not something we’ll be turning away anytime soon!

Fundraising already is or is becoming a significant role/responsibility for nonprofit boards. For some organizations (arts and such), this has always been the case.  In the area of human services, however, a contribution of time was considered sufficient.

Let’s look at some data from the Board Source Nonprofit Governance Index 2010.  The report shares data from surveys of both nonprofit CEOs and board members. According to the report, nonprofit directors’ perspectives about board performance differ from most board members’.   Directors’ GPA for overall board performance was a  C+ though board members gave themselves a B.  More striking, directors gave their boards a grade of D in fundraising while board members gave themselves a C.

Let me climb on the soapbox– I don’t think time is enough when serving on a nonprofit board.  If one doesn’t think the organization is valuable enough to personally fund, then why should others think differently and choose to give to the organization?  If one’s time is that valuable, then auction some of it off and share the proceeds with the organization.

These are the sorts of conversations we are having during Blueprint for Leadership with our 2012 class, and  I’m sure there are folks who disagree with this opinion, and those opinions are welcome.  It is only in the course of conversation that we learn. Want to be part of the conversation? Comment here and let us know what you think!

Make plans to attend the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Summit on Tuesday, February 28th, 6:00-8:00 PM at Fairfield Central High School. There will be plenty of food and door prizes.

Did you know there’s an easy way to save up to $20 or more on each of your prescriptions? By partnering with FamilyWise, United Way of the Midlands is offering free prescription cards that can do just that.

United Way of the Midlands is part of a nationwide grassroots effort in conjunction with FamilyWize Community Service Partnership. The free cards are accepted at 95 percent of pharmacies nationwide, including all major chains. Using a card to save on prescriptions doesn’t require enrollment or personal information, so they’re ready to use the minute you receive one.

“It’s easy, like using a coupon. Just take it to your local pharmacist, and they’ll know exactly what to do to automatically apply all the savings available to you,” says Dan Barnes, co-chair of FamilyWise.

In 2010, 16 percent of Americans weren’t able to fill a prescription because of cost. That number is estimated at 21 percent for 2011, according to a study by USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health. There were also more than 100 million Americans in 2011 who were uninsured for all or part of the year– about 35 percent of the population.

FamilyWize is free, does not require enrollment or personal information and is available to anyone. Discounts vary depending on the drug, but the program can save up to 75 percent. Average savings are 35%. This program could be the difference between providing the community with necessary medications, or choosing to forgo it due to high costs.

To get your FamilyWize discount card visit www.FamilyWize.org.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month (CDHM).  The Division of Oral Health wants to make you aware of some of our upcoming activities and challenge you to take part in spreading the oral health message!

Every February, EdVenture Children’s Museum sponsors “Take Heart and Smile” month with activities centered around oral health and heart health.  Here is a list of the planned events for the month:

Tuesday, February 14, 2012, Family Night, (5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)

• “Fun and Games that lead to healthy teeth!” – DHEC’s Oral Health Division
• Free Dental Screenings – by Columbia Dental Society

Saturday, February 18, 2012:

• Heart dissections at Museum – USC Medical Students
• Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures Van (11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in front of museum)
• Heart Healthy/Oral Health Program in Bio-Investigations Lab (fluoride experiment and making toothpaste)

Saturday, February 25, 2012:

• Heart Healthy/Oral Health Program in Bio-Investigations Lab

In addition to these activities, the Columbia Marionette Theater is performing at schools across the state. Visit http://www.scdhec.sc.gov/health/mch/oral/puppet.htm for more information on the puppet show and how to sponsor one in your local area.

You can be involved in CDHM too!

• Volunteer at EdVenture (contact MK Jones for more information at kenyonm@dhec.sc.gov )
• Consider sponsoring the puppet show in your area.
• Donate your expertise and some toothbrushes to your local school or child care center.

Tell us how you’re getting involved this month to raise awareness for children’s dental health. Comment below!

United Way of the Midlands Palmetto Society is proud to announce that this year’s Humanitarian of the Year is John D. Baker.

John D. Baker

For this year’s award winner, giving back runs in the family. John D. Baker’s father, David, chaired the Columbia United Committees Fund Drive (the predecessor to the United Way). Shortly after attending a ceremony honoring his father, John got involved with March of Dimes, which he continues his involvement with to this day. In fact, he was awarded Elaine Whitelaw award, the highest honor ever bestowed on a March of Dimes volunteer at the March of Dimes National Volunteer Leadership conference.

John was one of the first supporters of the new Chabad Labovitch movement, which now runs a successful Jewish Day School in Columbia. He also served on the Richland County Public Library Board of Trustees, and after his chairmanship it was named Library of the Year in 2001 by the American Library Association. In 2000, John received the Trustee of the Year award given by the SC Association of Public Library Administrators. Later, John and his family helped bring Maurice Sendak, best known for Where the Wild Things Are, to the library.

John has been very involved in the United Way of the Midlands initiatives by helping to create funding for the Early Childhood Initiative, Vital Connections. He also formed Step Into Reading to raise money for books and put them into the hands of needy children. For all of his work with this program, John accepted the Corporate Citizen of the Year award from the Carolina’s chapter of Volunteers of America in 2001.

His achievements don’t stop there. The State of Israel Bonds in Columbia honored John in 2002 with the State of Israel’s Ben Gurion award for his years of service. John was also awarded the State’s highest honor, The Order of the Palmetto, by Gov. James Hodges. In addition, John received the Philanthropist of the Year award given by the state chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Without a doubt, John D. Baker is deserving of this year’s Humanitarian of the Year award. He is currently married to the former Marcie Stern, of Columbia, and they have one child, Gabrielle, who is a junior at George Washington University.

Invitations to the Humanitarian of the Year Awards dinner have been mailed to our Palmetto Society and other donors. For more information about this event, click here.