United Way of Northwest Louisiana - 820 Jordan St., Ste. 370 - Shreveport, LA 71101 - 318-677-2504Webster, Bienville, Claiborne Office - 202 Miller St. - Minden, LA 71055 - 318-677-2504 Ext. 140

UNITEDWAYNWLA.ORG

One person can change a life.

THEPOWERONEOF

FAST FACTSabout United Way of NWLA

10 STEPSto a Successful Campaign

• United Way of NWLA fosters community-wide solutions

• Established in 1921 in Northwest Louisiana

• Touches more than 100,000 lives annually

• 501(C)3 nonprofit organization with a 31 member governing board

• Focuses on solutions that address measureable change in Education, Health, Essential Needs, and Financial Stability

• Serves 10 Parishes including Caddo, Bossier, Webster, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Bienville, Claiborne, Sabine, Red River and Winn

• $0.99 of every dollar donated stays in Northwest Louisiana

• Funds programs and services for families, children, and adults to area 501(C)3 nonprofits through an application process

• Ensures dollars are invested based on community solutions versus temporary fixes

OUR REQUEST

• Openly support giving through United Way of NWLA

• Consider a corporate contribution or match to employee gifts

• Select an enthusiastic coordinator

• Strive to surpass last year’s results

• Personalize and promote the giving campaign

• Offer incentives to be Leadership Givers

• Create a new hire program for all new employees

OUR VALUES

Service and Community Foster and encourage active involvement of individuals, groups and organizations, corporations and labor in our work of serving the community with high-quality, high-value, and relevant human services.

Integrity and Respect We are honest, ethical, and transparent as we serve. We are caretakers of individual worth, self-respect and our donors’ resources.

ACCOUNTABILITY STATEMENT

United Way of Northwest Louisiana is committed to responsible stewardship and diligence in keeping our administrative and fundraising costs well below the national standard for nonprofits. Our partner agencies receiving grant funding are held to the same high standard and are reviewed annually.

1. Build Relationship with United Way Staff United Way Staff are available to support and help as much as needed

2. Secure Top-Level Support Send emails, speak at employee meetings, and develop campaign timeline

3. Recruit Others to Help Set timeline, ask other departments to be involved, and assign tasks

4. Plan Campaign and Set Goals Review past results, develop incentives and activities, and set multiple goals

5. Promote Your Campaign Use United Way materials, send emails, and share how to donate

6. Host Employee Meetings and Events Conduct group presentations with United Way staff and testimonial speakers

7. Encourage Leadership Giving Publicize the leadership societies and recognize employees who give at these levels

8. Ask Everyone to Give Ensure everyone is asked to participate – part time, off-site staff and consultants

9. Say Thank You and Report Results Display United Way Thank You posters, recognize outstanding efforts, and report results

10. Year-round United Way Engagement Participate year-round – volunteer, do a collection drive or tour agency programs

OUR FOCUS

Helping Children Succeed

• Enter kindergarten equipped to succeed

• Reduce truancy for all grade levels

• Proficiently read by 4th grade

• Successful transition to middle school

• Increase high school graduation rates

• Be prepared for post graduate success

Strengthening Families

• Secure and sustain employment

• Develop financial literacy skills

• Learn to budget, save and manage expenses

• Obtain affordable, independent housing

• Receive income support and subsidies

Empowering Healthy Lives

• Able to access medical and dental care

• Create healthy eating and physical activities

• Receive necessary prescriptions and glasses

• Develop healthy habits and lifestyles

• Provide a safe home and community

Comforting Those in Crisis

• Provide food assistance to families, children and elderly

• Shelter homeless and people in crisis

• Assist elderly with transportation services

• Provide counseling for abuse and sexual assault victims

• Help veterans in life crisis

• Aid in disaster relief and medical services

THE POWER OF ONEeffects hundreds of thousands everyday in our area:

• 59,400 received shelter/food/basic needs

• 9,500 received support services

• 86,700 kids were mentored

• 6,500 kids learned leadership skills

• 7,650 students received tutoring

• 4,000 were placed in new and suitable jobs

• 27,300 people improved their health habits

• 1,243 homeless received medical care

LEADERSHIP GIVING SOCIETIESBeing a leadership giver and member of a society offers insider briefings and information, distinctive recognition, and special events.

Exemplar Society: Annual giving of $5,000 - $9,999

The Exemplar Society represents those in our community who give between $5,000 and

$9,999 annually. This society was created for those who are dedicated to the future of our community through United Way.

Vanguard Society: Annual giving of $1,000 - $4,999

Donors who contribute $1,000 to $4,999 are members of the Vanguard Society. These

individuals and couples are committed to making a difference in Northwest Louisiana.

Closer’s Club For Realtors

Members of the Closers’ Club are residential and

commercial realtors devoted to changing and improving lives in our community. Members give based on each closing/sale. Contact Jennifer Adams at jennifera@unitedwaynwla.org for information.

United Way of NWLA dollars raised and leveraged more than $7.7 Million in 2014 helping people in our own community.

Alexis de Tocqueville Society: Annual giving of $10,000 or more

A gift of $10,000 or more allows d o n o r s

to become members of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society. A French emissary, Tocqueville toured American in 1931. He admired Americans’ spirit of voluntary giving for the common good of their community.

WHY PARTNER1. Save time

2. Grow your customer base

3. Build teamwork and employee morale

4. Convenience

5. Give with confidence

6. Connect to services

WHERE YOUR CONTRIBUTION GOES

United Way of NWLA’s Community Fund supported programs in the four impact areas in 2015 as shown below based on community needs and applying solutions:

United Way’s 2015 Community Fund Allocations

THE STORY OF SAMMI

Volunteer Center of Northwest Louisiana

The Volunteer Center actively engages companies and individuals in

volunteerism in Northwest Louisiana. The Center works on:

The Power of One is the heart touching story of how one little girl, with one action, on one day, changed one man’s life forever. One day while riding to school with her mother, young Sammi noticed a homeless man, named Danny, shivering in the cold.  Every day following she looked for the young man, and every day she found him in the same dire situation. Alone, cold, hungry and without the most basic thing we all need to survive, a home.

Sammi’s gift sets Danny on a journey to put his life back together. Danny makes use of the opportunities he is given to improve his education, live a healthy lifestyle, and rejoin the workforce. Years later a simple twist of fate brings these people back together when it is revealed that Danny is now successful and works to help others gain their independence. This shows that one person, with one action, can change one person’s life for the better. This is the Power of One.

UNITEDWAYNWLA.ORG

Imagination Library The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a unique early years book gifting program that mails a brand new book to

enrolled children every month from birth until five years old. The program instills a love of books and reading from an early age. At present, the following zip codes in Northwest Louisiana are participating in the program: 71064, 71103, 71106, 71109, 71111.

Bank On Shreveport Bank On negotiates with banks and credit unions to reduce

barriers to banking and increase access to the financial mainstream. Bank On programs are voluntary, public/private partnerships that provide low-income un- and underbanked people with free or low-cost starter or “second chance” bank accounts and access to financial education.

VITA/My Free Taxes The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers

free tax help to people who make $53,000 or less who need assistance in preparing their tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals.

The MyFreeTaxes Partnership provides free federal and state tax preparation and filing for qualified individuals. The partnership’s tax preparation and filing services have helped millions of families. Tax filing software is provided through MyFreeTaxes.com

LINCC/Community Resource Management

LINCC is a web-based platform that brings community resources

together providing data, knowledge and interactive tools for effective collaboration between nonprofits, government, funders, and other stakeholders

• Corporate Volunteerism

• Day of Caring

• Volunteer Referral

• Volunteer Management

• Volunteer Recognition

AWARD RECOGNITION

Top Ten Companies The top ten companies that raise the most dollars make this list. Winners are featured during the year in print collateral, website, social media and enews.

Diamond Level Award Winners Companies that raise the most dollars based on the number of employees are Diamond Level Award Winners. The number of employees is grouped by: greater than 250, 100-249, 50-99, and up to 49.

Movers and Shakers Winners Total campaign dollars donated is the criteria for this award. Companies that have the largest increase in total campaign donations over their last year results are Movers and Shakers. Two awards are given based on number of employees.

Pacesetter Companies Pacesetters are businesses that run their campaign during June to August. Pacesetters receive a framed print at the Annual Celebration in 2016, recognition at the Kickoff Luncheon, listing in an advertisement in the The Times, The Forum News, other local papers and more. Ask your United Way representative for more information on Pacesetter benefits.

37%

29%

24%

10%

Essential Needs

Education

Health

Financial Stability