Congratulations to Women United members Sharon Simmons and Denice Beights, nominees for the 2012 ATHENA Award, and 2012 ATHENA Young Leadership Development Award. We are thrilled that they are being recognized for their contributions to our community. You can view the entire list of nominees HERE.
We are proud to announce that the 2011 Power of the Purse raised more than $26,000 to support child care scholarships! The scholarship auction was particularly successful, raising $6,825! There’s still an opportunity to help the cause. One day of quality, accredited child care costs $30. For a $30 donation, you will receive an exclusive cinda b power tote. This is the same tote offered at Power of the Purse and is the perfect size to hold a laptop or all your library books. Some colors are limited, so act fast to get the tote that makes a great holiday gift. To get your power totes, visit United Way of Allen County offices, 334 E. Berry St., between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.Checks should be made out to United Way of Allen County or credit cards can be processed on site. Thanks again to our outstanding corporate citizen cinda b for their commitment to early childhood education! Not only did cinda b sponsor Power of the Purse, but this local company is also making these power totes available to support child care scholarships.
A GIANT thank you goes out to all our volunteers, particularly the event committee chaired by Denice Beights. Thank you, also, to all who volunteered to work at the event, to all who attended, and to our great sponsors!
Our sponsors include: Presenting Sponsor cinda b, A Party Apart, Indiana Michigan Power, L.H. Industries, Northeast Indiana Public Radio, the Steffen Group, Clothes Mentor, Carson Boxberger, LLP and Indiana’s NewsCenter.
What a great event last night! Thank you to all who came to support our mission to provide scholarships to children to attend accredited daycare. If you missed your chance to pick up the signature purse necklace, you can order one online!
Have you purchased your tickets yet for the Power of the Purse event on September 27? What are you waiting for? You don’t want to miss your chance to bid on these fabulous purses, all while raising money for children who are on the waiting list to attend accredited daycare.
Tickets are $75 per person and are available online here: http://unitedwayallencounty.org/powerofthepurse
Our mission is to raise awareness and funds for early childhood literacy programs. Specifically - we’re raising money for scholarships to send children to accredited, high-quality childcare programs. High-quality childcare is essential to providing our children the tools they need for success. If you have not already seen “Change the First Five Years and You Change Everything” click on this link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbSp88PBe9E. Now that you’ve seen the video, you understand why this is so important. So, what’s the stumbling block to getting our kids into these accredited, high-quality childcare programs? Bottom line…COST. In Allen County alone, 1,400 children are currently on the waiting list for vouchers for these programs. The goal for Women United is to provide scholarships for these children. That’s why I need your help. As you know, we’re hosting a great awareness and fundraising event called Power of the Purse. Power of the Purse (or POP and I fondly call it) is a unique fundraising event which includes a GREAT live and silent auction of - you guessed it - FABO PURSES! It’s also a great evening of networking and fun with friends. How can you get involved? A few ways… 1. Get purses. We need FABO purses for this auction. We need new or gently loved/used purses from EVERYWHERE! Think about who you know who could help…do you know an artist who could make a purse? Are you connected to a celebrity who would donate a gently loved purse? The more celebrity purses we can get donated, the more publicity we can get for the event - and ultimately - for the mission. Do you have a purse or two in your closet you could donate? Do you know other women who might have a purse or two in their closet they’d like to donate? We’re looking to get at least 175 purses for the auction. We are approaching are deadline and have commitments for close to 100 purses. Attached is a form that can be used in collecting purses. If you can help or have questions, please contact Marcy Yoder at United Way. 2. Come to the event. The event is going to be a great evening filled with fun! It’s Tuesday, September 27 at A Party Apart, downtown Fort Wayne. Tickets will be available for $75/each, and will be available for purchase soon. As a member, you will receive an invite. Please invite others to join you. 3. Spread the word. Who can you tell about this issue? This is a community issue and it will take a community to solve it. So, the subject line of this note is 800/10,000. Why? When children from low-literacy environments enter kindergarten they have approximately 800 words in their vocabulary. Children from literacy-rich environments enter kindergarten with 10,000 words. It’s clear that kids in quality childcare programs are positioned for success as they enter school. Help me make this event a HUGE success. If you have ideas to make this happen, let me know.
When five-year-old Kaylor came to Martin Luther King Montessori School, she was shy and introverted, but these days, she has lots of friends and is actively engaged in learning.
“Her eyes light up when she comes to school,” says her mother, Tina Powell. “She has really come out of her shell and she is so ready for kindergarten; she already knows how to read and write.”
When Tina moved to Fort Wayne in 2009, she immediately began searching for schools for her three daughters. She learned about Martin Luther King Montessori School, a United Way Partner Agency, from an acquaintance and began working with the school’s family service coordinator. Not only did the coordinator help her apply for financial assistance for Kaylor, but the coordinator also helped Tina in her search for schools for her older daughters and for herself.
“I am a mother who believes that education is the key to my success, as well as the success of my children,” says Tina. “I have a degree in criminal justice, but am also working toward earning my nursing degree. Knowing my children are safe and getting a good education helps me focus on my own schoolwork and career.”
Martin Luther King Montessori School is a full-day, full-year preschool and kindergarten for children ages three to five years and is accredited at the highest level by the National Education for the Association of Young Children. It is one of a very few private Montessori schools in the United States to offer quality Montessori education to all families at an affordable cost regardless of their socio-economic status. The school’s goal is to “promote an atmosphere that allows all children to develop the skills to compete academically and socially with their kindergarten peers from more advantaged environments.” United Way of Allen County donors help provide MLK students scholarships based on family income levels.
“It’s a good thing to support United Way,” says Tina. “By donating, you give people opportunities they might never have had.”
Those opportunities are helping prepare children like Kaylor to succeed not just in kindergarten, but throughout her life.
Women United of Allen County strongly supports and provides assistance in allowing Fort Wayne children to obtain quality childcare. Ever wonder why that’s so important? Arionna’s story is about the importance of accredited childcare. Fort Wayne resident Natasha Shepherd didn’t have the income to pay for high-quality childcare, but received a scholarship at the Early Childhood Alliance (ECA), a United Way Partner Agency. Daughter Arionna thrived in the center and entered kindergarten more than ready to succeed. She is now excelling in a local elementary school and attends before- and after-school care at ECA. The consistent childcare has allowed Natasha to get an associate degree and a good job in banking. Thanks to this accredited childcare program, both Natasha and Arionna were able to thrive in their work and schooling. Learn more about how you can help other children enter grade school with the education they need to be successful athttp://www.unitedwayallencounty.org/womenunited.
To all of our girlfriends: Please save the date. This is a fun event with networking opportunities, fabulous handbags and of course, a great cause. Please tell your friends.
We need your help!
In Allen County, Indiana 1400 children are currently on the waiting list for vouchers for accredited, high-quality childcare programs. The goal for Women United of Allen County is to provide scholarships for these children.
We’re hosting a fundraising auction called Power of the Purse on September 27, 2011. That’s where you come in. Think about that purse in the back of your closet. You know the one we’re talking about; it’s oh-so-cute, but you can’t seem to find the time or place for it in your wardrobe anymore. That one purse could provide a child with the funds he needs to prepare for his first year of school.
Why should you care? Because when children from low-literacy environments enter kindergarten they have approximately 800 words in their vocabulary. Children from literacy-rich environments enter kindergarten with 10,000 words. It’s clear that kids in quality childcare programs are positioned for success as they enter school.
We’re not asking you to become a life-long endorser of early childhood education (although we certainly will not turn you away if you’re interested!). We’re simply asking for one purse that will give a child 10,000 words. It’s hard to believe that one of your purses could do so much good!
Send that purse to:
United Way of Allen County
Attn: Power of the Purse
334 E. Berry St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
In Allen County alone, 1,400 children are currently on the waiting list for vouchers for accredited, high-quality childcare programs. The goal for Women United is to provide scholarships for these childen. That’s why we need your help. We’re hosting a great awareness and fundraising event called Power of the Purse on September 27. Power of the Purse is a unique fundraising event, which includes a live and silent auction of - you guessed it - FABO PURSES! It’s also a great evening of networking and fun with friends. How can you get involved? A few ways… 1. Get purses. We need FABO purses for this auction. We need new or gently loved/used purses from EVERYWHERE! Think about who you know who could help…do you know an artist who could make a purse? Are you connected to a celebrity who would donate a gently loved purse? The more celebrity purses we can get donated, the more publicity we will get for the event - and ultimately - for the mission. Do you have a purse or two in your closet you could donate? Do you know other women who might have a purse or two in their closet they’d like to donate? We’re looking to get at least 175 purses for the auction. 2. Come to the event. The event is going to be a great evening filled with fun! It’s Tuesday, September 27 at A Party Apart, downtown Fort Wayne. Tickets will be available for $75/each, and will be available for purchase soon. If you’re interested, you can email us now at womenu@uwacin.org, and we will be sure you get the link to purchase tickets as soon as they’re available. 3. Spread the word. Who can you tell about Power of the Purse and why we’re doing it? This is a community issue and it will take a community to solve it. When children from low-literacy environments enter kindergarten, they have approximately800 words in their vocabulary. Children from literacy-rich environments enter kindergarten with10,000 words. It’s clear that kids in quality childcare programs are positioned for success as they enter school. Help me make this event a HUGE success.
