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September 28, 2007

Sherese Ward- Grant Review participant


Living and working in Greater New Haven her entire life has provided Sherese Ward with the opportunities to learn that caring about others is what really matters. She has always been passionate about volunteering and is currently on the Board for the YMCA, the Board of Higher Heights, a grant reviewer for the Community Foundation, and is working towards creating a young African American professionals group.

“I think, as a young professional, that any conscious person has a responsibility to give back,” said Sherese. “Everyone should care about the well-being of their community and United Way provides the opportunities to show how much you care.”

Sherese is employed by a large corporation in New Haven as the market development coordinator, which includes tasks like philanthropy fundraising and grant distributions. When the opportunity for involvement in United Way’s 2007 Grant Review Process presented itself, Sherese was compelled to become involved.

Her favorite aspect of the Grant Review Process was having a partner with whom she could learn and explore the various non-profit organizations, and she found that meeting new people helped her to gain new perspectives. “I could just listen to everyone talk and deliberate, and it would make me question and reform my own opinions,” said Sherese. Not only did Sherese reform her opinions, but she became more aware of her surroundings. During the Grant Review Process, Sherese found that there were many more organizations that do “wonderful things” than she had ever realized through her prior experiences. As a Grant Review participant, she had the opportunity to meet the “movers and shakers” in the community and discovered all of the things that people are trying to do in order to make a difference. She explained that we can all see the community’s challenges on the news, but we do not see nearly enough of how people are helping each other in amazing ways.

Before volunteering as a Grant Reviewer, Sherese became involved with United Way through Days of Caring, when she organized a group of employees to participate in a volunteer project. “United Way is such a staple in any community, said Sherese. “It is a life line and the reason that many non-profit agencies exist. Every year, employees are encouraged to give to the annual United Way Campaign and it truly creates awareness in the community about the non-profits. United Way provides so much support. I don’t know what we would do without it, especially in a tight-knit community like New Haven.”

Through the Grant Review Process, Sherese established an even stronger sense of community and seeing others work so diligently reinstilled the passion she has for her hometown.

Seventy-five volunteers and nine United Way of Greater New Haven staff members participated in the 2007-2008 Grant Review Process. The reviewers were responsible for reading and evaluating 8-10 applications as well as conducting 2-4 site visits. Applications were assigned to a volunteer based upon expertise, interest, and avoiding conflicts of interest. Each of the 126 applications that were received from Greater New Haven non-profit organizations were reviewed by at least 5 volunteers. In the end, $1.5 million dollars was distributed to non-profit organizations in Greater New Haven.

Career
Market Development Coordinator for Bank of America

How long have you lived and/or worked in Greater New Haven?
My entire life, 27 years.

What specific United Way programs/committees have you been involved with? When?
The Grant Review Process for 2006-2007 and I have organized groups of employees from Bank of America to volunteer for Days of Caring.

Why did you choose to be a part of the Grant Review process?

I do very similar things for my job, working with the community, determining grants, and I became involved with United Way through my affiliation with Bank of America. My boss had been a part of the review process in the past and asked if I would step in and take his place on the Success By 6 reviewing committee. He knew that I was interested in the community and I felt that the process was my opportunity to become even more involved.

What made you want to be involved?
For me, so much of what I do is similar to what United Way does. I work with non profits all the time and provide grants from Bank of America, but we have very specific criteria. There are so many more organizations than I realized, that aren’t eligible for grants by the bank, but do such wonderful things.

How did the process impact your views of the community?
I became so much more aware of what is going on around me. I now know who the movers and shakers are and what people are trying to do to make a difference. We all know the problems, we all read about it, but you don’t always know what others are doing to help.

How do you think the community has benefited from United Way?
United Way is such a staple in any community. It is a life line and the reason that many non-profit agencies exist. Every year, Bank of America employees are encouraged to give to the Annual United Way Campaign and it truly creates awareness in the community about non profits. United Way provides so much support, I couldn’t imagine New Haven without it.

Was there any part of the process that you found particularly rewarding?
You were partnered throughout the process and it was wonderful to hear the opinions of someone from a different background. I was partnered with a woman who works in the non profit sector and I truly gained new perspectives from working with her and the others.

This might sound silly, but what stands out most in my mind was being in the presence of truly informed people who are so passionate about their community. I could just listen to them talk and deliberate and it would make me question and reform my own opinions.

In what other ways are you involved in the community (outside United Way)?
Community Foundation Grant Reviewer, on the Board of the Y, on the Board of Higher Heights, and my friends and I have started a young black professionals groups, which we are trying to get up and running

Why should others become more involved in the community and with United Way?
I think, as a young professional, that any conscious person has a responsibility to give back, not necessarily as much as I have, but something. My experiences have also shown me how many volunteer opportunities there are. Everyone should care about the well-being of their community and United Way provides the opportunities to show you care.

September 26, 2007

Loyal Contributor and Leadership Circle Member Interview

Mr. Tony J. Vallillo
United Illuminating Company

Q: How long have you been a contributor to United Way?
A: I was introduced to United Way in the early 70’s through the employee campaign at United Illuminating Company. At the time, I had a lot competing for my time so I was not yet focused on community involvement. However, my interest grew as I listened to the presentations by United Way and the compelling stories they brought forth.

Q: Can you share with us an experience that has inspired you to continue to contribute?
A: Years ago, I took an opportunity to visit a United Way program that dealt with substance abuse. I was just overwhelmed by what I saw. The people who were being helped looked pretty desperate, but I could also see hope in their faces. I was also struck by the passion of the people who worked there. It was so real; there were people who really needed help and they were receiving it. That has left a lasting impression on me and is one reason I always contribute.

A: As a parent what did you teach your children about giving?
I told them, that there is nothing certain in this life, you can’t take things for granted and most importantly whenever you can reach out and help people, you should. They have grown to be sensitive to people facing challenges; now rather then trying to shy away from it, they try to help. That, I think, is a big accomplishment.

Q: How is United Way addressing the challenges in our community?
A: In the last 5 to 10 years United Way has really made a lot of improvements by looking at community challenges and focusing on results. United Way’s work with children and early education is a good example. Some time ago, everyone started recognizing that there were some gaps. United Way asked how we, as a community address that challenge? This has helped to attract volunteers and leadership who understand that addressing our community’s challenges is bigger then just funding. To see more results with the same amount of money you have to leverage your investments, have community dialog, civic engagement, and leadership.

Bitsie Clark- Grant Review Volunteer


Bitsie Clark is well-known as a New Haven Alderwoman for Ward 7 since 2003 and lived in New Haven since her graduation from Vassar College in 1953, to be with her husband while he studied at Yale Law School. Shortly thereafter she took a position with Girl Scouts of America, supported by United Way of Greater New Haven, organizing, training, and employing the troop leaders for the region. Bitsie says it was here that she learned some valuable lessons that have helped her throughout her life such as how to effectively teach and find a person’s strengths, lessons that cannot by learned in a classroom.

After ten years of working for Girl Scouts, Bitsie took time off to raise a family. During this time, she continued to be active in the community as President of the Girl Scouts Council as well as serving on United Way of Greater New Haven’s Board of Directors. Years later, Bitsie became recognizable to many as the director of the Arts Council in New Haven, where she worked for twenty years. Since her retirement, Bitsie has been more involved than ever as a member of the Greater New Haven Convention and Visitors Bureau, president of the Audubon Court Condominium Association, on the boards of the Shubert Theater and the International Arts and Ideas Festival, and, of course, as an alderwoman.

Recently, Bitsie has dedicated some of her time to United Way of Greater New Haven through the volunteer-led grant review process, which evaluates applications received by the non-profit community and designates the donations received throughout the year to the non-profits in need based upon the priority areas. “I was dealing with things I knew nothing about,” said Bitsie of the grant review process. “Prior to this experience, I was so involved in the arts that I didn’t realize just how many wonderful social services there were in our area.”

Bitsie volunteered for the grant review process because of her earlier volunteer involvement in the priority area selection. Through a lot of dedication and many committee meetings, she helped to establish United Way of Greater New Haven’s community action plan that, using data from a recent needs assessment, identified critical areas of focus from which United Way funding decisions would be made. The grant review volunteers looked at these priority areas and the goals attached to them and then evaluated non-profit organizations based upon their ability to address those main problems. Bitsie says she continued to volunteer through the grant review process because she was committed and wanted to see the process through to the end.

"It was fascinating. They paired us with people we didn’t know and some of them are now very close friends. We had the chance to visit as many organizations as we wanted or had the time to and the whole process was flexible. Visiting the organizations was very interesting. I was often impressed by how well the staff managed, despite meager facilities. You could sense where their hearts were and the amount of energy they had. The final meeting, where decisions were made, was so intense. Everyone was extremely passionate and with a few words, could sway the crowd’s opinion. We all wished there was more money to give away, but I think we came out of the process with the best judgments we could have made. "

Seventy-five volunteers and nine United Way of Greater New Haven staff members participated in the 2007-2008 Grant Review Process. The reviewers were responsible for reading and evaluating 8-10 applications as well as conducting 2-4 site visits. Applications were assigned to a volunteer based upon expertise, interest, and avoiding conflicts of interest. Each of the 126 applications that were received from Greater New Haven non-profit organizations were reviewed by at least 5 volunteers. In the end, $1.5 million dollars was distributed to non-profit organizations in Greater New Haven.

Company/Position and Volunteer Activities
I have been a New Haven alderwoman since 2003 and chair of the Youth Services committee. I was the director of the Arts Council for 20 years prior to my retirement. I attended Vassar College and I am also on the Greater New Haven Convention and Visitors Bureau, on the board of the International Arts and Ideas Festival, on the board for the Shubert Theater, and president of the Audubon Court Condominium Association.

I first came to New Haven right out of college, when my husband was studying at Yale Law. At that time I took a job working for the Girl Scouts of America and was there for 10 years where I learned some of the most valuable lessons that have helped me through my life. The Girl Scouts was a United Way agency and I organized, trained, and employed the troop leaders.

Two of the most crucial things I have learned are “start where you are.” This means that you should find out as much about the person that you are working with as possible. That way, you can relate things to their experiences and you know how far you can push them. You should also know that “feelings are facts.” If someone feels something, you can’t tell them that they are wrong. You can give them evidence that might change their mind, but you can’t simply disagree with them.

After the Girl Scouts I took 16 years off to raise my family. During this time I remained heavily involved with volunteering. I was the President of the Girl Scout Council and served on the United Way Board of Directors.

Why did you choose to be a part of the Grant Review process?
I was involved in selecting the Priority Areas and had participated in many meetings. I felt that the Priority Area selection was a wonderful way to engage the community and it helped to recruit for the Grant Review Process. Often times organizations will ask for people to participate in their grant review process and people will come in without knowing what the problems are. I participated in the Grant Review Process because I was already committed and wanted to see it out to the end.

They asked me if I would do it again this year, and unfortunately my term is up for Alderman and I need to campaign during the same time period. Otherwise, I would have liked to do it again.

How did the process impact your views of the community?
I was dealing with stuff that I knew nothing about. Prior to this experience, I was so involved in the arts that I didn’t realize just how many wonderful social services were in our area. It truly expanded my knowledge of the community and all of its opportunities.

Was there any part of the process that you found particularly rewarding?
It was fascinating. They paired us with people that we didn’t know and some of them are now very close friends. We had the chance to visit the organizations and the whole process was very flexible. We read to learn about many of them, but we could also visit as many of the organizations as we wanted or had the time to.

Visiting the organizations was very interesting. We met the staff and the board and saw the facilities. I was often impressed by how much the staff managed with facilities that weren’t great. You could sense where their hearts were and the amount of energy that they had.

The final meeting when the decisions were made for the grants was quite intense. So many people were so passionate and with a few words, had the power to sway the crowd and change decisions.

All in all, it was an enormous amount of work, but also very rewarding and satisfying for all of the reasons above, especially for the friends I have made.

I was struck by how seriously everyone took the process. Usually, some people are more committed than others, but that wasn’t so here, and we had very large groups of people. We all wished there was more money to give away, but I think that we came out of the process with very good judgments made.

Who is… the Altieri Family


Joseph Altieri, a chemical operator, and Ivette Altieri, an administrative assistant, explain that they are first and foremost proud parents of five wonderful children, who range in age from eleven to sixteen. Joseph is a lifetime resident of New Haven and Ivette has been a resident of New Haven since 1997.

In 2006, the oldest Altieri son, Anthony, attended High School at Sound School, where he was required to obtain community service hours as part of the curriculum. After completing the necessary hours, he wanted to continue serving the community.

“Young people participating in volunteering teaches us about respect, maturity and helping others less fortunate or those that may be struggling at one point in their life,” said sixteen year old Anthony. “It is a good thing because it helps our environment and community.”

The Altieri’s saw Anthony’s passion for helping others as an opportunity to become more involved. Ivette sent an email to members of their extended family, asking if they would be interested in participating in a service project. She received an overwhelming number of responses, and realized that she needed some guidance to find non-profits in need. At this time she contacted United Way of Greater New Haven for some direction and the Altieri Family has volunteered almost once a month ever since.

“We enjoy demonstrating to our children how to give back,” said Ivette.

A few of the organizations to benefit from the Altieri’s generosity are Life Haven, New Haven Home Care Recovery, the Emergency Men’s Shelter, New Haven Homeless Resource Center, and Taking Initiative Center. Most recently, the Altieris organized a clean up of Lighthouse Point Park through United Way’s annual Days of Caring.

The Altieris are also great supporters of the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society and have involved their children’s schools in fundraising events for those causes. In April 2007, the Altieris organized their own fundraiser by contacting local business owners, writing letters, preparing flyers, and making phone calls. The event was a true success, raising nearly $3,000 for cancer research, which they donated through Relay for Life. The family plans to make the fundraiser an annual event.

A story that is close to the hearts of everyone in the family is depicted below:

After the annual American Diabetes Association Walk-a-thon in New Haven, our family decided to grab a quick bite at McDonald’s in Wallingford, still wearing our Walk-a-thon shirts. Out of the blue, the cashier said “Oh, you guys did a diabetes walk?” He looked at us with a heartfelt and sincere voice and said “Thank you. I’ve been a diabetic since I was a teenager and it really means a lot to me. Thanks for walking and raising money for something that’s important to me.” It caught all of us off-guard and the feeling was indescribable. We know people appreciate our volunteer work, but hearing about the widespread impact we can have was absolutely amazing.

In the past few years, the Altieri Family has grown to exemplify the best of Greater New Haven community citizens and role models for other families. “Everyone should become involved in our community simply because we all need a little help from time to time,” said Ivette. “I must say that United Way has been a tremendous part of our life. Our family has become stronger and more united within our community. The best part is helping and involving our youth. They are our future.”

With parents like Joseph and Ivette, the future of the Altieri family seems promising not only for the family members, but also for the non-profits for which they volunteer. “Volunteering is fun because even though you don't get a prize for it, you still get rewarded with a clean and cool environment,” said thirteen year old Ashley. “Plus the smiles are priceless. I think other people should volunteer so they can experience all the things my family has.”

Careers
First and foremost we are proud parents of five wonderful children. My husband (Joseph Altieri) works at Enthone in West Haven and I work at Aetna in Middletown, which has offered their employees the benefits of Telework/WAH advantages. I have been working at home since June 07.



How long have you lived and/or worked in Greater New Haven?
My husband has lived in New Haven (East Rock neighborhood) all his life. I moved to New Haven in 1997. We currently reside and are homeowners in the Fair Haven area.

What specific United Way programs/committees have you been involved with? When?
We try and obtain volunteer projects once a month. During the Holidays of 2006, I reached out to the United Way. We've had the most overwhelming, heart-felt experience in cooking, serving and helping shelters in our community. In November, our family and friends cooked and served food at Life Haven on Ferry St. December was the best, we adopted a family for the holiday's from New Haven Home Care Recovery and cooked breakfast for The Emergency Men's Shelter (Immanuel Baptist Shelter) on Grand Ave, New Haven Homeless Resource Center on Ferry Street, and Taking Initiative Center on Whalley Avenue. It was truly a blessing. We are currently excited for Days of Caring 2007.

What made you want to be involved?
We have always been involved, once a year that is. We enjoy demonstrating to our children how to give back. Now, since they are older we have become more involved.

How did you become involved?
In 2006, my oldest son Anthony attended High School at Sound School, where part of his requirements were to obtain some community hours. He completed hours, but wanted to do more and that's when we became more involved. One day, I sent emails to family and friends to see who else would be interested. The responses were overwhelming, as many wanted to help volunteer their time or donate food items. I then realized I really needed to reach out to someone for more guidance and places to go. One organization that came to mind was The United Way of Greater New Haven. At first I was apprehensive, being that I was an individual and not part of any organization. I emailed and later spoke with Wendy Natter, what a wonderful lady. She was so helpful and answered so many questions. At first I'm sure she thought I was crazy; it was one Volunteer event after another. Since then it has been one blessing after another. In April of 2007, I had the pleasure of speaking with many business owners in the community and surrounding areas. Again I was apprehensive, but determined. With little knowledge of starting a fund-raiser, letters were prepared, flyer's were made, and telephone calls began. Going to supermarkets, bakeries, auto repair shops, even our very own New Haven County Cutters, you name it I was there. I was excited to discover that so many people are willing not just to volunteer but to sponsor events as well. With the assistance of Lisa Simeone and our sponsors, we kicked off our first fundraising event with great success. It was truly a lot of work, but so worth it! We continue to look forward to it each year.

How have you benefited from helping others?
Benefited...wow. We do it because it has become part of who we are. We enjoy volunteering, especially with family and friends. It’s been wonderful involving our children/teenagers!! What better way to show others it is easy to give back to the community- ask and you shall receive. Working together as a team, learning from one another and gaining new skills are just added bonuses. It builds self-esteem and confidence. You meet new people and help make a difference in someone's life. Whether you’re volunteering for a couple of hours, joining a walk-a-thon, or having a fundraiser the experience is unforgettable.

How do you think the community has benefited from United Way?
People benefit because they care and enjoy giving their time. They also focus on helping our children. Although not too many people have participate they have heard of them. We actually wish others could be more informed. It would be a wonderful idea to put up some billboards through the community.

In what other ways are you involved in the community (outside United Way)?
We are great supporters in the fight by participating in fund-raising efforts and activities for: American Diabetes Association and American Cancer Society, where we have involved schools in our community to be part of fundraising events all for a wonderful and important cause. I'm also a volunteer for School Volunteers for New Haven, Inc. I'm excited that my employer also encourages volunteering. I spend four hours a week in a 1st grade classroom at Clinton Avenue School.

Do you have a favorite story or experience you would like to share?

Aside from receiving emails from teenagers asking about our next volunteer project, I would have to say it was after our Diabetes walk a-thon in New Haven. We went up to Wallingford to enjoy a night at a Haunted Happening (it was in October). Nine of us went and still proudly sporting our Diabetes T-shirts. We entered McDonalds' to grab a bite and all we did was talk about the haunted house how fun it was, etc. Out of the blue the cashier gentleman said "Oh you guys did a Diabetes walk?" We said “Yes.” He looked at us and with a heartfelt sincere voice said "Thank you. I've been a diabetic since I was a teenager and it really means a lot to me. Thanks for walking and raising money for something that's important to me." It definitely caught us off guard. The feeling was indescribable.

We know individuals appreciate when people volunteer, but hearing it directly from someone while not at an event and out of the blue was something else.

Why should others become more involved in the community and with United Way?
Simply because we all need a little help from time to time. I must say the United Way has been a tremendous part of our life. Since my first email to Wendy Natter, our family has definitely changed. We have become stronger and more united within our community. It's about the little things in life, which make a big difference. The best part is involving our youth and that's one thing United Way and Us (The Altieri Family) have in common. Helping and involving our youth. They are our future.


Quotations from the children:

Ant (16yr): Volunteering is a good thing because it helps your environment and community, especially involving the youth. It teaches us about respect, maturity and helping others less fortunate or those they may be struggling at one point in their life.

Joseph (15yr): Volunteering is great because you can help other people if they need help. I like that you meet new people and have a good environment. I learned that one person can't do everything by themselves and team work is needed.

Ashley (13yr): Volunteering is fun because even though you don't get a prize for it, you still get rewarded with a clean and cool environment. Plus the smiles are priceless. I think other people should volunteer so they can experience all the things my family has.

Diamond (11yr): Its fun, you learn alot and its not only for adults. You can help people you never met or people you know. I participated in the walk for Asthma with my school and it was great cause I did it for everyone and my Mommy who has asthma.

Alex (11yr): I like Volunteering cause its fun and we can help others as a my family. Everyone should try it cause it makes you feel good.

Learn more about the Altieri family!

See the 2007 Days of Caring project photo gallery about the Altieri family
Watch a WTNH news clip about the Altieri family

September 24, 2007

United Way of Greater New Haven launches Born Learning Trail to promote early childhood learning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 24, 2007

Media Contact: Michelle Wade, 203.772.4202
Cell – 860.834.0128
mwade@uwgnh.org

(New Haven, Conn.)- On Sept. 12, 2007, Regional Water Authority employees in collaboration with United Way of Greater New Haven’s annual Days of Caring, dug holes and poured cement, posted signs, painted children’s games, and landscaped to erect the first Born Learning Trail in Connecticut at the Hamden Keefe Center on Pine Street.

Born Learning is a nation-wide public engagement campaign put together by United Way, the Ad Council, CIVITAS, and the Families and Work Institute that helps parents, grandparents, and caregivers explore ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning opportunities. Children are learning right from birth, and continue to learn through everyday moments and interactions. Their early years are the foundation for growth and development, and experiences they have each day with their parents and caregivers are very important. The Born Learning Trail is a great tool that supports this campaign.

“As a company with an active education and recreation program, the chance to be involved in the Born Learning Trail was a perfect fit,” said Donna DiGianvittorio, Human Resources Supervisor at the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority. Each year, several dozen employees volunteer to support United Way’s Day of Caring as well as contribute to the company’s annual campaign.

The Born Learning Trail is an outdoor activity path for parents and caregivers to walk through with their pre-schoolers to encourage them to talk, listen, read, think, imagine, and create. The Born Learning Trail includes ten interactive stations, each with a different activity such as encouraging parents and caregivers to follow their child’s lead, building the child’s confidence and curiosity; talking and singing to a child, teaching the child words and preparing him or her to read; and a hopscotch game because physical activity exercises the child’s body and using numbers helps the child learn to count.

“The Born Learning Trail is a set of fun activities that shows parents and caregivers easy, everyday ways to help a child develop problem solving, critical thinking, and reading skills. The Trail reinforces the message that parents play the most important role in laying the foundation for a child’s development,” said Jennifer Heath, United Way of Greater New Haven’s Vice President for Community Leadership. “We hope many families will take advantage of this fun and educational resource.”

United Way of Greater New Haven hopes to work with other community partners to build more trails around Greater New Haven in the future. For more information about Born Learning, please visit http://www.bornlearning.org/.
The Born Learning Trail at the Hamden Keefe Center is open to the public every day of the week except from 2-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday when child care is in session. Visit the Hamden Keefe Center at 11 Pine Street, Hamden to educate a child close to you.

About United Way:
United Way brings together the caring power of our community to create measurable, sustainable change and to improve lives. To do this we: help identify our region's greatest needs and best opportunities for change; raise dollars and invest those dollars for results; connect people to their caring through volunteer opportunities.

More information about United Way of Greater New Haven's community leadership and how you can help can be found at http://www.uwgnh.org/.

-# # #-

September 20, 2007

Who is…Alfred E. Smith, Jr.

Al Smith’s ties to Greater New Haven go back to his early childhood. Now, he has chosen to remain in Greater New Haven as a partner in a well-known law firm, where he has been employed for twenty-one years. In 1996, the Smiths decided to adopt a child from China and worked closely with Catholic Family Services, an organization that United Way supports, to make it happen. Al says that all of his volunteer work is dedicated to his daughter, his gift, who he received through a long and vigorous process.

After the adoption, Al realized that he wanted others to feel as blessed as he did, so he became involved with United Way. Al chooses to focus his volunteer efforts with United Way because of its widespread impact in the community. “The people who are recipients of United Way’s efforts have a place to sleep at night, a meal when they are hungry, and assistance to deal with difficult situations. United Way does it all, and at the end of the day, we all depend on each other.”

The law firm’s annual United Way workplace campaign familiarized Al with United Way’s priorities and its effect on the community. Just four years later, Al took on the title of Campaign Chair for the United Way of Greater New Haven Annual Campaign and worked to motivate the community to recognize where help was needed and to make a donation.

“When I served as Campaign Chair, we were only a few weeks into the Campaign when Hurricane Katrina hit. With the outpouring of support for the Gulf Coast, we thought that the amount donated to the Campaign would be significantly less. It sounds self-involved, but we do have problems in our own community that need assistance and funding. Surprisingly, we managed to exceed our original expectations because people dug even deeper into their pockets. It was extremely gratifying to be a part of a giving experience that touched the lives of so many.”

Al’s experience was so gratifying, in fact, that he then joined United Way’s Board of Directors in 2005. A year later, he decided to become even more involved as a member of the Executive Board of Directors. Al has taken a great deal from giving, and during his term as Campaign Chair he learned how to grab an audience’s attention and engage the community to give as he has given.

“You give because you are fearful that someday you or someone you love is going to need help. You give because you are thankful, and you give because you are hopeful that you can make a difference in the lives of others.”

Career
Partner in Murtha Cullina LLP

How long have you lived and/or worked in Greater New Haven?
I have lived in Greater New Haven my whole life and have worked at Murtha Cullina for 21 years.

What specific United Way programs/committees have you been involved with? When?
I have been involved with Campaign here at Murtha Cullina since 2001. In 2005 I was the Campaign Chair. I have also been on the Board of Directors at the United Way since 2005 and have been on the Executive Board of Directors since 2006.

What made you want to be involved?
My interest began when we decided to adopt my youngest daughter from China. I wanted to give back for the gift that I have received. We worked closely with the Catholic Family Services, funded by United Way. I also became involved in the legal community and attempting to engage lawyers.

How have you benefited (from helping others)?
It is very rewarding and allows you to connect with the community and understand what it is to be part of a community and of course it feels good to help.

How do you think the community has benefited from United Way?
The people who are the recipients have a place to sleep at night, a meal when they are hungry, and assistance to deal with different situations. Donors have a reinforced identity as a community. At the end of the day, we all depend on each other. Sometimes it is more important for individuals and organizations to step in and do what other governments do or what our government used to do.

In what other ways are you involved in the community (outside United Way)?
Active member of the Regional Leadership Council and the Bar Association.

Do you have a favorite story or experience you would like to share?
It all comes back to when we adopted Olivia. It was a gift and the United Way agency helped us through a long and vigorous process.

When I served as Campaign Chair, we were only a few weeks in when Hurricane Katrina hit. With the outpouring of support for the Gulf Coast, we thought that the amount donated to the campaign would be significantly less. Instead, we managed to exceed our original expectations. People just dug deeper and it was extremely gratifying.

Why should others become more involved in the community and with United Way?
This is part of my speech that I gave while I was Campaign Chair. You give because you are thankful. You give because you are hopeful that you can make a difference in the lives of others. You give because you are fearful that someday you or someone you love is going to need help.

September 6, 2007

Annual Children’s Book Drive Expands to Include All Regional College and University Campuses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 6, 2007

Media Contact: Michelle Wade
Work: 203.691.4202
Cell: 860.834.0128
mwade@uwgnh.org

United Way’s Days of Caring seeks to engage college students

In collaboration with United Way of Greater New Haven’s Days of Caring, an annual region-wide community volunteer event, local universities and colleges are organizing a Greater New Haven Children’s Book Drive. The goal of the book drive is to donate at least 3,000 children’s books to New Haven Reads and Read to Grow.

“We know that exposure to books helps children develop their language skills and a love of reading – skills that are important to school and life success,” said Jennifer Heath, Vice President for Community Leadership at United Way of Greater New Haven. “There is something special about owning a book. The Children’s Book Drive is a tangible way for the community to make sure more children in our region have books in their homes.”

Last year Yale University ran its own book drive under the leadership of Diane Turner, Associate University Librarian for Human Resources, Staff Training, and Security and collected over 1,300 books that were then donated to New Haven Reads. Turner has led the Days of Caring book drive at Yale for the past three years. This year United Way will work with Turner as a consultant to help expand the book drive to all of the college and university campuses in Greater New Haven: Albertus Magnus College, Gateway Community College, Quinnipiac University, Southern Connecticut State University, University of New Haven, and Yale University.

"I am thrilled with the expansion of the book drive to other universities,” said Turner. “My colleagues at all of the participating universities are equally excited and passionate about reaching our goal. Literacy is a major challenge, particularly for young children, and it is my hope that every child who desires a book will have one of their own.”

To donate new or gently used children’s and parenting books, look for Book Drop locations around each campus from September 9 through 28 or send your donation directly to New Haven Reads or Read to Grow.
For more information about the many volunteer projects available during Days of Caring, September 9-15, visit http://www.uwgnh.org/.
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