1 NEWS RELEASE For Release on February 23 2009 after 8pm United Way Fox Cities February 23 2009

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                             NEWS RELEASE
                    For Release on February 23, 2009 after 8pm

                               United Way Fox Cities
February 23, 2009                                       Contact:        Nanci Micke
                                                                        VP of Marketing
                                                                        920-954-7215


               United Way Fox Cities hosts annual meeting


(Appleton) United Way Fox Cities hosted their annual meeting on February 23, 2009.
United Way supporters gathered at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, to hear John
Hogerty, outgoing board chair for United Way recount the highlights of 2008.


       In 2004 United Way Fox Cities made a commitment to a new business model
        called community impact. The work is focused on bringing people together to
        create lasting change that will improve lives in our community. Four impact
        areas were established and volunteers received extensive education from
        experts on community issues. Under the guidance of the Community Impact
        Leadership - Chair, Jim Pierce, retired Dean at Fox Valley Technical College,
        and Vice Chair, Tom Palmer of Great Lakes Kraut Company, the impact areas
        continue to address priority issues, monitor the activities of the four initiatives,
        and develop common outcomes and indicators that will allow United Way to
        report on results.
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       The Strengthening Families impact area continued to work in collaboration with
        the ThedaCare-led Community Health Action Team on the Family Mentoring
        Program. Twenty five mentors have been matched with families and are
        providing guidance on such goals as:
               Improving financial position and budgeting
               Obtaining employment or a better job
               Going back to school
               Improving health
        CAP Services is administering the program which is called Project TEAM.
        (Together Everyone Achieves More)


       The Providing Basic Needs and Self-Sufficiency impact area, along with
        Valley Transit launched The Connector in 2007 to increase transportation
        options for second and third shift workers.      In its first full year of operation
        approximately 700 individuals used the service with over 11,000 rides provided.
        90% of the rides were employment related. Because of the success of the
        program United Way approved an additional $120,000 for The Connector.
        Funding support was also provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.


       The Developing Children and Youth impact area has focused their work on
        early learning. The Early Language and Literacy Initiative or ELLI, is intended
        to help children enter school ready to learn. Partnering with the John J. and
        Ethel D. Keller Fund, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and Child Care Resource
        & Referral, this effort is focusing on:
              The need for quality preschool literacy environments,
              Qualified child care staff who understand best practices in early language
               and literacy,
              High quality oral language development,
              The formation and development of early childhood leadership.
    During this past year initial on-site assessments were conducted, which resulted in
    the development and implementation of action plans for three local child care
    centers.
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       United Way’s fourth initiative - the School-Based Mental Health Access
        Project created by the Promoting Health, Healing and Crisis Intervention
        Impact Area - began serving students in the Menasha Joint School District in late
        spring. This initiative offers mental health counseling at Clovis Grove Elementary
        School, Maplewood Middle School, and Menasha High School. Three United
        Way partner agencies collaborate to provide this valuable service - Catholic
        Charities, Family Services, and Lutheran Social Services. As of October 2008,
        24 students had received mental health counseling services. All of the families
        are either uninsured or underinsured. Some of the students receiving mental
        health services have been on waiting lists for over a year.


       2-1-1 is an easy to remember phone number that connects individuals with
        resources in our community. The United Way 2-1-1 center is staffed with trained
        specialists who quickly assess the callers’ needs, and refer them to the help they
        seek. It’s simple to remember, accessible to everyone at no cost, and available
        24 hours a day, seven days a week.


        2008 was a very busy year for 2-1-1. Staff answered 11,551 calls representing
        an increase of 29% over 2007. Funding was obtained for the expanded service
        area from United Way of Manitowoc County, the Sheboygan and Plymouth Area
        United Way, the Oshkosh Area United Way, the Fond du Lac Area United Way,
        the Fond du Lac Area Foundation, and Fond du Lac County. In addition, 2-1-1
        completed the accreditation process with AIRS (Alliance of Information and
        Referral Systems).


        In June 2-1-1 staff experienced their first disaster related event, with the floods
        that affected seven of the ten counties served. There were 582 flood related
        problems/needs identified.


       Resource Development had a successful year. The 2008 campaign raised $6.8
        million dollars. Tim Higgins, President and CEO of ChiRo Services and Greg
        Bell, General Manager of Woodward Communications provided excellent
        leadership to the campaign.
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       A donation of a Smart Car by Bergstrom Automotive provided United Way with
        the opportunity to launch an inaugural sweepstakes. Almost 5,000 individuals
        qualified for the drawing. Their participation delivered approximately $250,000
        to the campaign.


       An “Emerging Leaders” program was initiated in 2008; a program focused on
        getting people under 40 years of age involved in United Way Fox Cities. Dustin
        McClone from the McClone Agency spearheaded this effort.

Board Leadership
The Board of Directors added five new members:
        Tim Bergstrom, Bergstrom Automotive
        Randy Mahoney, Wipfli LLP
        Tim Plass, Neenah Paper, United Steel Workers Local 2-16
        Julie Wulterkens, First National Bank Fox Valley
        Pastor Gary Nokleberg, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

Three board members have completed their first term and were elected to a second
term.
        Sharon Hulce, Employment Resource Group
        Bob Kreider, Retired
        Bobbie Schmidt, Richmond Elementary (AASD)


The slate of officers will be elected at the March board meeting. These individuals are:

   Chair – Terrie Pohjola
   Vice Chair – Jim Pierce
   Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair– Bob Kreider


Committee Chairs:
   Audit – Jim Totzke
   Community Impact – Chair, Tom Palmer & Vice Chair, Julie Wulterkens
   Campaign – Greg Bell and Dean Gruner
   Marketing & Communications – Paul Gaier
   Personnel – Sharon Hulce
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Volunteer Service Award
The Volunteer Service Award is based on years of volunteer service helping United Way
achieve the mission of building a better a stronger, more caring community for everyone.
This year United Way honored two volunteers.


Rick Detienne has been a volunteer for United Way for over twenty two years. Rick
chaired the United Way of Neenah/Menasha’s campaign in 1988. He served an integral
role in the merger of the Neenah/Menasha and Appleton/Heart of the Valley United
Ways in 1993. He continues to volunteer for United Way along with his son Andy.


Dan McClone has a very long, dedicated history of volunteerism with United Way Fox
Cities. He has served on the board of directors from 2003 – 2008. He was a volunteer
on the Developing Children and Youth impact area and served as the co-chair.




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