We have many VISTAs (volunteers in service to America) working with us at United Way of Utah County.  These VISTAs are doing incredible things for our community.  Recently, Jes Rigo, a former VISTA, was spotlighted by a local blogger.  She helped start the community center in the South Franklin neighborhood in Provo.  She accomplished a great deal and we are proud of her and all of our VISTAs.  Click here to see the post written about Jes!

We are so lucky to live in a community full of people who always want to help. Many people have reached out to us at United Way of Utah County to find out how they can help with the relief efforts in Haiti. Most major nonprofit organizations (e.g., American Red Cross, Salvation Army, USAID, United Way Worldwide) are sending out one message–donate money.

A Sam*s Club in Puerto Rico

And here’s something else that you might not have thought about when it comes to donating money. Lots of surrounding nations that were not affected by the earthquake have many of the needed supplies. How great would it be if your money could be spent to buy MORE supplies that cost much less to ship because they were purchased in Haiti or Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic? By donating money, we can help rebuild economies at the same time we help provide relief. I think that’s really cool.

While many people want to go immediately to Haiti as a volunteer, volunteering at this point is actually quite dangerous and inefficient if you have not been previously trained. Something you can do now, though, is become a trained volunteer so you can go help in future crises. If you are interested in getting trained, you can register for the American Red Cross disaster services courses in Utah County by clicking here.

Do taxes scare you to death? You’re not alone. However, if you make less than $49,000, our volunteers can help e-file your taxes through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). Marcee was recently highlighted on Provo’s Channel 17 as she explained about the VITA program and the training volunteers go through.

As part of the VITA program, our volunteers are trained to help maximize your tax return and help claim the same credits other tax preparation programs promote. One common credit not claimed by many eligible Utahns is the Earned Income Tax Credit. Today Melissa Jensen with Community Action Partnership of Utah shared some information on the Earned Income Tax Credit with Studio 5 viewers.

So don’t be scared of doing your taxes! For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 2-1-1 or visit utahtaxhelp.org or unitedwayuc.org/vita.

Maybe you don’t share this same fear of taxes and want to do your own! Or maybe you make a little bit more than $49,000 but less than $58,000? If this is the case, you can do your own taxes for FREE online at myfreetaxes.com/mountainland.

Save some money this year on your taxes by participating in one of the FREE options above. For questions, please feel free to contact me or 2-1-1.

Thursday, January 28th is Utah County’s first-ever Veterans Supportive Services Day.

A patriotic ceremony will be followed by Food and Care’s regularly scheduled lunch.

Service providers from 10+ agencies will have booths where veterans can get information about community resources.  Goody bags with winter supplies like socks, hat, and toothbrush will be distributed as well.

“What we need are critical lovers of America–patriots who express their faith in their county by working to improve it.”

-Hubert H. Humphrey

If you know a veteran who might benefit from this event, please encourage them to attend.

You can contact Chelsea Ruiz at United Way of Utah County with questions: (801) 374-2588.

–This post was written by guest poster Sully Bryan–

Community Outreach Day which was on January 18^th, was a wonderful event. We had close to a 1,000 volunteers from all over Utah County join in to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr’s Legacy. Children, parents, and students from Utah County woke up early that morning to go to the BYU Wilkinson Center to start signing up for volunteer projects that ranged anywhere from a readers theatre at the South Franklin Boulders Community Center, to feeding horses and cleaning saddles at Hoofbeats to Healing in Spanish Fork.

This was my first year coordinating service projects for the event, even participating in the event altogether! For that matter it was my first project as an AmeriCorp VISTA. So I was a bit nervous as to what was going to happen. Although it was a little stressful, it was mainly my own anxiety about the event. But once I saw the faces of those smiling children I was ready to go and all anxiety went out the window. I was at BYU at 7:30 a.m. that Monday, a day that kids were off school, and some parents had the day off. And yet as I got there, some families were already ready to start the day. Which in my opinion was totally amazing since any day that I get off I am sleeping in, and convincing my two year old to sleep in as well. And with just one child, I still have trouble getting myself and him ready to go anywhere, much less arrive early to an event. That morning families and students started lining up to register and sign up for their event. I enjoyed seeing the kids running around trying to convince their parents to sign up for the activity with the horses, the smiles as they picked up their doughnuts and milk and walked into the ballroom. They were eager to start their projects. If it were that early in the morning and I were a kid, I would have wanted to stay home and sleep. But, these kids were great champs! They impressed me with their enthusiasm and ready-to- go attitudes.

Families registering for the event.

All the volunteers listening to a devotional before staring their projects

After devotional all 900 and something people got ready to go to their projects. I decided to go to Hoofbeats to Healing which proved to be a very fun experience. Parents were not afraid to have their children work hard. They spray painted wooden beams for the horses, some kids got to feed the animals with hay, and others cleaned saddles. There was so much to do, and people were not afraid to do a little bit of hard work either! Which impressed me even more, that it was 30 degrees outside and yet the kids and parents were willing to be outside and feed the horses, and clean. Personally I am from California, so anything below 70 degrees is considered extremely cold! Thanks to Tami , who runs Hoofbeats to Healing, for all her wonderful help, and for letting us be a part of her organization. Her big super friendly dog was fun. As he jumped on my car to greet me when I came in, his dog paws are still on my car door. He set the mood for fun, animals, and preparing myself not to be afraid of getting a little dirty!  At the end of the day, this event was definitely a fun experience, and definitely something I would do again. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped at the event and those who gave of their free time to serve in the community. BYU has been hosting this event for a long time, and I hope that United Way of Utah County can be involved again next year.

Children with the help of volunteers built an imaginary airplane for their skit at South Franklin Community Center

When Hollywood portrays the perfect relationship, finances aren’t always at the forefront, yet financial conflict is a top predictor of divorce.

Quiz your pop culture knowledge about credit cards, or better yet, commit to make time to talk with your partner about finances on a regular basis.

A short conversation can go a long way toward creating that fairy tale relationship.

I am extremely surprised that these first week of 2010 is almost over.  During this time of year, it is very common for people to set new years resolutions-plans to improve their lives and better themselves. For me, however,  I have found that making goals for the whole year just sets myself up for failure.  I have never liked new years resolutions.

However, in December, I decided that there were a number of goals that I wanted to accomplish, but it was just too much to do all at once.  As I pondered how to make these changes a reality, I was taken back to a class I took in college called “Behavior Change.”  Through that semester, we learned how to help people make positive changes in their life.   Some of the principals that stood out to me were:

1. Always be realistic in your goal setting
2. Pick one thing to work on at a time

I decided to take these principals to heart.  I wrote down all the changes I want to make in my life and picked one that was the most important to my health, my relationships, and my well being.  I decided to make it my focus for 2 weeks time.  I figured that would be long enough that I might make my new change into a habit, but short enough that it was very possible for me to succeed.  After those two weeks, I pick a new goal to work on. So far, I have found it to be very beneficial and even fun!

I challege each of you this new year to make positive changes in your life, one small step at a time.  Maybe your goal could be to serve someone in your community each day of the two weeks.  Maybe you decided to cook dinner everyday for your family for two weeks.  Maybe, you decide to keep your home picked up for two weeks.  Whatever you decide, make sure you can succeed.  Make your new years resolutions so they better your life and better our community.

Happy 2010!

This year United Way is partnering with Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University for their annual Community Outreach Day on January 18.  The event has been a yearly tradition at BYU since January of 2000. It was started in an effort to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. and the values he taught.  Martin Luther King Jr. was a great example to all Americans of the values of service and sacrifice for others.  In the years past the event has focused on college volunteers, but this year we are trying to branch out and invite more community members and businesses to participate.

How you can get involved: Join the community and give a day of service!

1. Come register and pick a service project at the Wilkinson Center at BYU on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 8:00 a.m.
2. After registering for a project, enjoy a devotional at 9:00 a.m.  Service projects will then begin on campus and throughout the community.
3. Projects will continue until 2 p.m.
4. Join the afternoon celebrations with the WALK OF LIFE Candlelight Processional at 5:30 p.m. at the Bell Tower on BYU campus.  A keynote speaker and a musical number will follow the processional at 6:00 p.m. in the Wilkinson Ballroom.

Check out what some great volunteers are doing in our community.  Camille Anderson, a Women in Philanthropy volunteer, was featured in Your Heart Out blog.

http://yourheartout.com/?p=7518