More than 140 local programs depend upon the people and organizations that contribute time and money to the annual United Way of the Midlands Campaign.  We invite you to be a part of our 2011 Kickoff Celebration, located at Security National Bank, and our 2011 Day of Caring, a community-wide effort to match 500 volunteers with volunteer opportunities across the Metro area.  

The kickoff event is rain-or-shine, with a nice big tent and adjacent indoor space.  Come hear the music, meet a neighbor of ours who is thankful for a program you've helped support.  And, then there's the pancakes!

Become a Touchpoint for a Community United!

Network of Helping Programs Relies on a Single Gift;
Donors Are “Touchpoints for a Community United” – Events on August 27 & 30th

• The young son of a single mother in Omaha gets a mentor, and within weeks, his grades improve at school.  Of the 3,500 Douglas and Sarpy County children born into poverty each year, nearly half will drop out of high school (1).  Now, there’s a very good chance this youngster won’t be one of them.

• After taking a financial literacy class, a Bellevue couple can finally make ends meet each month and keep food on the table for their kids.  16% of Nebraskans reported a time in the past year when they couldn’t afford food for themselves or relatives (2).  But this couple and their classmates are leaving that worry behind.

• A Council Bluffs diabetes patient learns how to bring one of his key blood indicators under control – something that could save his life.  7% of Iowa and Nebraska adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, which increases their risk for blindness, heart disease and renal failure (3).  But with a little support, this man and hundreds of others know how to stay healthy and strong.

The common element between these three programs?  United Way donors.

More than 140 local programs depend upon the people and organizations that contribute time and money to the annual United Way of the Midlands Campaign. The network of community services across Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie counties helps people change their lives in measurable ways. The focus is on Education, Income and Health services, including some of those helping flood victims this summer. With a single gift to the drive, people become a “touchpoint” for positive change.

The 2011 drive will kick off on at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 30th, at Security National Bank, 101st & Pacific. This year’s campaign chairs, Jim and Diny Landen, will host a pancake flip-and-feed to get the effort underway. Jim Landen is CEO of Security National Bank; Diny is a long-time United Way leadership volunteer.

The Pancake Man will showcase his “breakfast-skills-turned-performance-art” at the event, and members of Westside High School’s jazz program will perform. The crowd will hear from one of the thousands of people whose lives have changed, thanks to United Way funded-services. The campaign’s 2011 video and other campaign materials will be unveiled.

Also on Tuesday, August 30TH – “Day of Caring” volunteer projects:
Employee teams from a number of local organizations will paint, landscape, organize donated clothing and more at United Way/Community Health Charities partner agencies.  Volunteers can still sign up for a Day of Caring project by visiting www.volunteersolutions.org/omaha. If you have questions, call United Way at 402-522-7931 or send an e-mail to mphillips@uwmidlands.org.

 “Youth Day of Caring 2011” on Saturday August 27th:
100+ local high school students will converge on a local Girls Inc. site to paint rooms, spruce up the grounds, maintain the garden and more.

UWM celebrates 88 years of service in 2011. People in the metropolitan area received services
through United Way Community Care Fund programs 584,668 times in 2010.

1 - Building Bright Futures
2 - Feeding America: 2010 Hunger in America
3 - Statehealthfacts.org and Cdc.gov/diabetes