DONOR REPORT2013

“Even a small improvement in children’s academic ability can have a significant impact on the future of a community’s economy. It couldn’t be clearer. A strong educational infrastructure is KEY to a dynamic, healthy community. We’re going to need to work together, invest our dollars locally, and support programs that will give South Mississippi’s youth the edge they need to succeed!”

Goal: $1.5 MillionWe can reach it, with YOUR help!

2013 Campaign Chair Cheryl Johnson, Regions Bank

INVEST IN SOUTH MISSISSIPPI’S FUTURE!KEEP IT LOCAL. MAKE AN IMPACT. LIVE UNITED.www.unitedwaysm.org 228.896.2213

United, we are making a difference...EDUCATION: Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. But with 1 in 4 South Mississippi public school students dropping out each year, our community is facing an education crisis. United Way is addressing this by making it possible for young people in South Mississippi to gain the skills necessary to enter school ready to learn.

INCOME: As many as 1 in 3 of South Mississippians do not earn enough money to meet their basic needs. United Way assists working families by finding ways to help them stay in their homes, afford utilities or have enough food, and help plan for the future by learning how to save for a home, college education, and retirement.

HEALTH: Whether it is a neighbor without health insurance, a victim of domestic violence, or a child struggling with mental illness or obesity, United Way makes it possible for South Mississippians to gain skills to build healthy relationships and maintain healthy bodies.

Staff

Ron BarnesCoast Electric Power Association

Monte BostwickBiloxi Regional Medical Center

Bob CallawayHard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi

Natalia DuchiniDuPont

Sandy EastGulfport School District

Brandon Elliott Elliott Homes

Brent FairleyHancock Bank

Patrick FarnanBancorp South

Trent FavreJones Walker, LLP

Moses FeaginMississippi Power

Mary FunkUniversity of Southern Mississippi

Cheryl JohnsonRegions Bank

Jonathon JonesGrand Casino Biloxi

Gary MarchandMemorial Hospital at Gulfport

Wendy McDonaldHabitat for Humanity Bay-Waveland

Pam MeinzingerPremium Outlets

Randi MuellerPage, Mannino, Persich & McDermott, LLC

Jenny NicaudUS District Court

Micah NecaiseHancock Bank

Vincent SchwartzIP Casino Resort & Spa

Brian ThomasWalmart

Billy ThorntonMississippi Power

Dave VincentRetired, WLOX-TV

Cindy WalkerSouth MS PreK4Ward

Shannon WallSun Herald

Linda WattsRetired, MississippiPower

Dorothy WilsonGulf Coast Woman Magazine

Ben YoungAlexander, Van Loon, Sloan, Levens & Favre

2013 Board of DirectorsWilliam Yates, PresidentWG Yates & Sons Construction

Sue Suter Chief Executive Officer

Raemona Seemann & Colleen McAdams Directors of Marketing & Communications

Aletha Burge Director of Community Initiatives

Martha Collins Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer

Tamara Greenlee Office Manager

Ya’Frica Edwards Director of Resource Development

Kellie Necaise Campaign Coordinator

Terry Olivier Director of Combined Federal Campaign

Mignon Bouchon Combined Federal Campaign Adminstrative Assistant

John Hosey Director of the Volunteer Center

Juliane MolesworthAssistant Director of the Volunteer Center

James RivenbarkLetesha ClarkeKasey CartaAmericorp VISTA Volunteers

For the fifth year in a row, UWSM has received an anonymous local donation of $75,000 to match all increased gifts! That means if you are a current donor and you decide to give more, the increase is automatically doubled!

CHALLENGE MATCH!

Last year alone, United Way of South Mississippi’s Volunteer Gulf Coast generated more than $3 million in volunteer service to our community! We recruited volunteers, managed volunteer projects, and connected businesses with corporate volunteer opportunities. Our online, searchable database of volunteer opportunities provides a huge array of ways to get involved, from reading to school children to helping prepare tax returns for low-income families. You can LIVE UNITED today by visiting www.unitedwaysm.org and click Volunteer to browse more than 100 daily volunteer opportunities, or search by keyword for an opportunity that fits your passion and expertise.

VOLUNTEER GULF COAST

Ninety-nine cents of every dollar given to the United Way of South

Mississippi stays HERE, and for every $1 that is donated, nearly $5

is reinvested back into our local communities! UWSM has a proud

history of serving Harrison, Hancock and Pearl River Counties for

almost 50 years. That’s what it means to...

KEEP IT LOCAL. MAKE AN IMPACT. LIVE UNITED!

WHAT WE DO Our goal at United Way of South Mississippi is to create long-lasting impact. We strive to improve outcomes in education, health and income for everyone in South Mississippi by giving children and families the tools and support they need to thrive in our community.

EDUCATION

A child who cannot read on grade level by the 3rd grade is more

likely to drop out

Each Year 1 in 4 South Mississippi public school

students drop out

The IQ of a child can be increased when

stimulation is provided to them prior to age 5

Mississippians that are

uninsured

South Mississippians that

live below the poverty line

Portion of Mississippians

considered obese

INCOME & HEALTH

19% 30% 34.5%

$1.3 millionraised by more than 5,000 donors

LET’S IMPROVE EDUCATION! 133,655Volunteer hours donated by

2011-2012 volunteers.

$3,286,351Total monetary impact

through volunteers.

$22.14Cost per unit of time

for each volunteer hour.

GIVE

More than

10,000People helped in 3 Coastal counties.

HOW TO GIVEProvide a corporate gift or matchRun a workplace campaignSponsorship opportunities.

ADVOCATE

HOW TO ADVOCATEStay informed with community news. Talk to local and state leaders about issues that are important to you.

VOLUNTEER

99¢ of every dollar donated stays in South Mississippi.

6

Fund early childhood education programs.

For every $1 that is spent on Mississippi

students under the age of 18, $5 is

spent on its prisoners.

Establish standards for pre-K programs. Because 90 % of a child’s brain is developed

by age 5.

Mandate kindergarten. Because 37% of South Mississippi children

ages 3 to 5 are not enrolled in nursery

school, preschool or kindergarten.

25%

3 CountiesUnited Way of SouthMississippi serves Pearl River, Harrison and Hancock Counties.

$4.88 is reinvested back into the community for each $1 donated!

4X

HOW TO VOLUNTEERSign up to take to 30 Ways in 30 Days Challenge or view a complete list of volunteer opportunities at www.unitedwaysm.org.

25%

UWSM’s mission is to rally resources,

collaboratives and leadership to

improve the quality of life in South

Mississippi.

THANK YOU!

YOUR IMPACTMs. P is a single parent raising three children on minimum wage. Making ends meet every month is a stretch, leaving nothing left for unexpected expenses. Last winter, Ms. P found herself with both a car repair bill and some medical expenses, and she got scared. She thought about visiting a payday loan store, but instead contacted Pathway2Hope. They helped her make her rent payment and got her enrolled in financial literacy classes. With the skills she learned she was able to file her own taxes and with the savings that she would have paid to a tax preparer, started an emergency fund. She said the tools and knowledge she learned in class will last her a lifetime, and she is going to start teaching her children the benefits of saving and budgeting.

Ms. P’s Story...

Brandy’s Story...

Sarah’s Story...Sarah and her children came to The Gulf Coast Women’s Center after multiple attempts to escape an abusive relationship. Her previous attempts to leave were unsuccessful as her husband continued to stalk her. At one point, he kidnapped her and physically abused her, resulting in a broken jaw. The Gulf Coast Women’s Center provided her with a safe place to live, away from the violence while she worked with local police to prosecute her abuser. Sarah has received invaluable support services and assistance through the Crime Victim’s Rights Program. Her children’s grades and behaviors began to improve once they arrived in this stable environment and received counseling and tutoring from the trained staff. Sarah and her children have been able begin a new life, away from the constant fear of abuse.

When Brandy arrived at the Boys & Girls Club, she was disrespectful and known for violence and promiscuity. She had been sent to an alternative school and admitted as a patient to a mental facility. Finally a teacher suggested the Club might provide some much-needed structure for her. As the weeks progressed this member participated in all of the programs and developed a trust-ing relationship with her teen coordinator. As the eldest of four children (all of different fathers) she shared that she never felt loved. She said that she did not want to get Aids, STD’s, or end up in jail. She began to understand that she had the power to prevent these things from happening if she changed her behavior. She was able to start the new school year with a renewed sense of belonging, usefulness, competence and confidence. She is currently a junior in high school, has made honor roll, plays in her school’s band, and is pursuing her dream of becoming a pediatric nurse.