United Way of the Bay Area Blog
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It’s hard to believe, but there is a benefit to filing your taxes – even if you don’t get a refund! That’s because getting free tax preparation at an Earn It! Keep It! Save It! site can open the door to hundreds of local programs that can help you improve your finances. For example, Yolanda [...]
Our free tax sites open the door to programs that empower people to improve their finances. In addition to saving families hundreds of dollars on tax preparation, our sites connect low-income families with programs that can help them start saving, go back to school, get a good job, buy a first home or start a new [...]
Yesterday, members of United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council (WLC) spent the afternoon wrapping books as holiday gifts to give to students at John Muir Elementary School, a community school supported by United Way. The WLC has chosen to partner with John Muir Elementary School as part of its efforts to improve educational opportunities for children [...]
Tamiko’s story is like many Bay Area residents’ during this slow economic recovery. The single mom from Richmond lost her job three years ago. Like so many others struggling to find work during the recession, Tamiko fell deeper and deeper into debt. Fortunately, with the help of United Way’s SparkPoint program, she recently landed a [...]
Here’s an article that approaches poverty reduction, job creation, and economic growth from a different perspective—More Jobs, Less Pollution: Growing the Recycling Economy in the U.S. The article, prepared by the Tellus Institute, suggests that if we all recycle and compost more, we will not only reduce pollution and its unhealthy consequences, but also create [...]
Don’t let the do-gooder in you get stymied by a busy holiday schedule. With MAKE IT BE micro-volunteering, you can help out a local charity in as little as 15 minutes! Whether you’ve got some down time on the bus, a break during lunch, or just want something productive to do during TV commercials, United [...]
The holidays are right around the corner, and United Way wants Bay Area residents to get connected! GET HELP: Call the 211 helpline today to see if you are eligible for holiday assistance programs, such as free holiday meals, food, and toys. Resources are limited and demand for holiday help continues to be extremely high, so it is important to [...]
During this time of increasingly scarce resources, helping people achieve financial stability requires unique partnerships and focus. In establishing SparkPoint East Contra Costa, twelve county agencies and local nonprofits have banded together, offering a full range of financial services, all under one roof. Creating SparkPoint is a real opportunity to work together more effectively to [...]
This past Tuesday (Oct. 18) United Way, the Oakland Raiders and UPS teamed up for Hometown Huddle at Oakland’s Garfield Elementary School. Oakland Raiders Rock Cartwright and De Marcus Van Dyke joined UPS volunteers to promote active and healthy living among Garfield students. Rock and De Marcus lead the students in a series of fun [...]
We need your help to protect federal funding for VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit), which are essential to United Way’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! (EKS) tax assistance program. Take action today to ensure the survival of EKS. Funding for both the VITA program and the EITC could be [...]
