United Way of the Bay Area Blog
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In San Francisco, 197,000 people struggle each day to feed themselves and their families. In Alameda County, demand for emergency food has soared 220% in the past five years. Regional food banks, thanks to the dedicated volunteers so crucial to their work, have a huge impact on the lives of families in crisis. This May, [...]
There are 12 days left to file your 2010 tax returns! From January through April, Earn It! Keep It! Save It! is preparing tax returns for low-income individuals and families in seven counties around the Bay Area. The goal of the United Way-led coalition is to help individuals and families claim their maximum benefits and refunds, especially [...]
The United Way’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! program has been in full swing since the end of January, preparing over 20,000 tax returns in the Bay Area. We are well on our way to reach our goal of helping more than 50,000 low- and moderate-income tax payers. Tax season is nearing a close, [...]
As United Way’s Joan Byrne pulled up to Garfield Elementary School a couple of weeks ago, she was delighted to see a farmer’s market selling fruits and vegetables right in front of the school. Many of these vegetables came from the school’s garden, which United Way, UPS volunteers and the Oakland Raiders built together during the [...]
As part of FedEx’s 6th annual Cares Week, a team of 45 FedEx employees from around the Bay Area helped United Way host a community resource fair at the SparkPoint Oakland Center on September 24. The volunteers completed a wide range of tasks to support the event, which was held at Lion Creek Crossings, the [...]
Oakland resident Jackie B. came to SparkPoint Oakland Center in January after seeing an ABC-7 news segment about SparkPoint. After being unemployed for two years, Jackie hoped SparkPoint could help with her job search. SparkPoint career coach Lloyd Williams worked with Jackie to refresh her job-search strategies. Lloyd is an employee of the Workforce Collaborative, one [...]
United Way’s SparkPoint Centers are featured on the front page of today’s San Francisco Chronicle. “United Way Centers offer credit, career advice” Janeise Ollison’s eyes lit up as she described how she was advised to fix her credit and boost her savings. “It was real simple; I paid one little PG&E bill for like $35 [...]
United Way’s SparkPoint Oakland Center recently served its 300th client. To celebrate their success, SparkPoint staff, volunteers and clients gathered at the Center for an evening of food and fun. Click below to see a photo slide show from the celebration. This exclusive event was especially for SparkPoint members – clients who have utilized at [...]
East Oakland resident Jacqueline Countee came to SparkPoint Oakland Center in February to get free tax filing help, after her brother’s friend, who is a SparkPoint client, referred her. Free tax help was just the first step for Jackie. “When I first came to SparkPoint, I just came to get my taxes done and to [...]
Communities throughout the Bay Area will begin free summer meal programs for children this month, serving meals on weekdays throughout the summer at summer-school and community sites. All children 18 years old and younger are eligible, regardless of their families’ income. Families are encouraged to dial 2-1-1 for free meal information in more than 150 [...]
