United Way of the Bay Area Blog
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What could get kids more excited about reading than Tim and his dog, Cy, driving a Bookmobile into a reading fair and kick-starting a read-a-thon? It’s an idea we’d like to make a reality with your vote in the Popchips “Tim Chips In” contest. Tim is willing to donate an afternoon to the winning community [...]
Everyone needs a little encouragement, especially elementary-school kids taking tests. “I know that you are very intelligent and always try your best which is what matters. Do your best since each exam is a step towards being that great doctor you have told me you want to be.” That’s just one example of the special [...]
United Way’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! tax program has kicked off across seven Bay Area counties, aiming to serve 50,000+ tax payers during the 2011 tax season. This year, we’re making a special effort to connect with Bay Area residents, who were laid off last year to let them know they could be eligible for free [...]
Ten years ago today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to designate 211 as the nation’s three-digit phone number for community service information. The FCC designated 211 in response to advocacy by United Way of America and AIRS (Alliance of Information and Referral Systems). Last year, 211 answered 16 million calls, helping people in [...]
United Way community project MatchBridge was featured this week on KQED Radio News. The four-minute segment, “Help for Teens Facing a Bleak Summer Job Market,” describes how MatchBridge provides meaningful summer jobs for teens. Listen to the audio clip.
Over at MatchBridge, a community project of United Way of the Bay Area, they occasionally post some profiles of the young people they’ve been able to help. As we approach the summer and young people begin looking for employment opportunities we thought it might be nice to share the story about how one member got [...]
KQED Radio’s Cy Musiker produced a great news segment about Earn It! Keep It! Save It!, the Bay Area’s largest free tax assistance program, which is lead by United Way. Listen to the audio clip from KQED News. To find free tax help in the Bay Area, call 2-1-1 or 800-358-8832, or visit www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org.
New research finds California will miss out on more than one billion because an estimated 800,000 eligible Californians will neglect to claim over $1.2 billion in federal Earn Income Tax Credit (EITC) dollars this tax season, according to the new report Left on the Table, published through a collaboration between the New America Foundation and [...]
Last week, United Way released data about 2-1-1 for the nine-county Bay Area, which indicated call volume surged 39% last year. Several media outlets reported on the surge in demand – click the links below to read or listen to news coverage. KCBS Radio – 211 Social Service Assistance Calls on the Rise Contra Costa Times – Calls [...]
Last month, United Way and our 2-1-1 Alameda partner, Eden I&R, participated in the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. Education Fair, where they educated hundreds of NUMMI employees about how to connect with support services in the community, as they prepare to lose their jobs when the Fremont plant shuts down on March 31. Representatives [...]
