The Power of Collective Generosity

With generous contributions from stakeholders like you, United Way funded programs served over 22,000 more children, youth, adults, and seniors last year than the year before. More than 236,871 people in our three-county area were helped … but that figure is expected to grow again this year. I hope we can count on your continued support and ask you to encourage others to contribute.

Your local United Way is working to ensure the necessary foundation and support systems are in place – from assisting displaced workers today to preparing our youth for the jobs of tomorrow – in order for our region to grow and prosper. By harnessing the power of collective generosity we can make a bigger difference.

2007-2010 Strategic Direction

What matters to your United Way is the lives we change and the communities we shape. To that end the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area Board of Directors recently approved three strategic objectives for the next few years:

•  Raise more money and increase the engagement of community stakeholders on behalf of the United Way network.

•  Optimize cost effectiveness and operational excellence.

•  Provide resources to address needs and priority issues to work towards lasting positive changes in the lives of local children, families and individuals.

The first two are really means to the ends of the third overarching objective to address our region's health and human service needs and work towards lasting solutions to community problems. We will do that by being a leader, player, and active supporter of community partnerships and efforts and through our support of the network of partner agencies and our community initiatives focusing on positive youth development, financial stability and independence, and health and well-being of individuals and the community.

Positive Youth Development

From cradle to graduation, caring adults in children's lives make a tremendous difference. United Way is continuing its leadership role in the Great Kids Great Communities collaboration. This summer we are training partner agency staff and nearly 70 teachers and other key personnel from local school districts on the 40 developmental assets. We are also working to increase attention to the importance of early childhood development through a program called Born Learning. Volunteers from Qbase built the first of five planned Born Learning Interactive Trails in

Kettering during Community Care Day on June 1 st . The trail describes simple activities for toddlers and preschoolers to do with caregivers to build skills while having fun. We are also supporting Montgomery County 's efforts to roll out a major early childhood initiative this fall.

Financial Stability and Independence

Representatives from your United Way and the City of Dayton recently attended a summit hosted by United Way of America and the League of Cities on the Earned Income Tax Credit. We hope to expand the city's model program in 2008 because the EITC benefits low-income working families and brings significant dollars back into the local economy.

Health and Well-Being for Individuals and the Community

United Way's HelpLink 2-1-1 keeps a pulse on the community's well-being. HelpLink is experiencing an increase in calls from dislocated workers and continues to see a high volume of calls related to home foreclosure. In the health arena, I am serving on the local group addressing the issue of uncompensated care in our community and meeting with the Health Policy Institute looking at health issues and solutions at the state level.

We hope you feel we are working on the causes you care about and, as always, please let me know what you think. Our community needs your continued investment. The more dollars we raise the greater impact we can make… The greater impact we make the more dollars we can raise. Your leadership and generosity make a difference.

Marc R. Levy

President