SHRM Memphis helps United Way through a book drive collecting management and training materials

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

Denise Demby (left) accepts the gift of books from SHRM Memphis, presented by Verlinda Henning.

United Way of the Mid-South received management and training books from a book drive conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, Memphis chapter (SHRM). The books were presented during a meeting at the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis yesterday.

SHRM’s meeting brought human resources managers from public, private, nonprofit, hospitality, government and corporate industries in Memphis and the Mid-South together for a luncheon and program. During the meeting, Verlinda Henning, SHRM Community Outreach Chair, presented the books to Denise Demby, United Way Administrative Coordinator.

The books will become part of United Way’s Human Resources library for employees and volunteers and will be used as part of a new “Learning Place” staff training program.

“United Way provides technical and professional development to staff and key volunteers. It is a combination of online, classroom and self-study methods that help staff work with corporate and nonprofit partners in our region. SHRM Memphis is proud to help United Way serve our community,” Henning said.

SHRM Memphis also shared a presentation on culture, engagement and change management by John Daniel, Chief Human Resources Officer for First Horizon National Corporation and First Tennessee Bank. HR professionals were challenged to change their cultures for the improvement of company performance and individual development.

SHRM Memphis President Julieanna Walker was pleased that the books will be used to help United Way’s human resources  department train staff, and noted that SHRM’s community outreach is often best conducted when it benefits human resource work.

Posted in Education, Events, Information Resources, News, Volunteers | Tagged , , , , ,

WPTY ABC 24 observance of Black History Month salutes United Way Sr. V.P. Regina Walker

Posted on February 21, 2012 by

Regina Walker, Senior Vice President of Community Engagement and Alignment at United Way of the Mid-South, is being honored by WPTY ABC 24 and the Dial 2-1-1 network during Black History Month.

WPTY ABC 24 and our friends at the Dial 2-1-1 network are saluting local leaders making a difference in our Mid-South community during Black History Month.

The station is once again recognizing the work of Regina Walker, United Way’s Senior Vice President of Community Engagement and Alignment as part of the month-long observance of local African Americans contributing to our region’s common good. The message about Walker was originally aired in February, 2011.

Click on this link to see the video online and read the accompanying story (Note: You will be taken to WPTY ABC 24′s website by clicking the link.)

Posted in Events, Personal Stories | Tagged , , , , , ,

Your support at work: Newborn Charlie’s parents were at a loss upon learning he was deaf – your giving provides care and education that makes a difference

Posted on February 21, 2012 by

(Note: This story comes courtesy of Kathy Smith, development director of Memphis Oral School for the Deaf. Names and images are changed to protect privacy.)

Charlie’s parents were excited to bring him home from the hospital. He was a newborn and their first child. Coming home meant addressing some challenges they had not expected however – when Charlie was given a standard  newborn hearing screening, Charlie had not passed the test.

“We were perplexed, but we were excited we were taking our baby home,” his mother said. “We decided to have Charlie  re-tested a week later. After additional testing, it was clear to everyone that Charlie was deaf.”

Charlie’s mother was at a loss for how to handle the information. She had never known anyone who was deaf.

“Words cannot describe the utter shock and devastation that we felt,” she said. “I had so many unanswered questions… how would I communicate with my child? Would he ever have a normal life?”

Charlie’s parents wondered if he would be able to laugh and play with other children. They were worried that Charlie would never be able to hear his mother singing, or reading, or speaking the words “I love you.”

Your Support Impacts Lives“We were immediately referred to a United Way partner agency, the Memphis Oral School for the Deaf,” Charlie’s mother said. “Walking through the door of this school was one of the greatest blessings of our lives.”

Charlie was enrolled in classes at the school and the agency’s counselors brought the couple hope – something that had been in very short supply before Charlie was connected to the school.

“The staff was able to answer our questions and explain our options,” Kathy said. “We will forever be grateful for their help!”

Charlie now has a cochlear implant which improves his ability to process sounds. He attends classes at the school every weekday. With the implant and the training from professional agency staff, Charlie is surpassing his parent’s expectations – he is learning how to listen, and how to talk!

Your support of United Way of the Mid-South’s network of care is giving families like Charlie’s the opportunity to overcome challenges and have a stronger quality of life. Thank you for your gifts to United Way.

Posted in Education, Helping children and youth succeed, Partner Agencies, Personal Stories

United Way and Advance Memphis hold conversation about improving success for young adults (ages 18-24)

Posted on February 21, 2012 by

A recent meeting at Advance Memphis (logo above) sought information to provide stronger pathways to success for young adults ages 18-24.

A question-and-answer seminar at  Advance Memphis’ offices at 769 Vance last week sought feedback from Memphians looking for work about what can be done to improve jobless rates for people living in the 38126 zip code area.

Advance Memphis works with people who wish to be employed but have past problems or past legal records that make it more unlikely they will be unable to find a job.

Many attendees expressed their feelings and ideas about what could be done to improve employment in Memphis. Some people observed that unemployment and past criminal behavior are linked, and discussed the value of reducing crime by opening more community centers. Others noticed that better communication among people who live together and work together in the community every day can lead to sharing information about organizations that are hiring.

Nefertiti Orrin, project coordinator in the Community Engagement and Alignment department for United Way, was one of the speakers who addressed the group.

“We have an economy right now that is still recovering. There are going to be summer jobs initiatives coming from Washington later this year. Government and nonprofits want to figure out the best ways to create opportunities for people ages 18-24 so that they can go to school, be successful, and create economic prosperity,” Orrin said.

United Way chapters across the nation are working with the White House Council to host community conversations like this one, where local leaders and citizens have opportunities to provide input and recommendations on creating stronger pathways to success for young adults ages 18 – 24. Several local nonprofits and other organizations are involved in these conversations, which are being conducted in different locations across the region. Information gathered through these conversations will be shared among United Ways, with local nonprofits and government leaders, and with the White House Council.

Posted in Crime, Education, Events, Financial Stability, Information Resources, News, Personal Stories, Strengthening families and neighborhoods | Tagged , , ,

The United Way office is closed in observance of Presidents Day

Posted on February 20, 2012 by

The United Way of the Mid-South office is closed Monday, February 20th in observance of Presidents Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, February 21st.

Posted in Miscellaneous

(Photo Gallery) Presentation from ServiceMaster brings gift of new laptops to United Way’s “Learning Place”

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

Yesterday afternoon, United Way of the Mid-South celebrated a gift of twelve laptop computers from ServiceMaster that will be used to help train staff as part of a new in-house “Learning Place” program.

The Dell laptop computers were up and running in United Way’s Board Room as representatives from ServiceMaster and United Way shared details about the ongoing partnership between the two organizations and how it impacts our community.

ServiceMaster leaders Jennifer Robinson (Vice President of Information Technology), Dan Marks (Technology Officer) and Heather Wilson (Communications Manager), expressed their organization’s commitment to United Way and our Mid-South community and shared details about the growth in ServiceMaster contributions to United Way over the last three years. To read more details, click here).

To see a photo in a larger size, simply click on the image.

Posted in Events, Fund Raising, Grants, Information Resources, News, Technology | Tagged , , , ,

MEDIA ADVISORY: ServiceMaster’s gift of new laptops helps United Way create “Learning Place” for staff

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

MEDIA ADVISORY

When: Wednesday, February 15, 2:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Where: United Way of the Mid-South, 6775 Lenox Center Court, Memphis, TN 38115
What: Donation of 12 new laptop computers to United Way for staff training purposes

ServiceMaster’s gift of new laptops helps United Way create “Learning Place” for staff

Twelve new laptop computers have been donated to United Way of the Mid-South through the generosity of ServiceMaster.

The new laptops will be presented on Wednesday, February 15 at 2:00 p.m. at United Way of the Mid-South’s offices at 6775 Lenox Center Court, Suite 200. The computers will be set up in United Way’s Board Room and representatives from United Way and ServiceMaster will be available to discuss the ongoing partnership between the two organizations and how it impacts our community.

Dan Marks, technology officer at ServiceMaster and Heather Wilson, ServiceMaster’s communications manager, made the announcement of the gift during a presentation of the company’s most recent ServiceMaster fundraising campaign for United Way, where they increased contributions by 33 percent over the prior year.

Wilson noted that following their recent successful company-wide fundraising campaign, she began talking with her colleagues in ServiceMaster’s Information Technology department about ways to leverage some of their corporate partnerships to benefit United Way.  The team negotiated with Dell to secure discounted rates for ServiceMaster’s donation and they made sure the laptops came with thorough warranties, which is very important for the United Way team.

“We’re committed to increasing United Way’s capacity to serve our community by increasing the technology skills of our staff. Our new, internal ‘Learning Place’ program will use these 12 laptops to help United Way staff members achieve an even higher level of technology literacy, helping improve the efficiency of their work with for-profit corporate and business counterparts,” said Loretta Hurt, United Way’s project manager for the Learning Place initiative.

“Twelve new laptop computers is a much-needed gift,” explained Dave Skorupa, United Way of the Mid-South’s VP of Communications. “So often in the nonprofit world, we work with older equipment and software to keep operation costs low. If we’re not careful, we can fall behind the latest technology, especially given how quickly things change these days. Having new computers will help us keep our training and skill sets more up-to-date.”

About ServiceMaster

With a global network of more than 6,900 company-owned, franchise and licensed locations, Memphis-based ServiceMaster is one of the world’s largest residential and commercial service networks. The company’s high profile brands are TruGreen, Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Through approximately 24,000 corporate associates and a franchise network that independently employs over 31,000 additional people, the ServiceMaster family of brands serves more than 8.2 million customers every year. Our brands hold market-leading positions in residential and commercial lawn, tree and shrub care, termite and pest control, home warranties, furniture repair, home inspections, residential and commercial cleaning and disaster restoration. Go towww.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow us at twitter.com/ServiceMaster or facebook.com/TheServiceMasterCo.

Posted in Grants, Information Resources, News, Technology | Tagged , , , ,