On this episode of The Uniters, inspired by the popular YouTube series Hot Ones, I was joined by Taylor Sickler and...
Blog
Categories
United Under the Wings
"Creativity is essential in all of our lives, but especially in the lives of children." For kids in our community...
211: Why Not Just Google It?
United Way 211 is a free, 24/7, 365-day information and referral resource that connects residents in Lucas, Ottawa and...
Down, Never Out: Finding a Path that Leads Away from Rock Bottom
I sat across the table from the woman I’d been called in for. “Her name is Nikki,” my contact had...
A Flood of Memories: Surrounded by Support During Times of Disaster
I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of rain pounding the roof and was glad Stan had...
Advocating for Impact: Why the 2020 Census Should Matter to You
It comes every 10 years… asking questions about you and your household. Each decade, we can expect...
Community Data: Taking the Complexity out of Your Social Support Decisions
Lately, buzzwords such as big data, data science, artificial intelligence, predictive modeling and...
A New Day of Hope: Affordable Child Care Solutions to Help Families Succeed
Exhaustion. That is the only word I could think of to explain how I felt walking into my Granny’s...
Kicked to the Curb: A Mother’s Tale of Finding Support after Eviction
The blaring of the ambulance siren as it leaves the station was my alarm clock, gas bills were...
Deep Breaths: Healthy Beginnings Start with Support
Katrina was twenty-two and six weeks pregnant when I first met her. She asked me to call her Kat....
Public Policy & Advocacy: Taking the Extra Step as a Donor
Give. Advocate. Volunteer. These three words are a core piece of United Way’s message in...
Leaving Isolation: Finding Empowerment Among Your Peers
When you’re attending college, you would think that everyone is free-thinking, accepting and...
Finding Superhero Powers: Early Education Support for both Parents and Children
Looking at my sweet son Jamile pretending to be superhero as he “flies” across the room, one would...
The Promise: A Mother’s Fight to Protect Her Child, and Herself
The traditional gift for a 7-year wedding anniversary is copper, which happens to be what some...
Where Your Dollars Go: Dispelling the Overhead Myth
We’ve all seen the Facebook posts, calling out nonprofits on their overhead ratio and the...
Reflections on Gratitude and Humility: One Advocate’s Journey
We are often asked, “What’s a typical day like at The Cocoon?” We smile, unable to capture the...
The Last Pencil: Having Supplies for our Students
“Mrs. Thompson!” shouted Louis in a very disgruntled tone. His little arms crossed, barely able to...
Tax Time: Keeping Your Full Refund
Even if you don’t own a calendar, you know when it’s tax season. From the do-it-yourself tax...
Finding Tomorrow: The Long Road To Financial Freedom
I’ve always dreamed of owning my own home. Yet, each month, around the time my bills are due, I...
Best of 2018: Reflecting on our Community’s Story
What a busy year…or rather 100 years! We had the pleasure of experiencing so many exciting...
Letters To Santa: Sorting Bills at the Kitchen Table
John sat in the dark at the kitchen table, staring down at the two stacks of papers in front of...
A Path to Success: Finding Potential From A Big Brother
Three years ago, I was really struggling, feeling unmotivated and honestly… I felt worthless. In...
Regaining Perspective: The Value of Volunteering
Sitting at my desk, staring at my calendar above my computer, I just couldn’t believe it. Was it...
Let’s Read Together: Overcoming Language Barriers
Emilio’s preschool teacher asks us a question and I look at my husband. “Yes,” Eduardo says. “We...
Turning the Page: The Power of Reading and Mentorship
This post is brought to you by the generous support of The Image Group, a national promotional...
Emotional Anxiety: Seeing Through The Eyes of a Child
It was Tuesday morning and the sun was beaming beautifully with only a few clouds in sight. I...
A Better Way: Living Healthy through Reading
Keeping a consistent schedule as a single dad can be really tough. Since my wife died, my morning...
