GLUW is getting ready for the tax season.

By Eloisa Herrero

As you all probably know the tax season begins in February, however, our VITA program begins a little earlier.

The VITA Program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income people who need some help to prepare their own tax returns. Certified VITA volunteers receive training to help prepare basic tax returns in our community.

This program would not be possible without the hard work of many volunteers. Recruiting volunteers is the reason the tax season begins early for us. VITA Volunteers perform different tasks such as preparing federal income tax returns, assisting clients with intake questions or interpreting. Becoming a VITA volunteer is easy and rewarding.

If you would like to become a VITA volunteer, give us a call at 903-236-9211. We would love to share with you the wonderful experience of being a VITA volunteer!!

Carol Sammons shared some comments about her experience as a VITA volunteer last year:

“Working as a volunteer for the 2009 VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program, was truly an inspiration for me. This program helps individuals take advantage of the tax credits they are eligible for through out the year. This is Free tax preparation for all who qualifies, yes! This is a totally Free service. Being able to help others during this time of the year was rewarding for me and beneficial for others who are in need of this help. Seeing so many people with appreciation in their hearts was worth it all. This program is just one of many programs sponsored by the GLUW in an effort to reach out and help others in their times of need.”

Why do I volunteer?

By LaDelle Kay

Why do I volunteer? I ask myself that question occasionally and always come back to the same answer: it is my duty to give back in whatever way I can.

I have been blessed with wonderful mentors in my life. Lessons in giving and volunteering began with a mother who, though possessing little materially, gave what she had to those in our community and to my large family. She taught us that we all have something to give and to give graciously and with generosity. That pattern continued during grade school and high school years and into adulthood as teachers, church leaders, business leaders and community individuals modeled the art of volunteering. It is said that education is the key, and I learned extensively from those caring individuals.

Many opportunities for volunteerism are available that utilize your talents. We all have a chance to make positive lasting changes in lives in our community. I encourage you to get involved in your community, because organizations are waiting with open arms to embrace you as a volunteer.

Woodrow Wilson described volunteerism beautifully:

"We are not merely here to make a living…we are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. We are here to enrich the world, and we impoverish ourselves if we forget the errand."

GIVE. VOLUNTEER. ADVOCATE

How to support youth health and wellness

By Eloisa Herrero

Last week, together with our Annual Campaign Kick off, we kicked off our Back to Football Friday Campaign. We encouraged fans of all ages to show their NFL team pride and sign up for a chance to win a trip to the Super Bowl.

I would really like to emphasize that the main objective of this campaign is NOT to sit in front of the television the rest of the year watching every single football game possible. The main objective is “to raise awareness about the issue of childhood obesity and creating new opportunities for young people to lead healthier lifestyles.”

The question is how do we “tackle” the child obesity rate which has nearly doubled in the last ten years?

Here are some examples of how you can encourage children (and adults too!) to be more active and healthier:

• Start a walking or running club in your neighborhood
• Organize a mini flag football league in your community
• Provide free dancing lessons….girls love dancing!
• Advocate for healthier meal options at school
• Organize a weekly family trip to the farmer’s market in your area and get tons of fruits and veggies!
• Help a neighbor with their yard work - mowing or raking are great exercise!
• Make sodas a weekend-only-beverage
• All the family helps mom to do the housework!
• Organize an Egg Rolling Championship (involves propelling a hard-boiled egg with a long-handled spoon about 20 feet or more!)
• Bike rides with family and friends
• Declare a no screen week- no television, computer, video game or cell-phone

The list can be endless, just remember to have a lot of fun while you and the people around you get healthier!

Kickoff's Eve

By Eloisa Herrero

Have you ever wondered what happens on the eve of the GLUW Campaign Kickoff?? Let me show you how the GLUW staff and representatives of partner agencies get busy the day before the event.

Setting up the stage

Setting up the tables

Taking care of the office while everybody is gone!

Tonight, all the GLUW staff will be praying for an inspiring kickoff and for a successful 2010 campaign!

INFOline of Gregg County 9th Anniversary

By LaDelle Kay
INFOline Program Manager

As I wrote last week, I love festivals and celebrations! This week we’re celebrating the 9th anniversary of GLUW’s INFOline of Gregg County. It seems like yesterday that we began and yet so much longer. So many things have happened as we grew from the birthing process to where we are today with calls totaling 39,500 plus!

INFOline began as a dream over 10 years ago when several people in the community sensed the need of a community free, confidential information and referral system. Their vision was to bridge the gap between people needing resources or information and the health and human service organizations with resources to meet the need. As they researched ways to make this dream become a reality, one of the members became aware of a grant through the state for this type of service to benefit especially low income residents. INFOline of Gregg County was implemented with a $100,000 which covered most of the first 2 years. Greater Longview United Way provides the major funding for the program. INFOline publishes a Resource Directory with detailed listings of 161 organizations and 523 programs. In addition, the Directory is online on our website.

As I think back over the many calls during these 9 years, I think of the faces behind those calls and celebrate when we know that we have been able to get people in touch with the resources they need. It also saddens me when I have to tell the caller that we’re unable to help because the resources have been exhausted due to the rapidly increasing needs. When we’re unable to give them exactly what they are seeking, many times we are able to press further in the conversation and find other ways to help them. An example is if rental assistance is not available, we ask if they have utility bills and maybe they can use an agency to get that paid and use that money toward rent. We encourage them to take advantage of free courses in money management offered by some agencies.

I am so privileged to have had the opportunity to implement this program as program manager and see it grow from it’s inception to a well-recognized, reliable community service. Sometimes we get a blessing from helping others, but we are especially blessed to live in a community where people work together to improve the quality of life.

Cultural Diversity

By Ladelle Kay, INFOline Program Manager

I love festivals and celebrations! All my senses are heightened. I love the sounds of different languages, the smell of sometimes unfamiliar foods, the sights of costumes and dress from different races and cultures, the taste of delicious foods, and the touch of beads and artistic items produced by somewhere else in the world.

In the early 1990’s I lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was a fantastic adventure each year in late summer or early fall as millions of people lined the banks of the Charles River between the cities. People learned to communicate and enjoy the diversity as we shared experiences of our culture. Education is the key to understanding and there were so many opportunities to learn how to live together in harmony even though we had many differences. We celebrated the unity in diversity.
In late September, we have this same opportunity in Longview, Texas as our annual Multicultural Festival arrives. The Multicultural Festival is a family-friendly event designed to encourage the community to become more conscious of ethnic cultures, recognize that we have more in common than differences, and unite against racism. Event activities include cultural entertainment, vendors, food and music. Admission is free.

During the event on September 25, 2010 the Longview Exhibit Building will be transformed into one of the biggest stages in our region, drawing performers and visitors from across the country. The festival remains squarely a “grassroots” event, driven by the enthusiastic support it receives from the Longview Race Relations Committee. Many people from across the area are involved in its preparation: individuals, groups, the city staff and volunteers.

Multicultural Festival

When: Saturday, September 28, 2010
Where: Longview Exhibit Building, 1123 Jaycee Dr., Longview, Texas.
Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

COME CELEBRATE OUR UNITY IN DIVERSITY AT THE MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL!

It is stuffing time!!

By Eloisa Herrero

It is stuffing time at the Greater Longview United Way. Stuffing time?? You might be wondering. It is not even close to Thanksgiving!

GLUW likes to do its stuffing early, but we do not stuff turkeys…at least not yet!

Our stuffing begins early July when we stuff packets for our pacesetter companies. It is like an early going back to school for us when we start stuffing packets with new brochures, pledge forms, posters, videos, etc. All these packets are distributed during the Pacesetters luncheon hoping our pacesetter companies will lead the way to a successful campaign.

August stuffing begins with invitations to companies to be our event sponsors. The event sponsors help defray the cost of campaign activities so more funds can benefit those in need.

Stuffing continues in August, this time envelopes are stuffed with invitations and tickets for our campaign kickoff.

Before our kickoff in September, all the stuffed packets for the rest of the companies need to be ready for our volunteers to pick up and deliver. Here is when all the fun and hard work begins for our great volunteers.

From September to November hundreds of letters are stuffed and sent. We ask our donors to LIVE UNITED and help us with their generous donations to improve the quality of life in our community.

November comes and after stuffing all those letters, we are ready to stuff the turkey!

After the New Year, we are ready to do the last stuffing of our campaign. This stuffing is very special for us because it gives us the opportunity to say THANK YOU to all the people who contributed to our campaign.

All the GLUW staff is ready and looking forward to the 2010 Campaign!