Dear Friend,
It’s been more than a month since Kathleen Kennedy Townsend visited Orlando to help launch the United Way Women’s Leadership initiative. It was a very inspiring way to begin our important work. Thanks to those who attended, and if you missed it, we have exciting new ways to get involved.
As we learned at the luncheon, our community is challenged by health and human service issues that disproportionately affect our community’s women and children. To continue to raise awareness and search for solutions, we are already planning additional events in the fall. In the meantime, I wanted to let you know about a very important opportunity to get involved and voice your opinion.
In late May and early June, United Way will be hosting a series of Community Leader Forums in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. At these Forums, the organization will share the results from the largest community research project undertaken in a decade. The goal: to discover what residents say are the most pressing challenges to address now as a community.
This is a great opportunity to weigh in and lend your voice. What do you think are the most critical issues impacting Central Florida that our United Way should address?
Feedback from the Community Leader Forums will help guide Community Impact – the newly expanded business model United Way is moving toward to create lasting solutions in Central Florida. How can we work together to actually prevent more women and children from being abused, neglected, or otherwise victimized?
As we move forward, collectively, we can consider additional ways that the Women’s Council can help influence positive and lasting change in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties—especially for women and children. It’s an exciting time to be involved and I hope you will attend one of the forums.
Dates and locations include:
· Thursday, May 29, Seminole County, Orlando Marriott, Lake Mary
· Friday, May 30, East Orange County, Holiday Inn Select UCF
· Thursday, June 5, Central Orange County, Harry P. Leu Gardens
· Friday, June 6, Osceola County, Kissimmee Civic Center
Time: 8:00-9:30 a.m.
Registration and networking begins at 8 a.m. – Program starts promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Reservations are required. Please call (407) 835-0900, ext. 367, or email Jahkiya.bell@hfuw.org.
Please also mark your calendars for the Sept. 19 kickoff of the United Way Days of Caring, the largest community volunteer day in Central Florida. The Council of Women is planning a special volunteer project that will directly benefit women and children in need. I’ll be sharing additional details in future updates.
Kindest regards,
Helen Donegan
University of Central Florida Vice President of Community Relations
United Way Council of Women Chair