It's Tax Season

Not long ago the phones started ringing in the volunteer center with caller after caller asking for free tax preparation. VITA (volunteer income tax assistance) is a program that is offered here at United Way of Utah County, that provides community member free tax preparation to those who qualify. VITA is run almost entirely by IRS certified volunteers. These volunteers have been trained specifically to work to get the biggest tax return to those who need it most.

Marcee, preparing taxes

Last year, Marcee Young, then a VISTA, worked with VITA. This year Marcee is an United Way employee running VITA and now Jillian, a VISTA from Community Action Services, is helping out. A couple of weeks ago I attended VITA's first event, the Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness day.

Jillian, hard at work

The Mayor of Provo, John Curtis, even came to help raise awarenes of VITA. He spoke to some of the VITA volunteers and some community members who were getting their taxes done. Overall it was a fun event to kick of tax/VITA season.

Mayor talking with volunteers and community members

You can visit United Way's website or their blog to find out more about VITA. Or you can always call 2-1-1!

Props to our VISTAs

Recently, one of our former VISTAs Jes Rigo was spotlighted by a local blogger. This was huge and brought much needed attention to the South Franklin Community Center.

You can read her article here!

The community center (ran by our own Rachel and Amy) has been improving their blog. You should check out what they are doing to improve the Boulder's neighborhood in Provo!

Do you have a blog or a Facebook page for your project? I love love to know and you shouldn't be shy. Share it with everyone. We all love to see what other VISTAs are working on!

Tools for Sustainability

This past week VISTAs from all over Utah joined to together to participate in our IST conference. After months of planning and tons of hard work by Carrie and Brian and many of the United Way UC staff. Our training event was at the Provo Marriott and lasted for 2 and a half days. It was a fun event packed with lots of good speakers, entertainment, useful classes and trainings and of course a chance to spend time with fellow VISTAs.

VISTAs have fun socializing before the beginning of the conference

We the opportunity to hear from many knowledgeable and successful speakers. We attended workshops on everything from media relations to sustainability. The workshops were taught by the CEO of United Way of Utah County, Bill Hulterstrom, Laurie Wilson, a BYU professor, a few professors in the Masters of Public Administration program at BYU and other knowledgeable community members.

Materials passed out workshops

At night we were able to hear from a key note speaker, Ruby Chacon, and watch a performance by BYU's Living Legends. One of our own, Raquel Quintana (a VISTA in the United Way office) wowed us all with her beautiful signing during this performance.

Ruby Chacon speaking to us about her cause
Raquel (in the black dress) after the Living Legends performance

At the end of the conference we were able to participate in service projects. Some made Valentines and Valentine's Day decorations for local non profits while others help sort food at the food bank. Some volunteered at Habitat for Humanity. It was a great way to end our conference and allowed us to get back to work doing what we love best, volunteering :) Raquel was kind enough to take pictures at her service project at Recreation and Habilitation (RAH). They made Valentine's Day decorations and brought some holiday spirit to their facility and to the those who participate in functions offered there!

VISTAs hard at work

Overall, it was a great experience. We all got to learn many things that we could take back with us and improve our VISTA project. My personal favorite thing about the conference was the final speaker, Aaron Miller. He spoke about sustainability and stakeholders. He talked about being a social entrepenuer. It was quite motivating. I hope that someday I will be a social enterpeneur and do great things (not that I'm not already working as a VISTA) but I learned a lot that I hope to use in the future.

Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make the conference a success! It was a rewarding experience for us all (im sure!)

Martin Luther King Day!

To honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. the community is joining together to give service on January 18th. Community Outreach Day, hosted by Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University in partnership with United Way, starts with a devotional and then service projects and ends with a candlelight processional. This day of service will allow community members to get involved and to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr's accomplishments. Service projects range from community clean up to service with the elderly. No preregistration is required. Simply attend registration at the Wilkinson Ballroom on BYU's campus at 8 a.m. After registration and a devotional, service projects will be assigned.
Sully Bryan, a VISTA in the United Way of Utah County's office, is helping plan this day of service. If you have questions you can contact her at, 801-691-5314. All VISTAs are encouraged to participate and to share this information with friends, family and other contacts.

Thanks!

I wanted to thank all the VISTAs who helped recruit Facebook fans. We are now over our goal of 1,000 fans! The little competition was a great success.

I also thought it would be nice to showcase some of the activities we are involved in. Brian has been doing an awesome job at the Angel Tree Warehouse. He has spent many hours sorting and organizing presents and handling volunteers who deliver the gifts! I made a rudimentary video of Brian at the warehouse. He kindly showed us around. If you are interested in seeing what happens behind the Sub for Santa scenes, just check out the video. I apologize for it being sideways. I will work on my editing and filming skills in the future.
The rest of the VISTAs, in United Way's office, have been busy answering Sub for Santa calls and taking donations. It has been fun getting ready for the Christmas season and great to see the generosity of the community. They are really stepping up to help with the all the children and families who need help this year! As of today we only have 92 families left!

Facebook Challenge

Calling all Provo VISTAs! I am issuing a challenge. One of my responsibilities at United Way is to run the Facebook fan page. My goal is to have 1,000 fans before the end of the year. I need your help! Become a fan yourself and suggest it to your friends. It is an easy way to help a fellow VISTA and best of all there will be a great prize for whoever recruits the most fans. The competition will end right before our VISTA party on Friday. Come on Friday ready to report the number of fans you recruit. Thank you for your support and good luck! May the best VISTA win!
Visit our fan page here.

Family Volunteer Day

On November 21st, more than 220 people, some 37 groups and families, gathered together to give service. Raquel Lopez, one of our Provo VISTAs, organized Family Volunteer Day, a national day of service. The day started out with a scrumptious breakfast of pancakes followed by many different service projects. Families helped rake leaves at the cemetery, decorate organizations for Christmas, helped disabled individuals make Christmas cards and decorations, helped build houses and much more. Many VISTAs attended and lent a hand making pancakes, registering volunteers, seting-up and cleaning. It was fun to see so many happy volunteers show up with a positive attitude towards service. It is wonderful that parents were instilling the values of service in their children at a young age. Good job to Raquel for working so hard to pull off this awesome day of service.

VISTAs Charley and Jill busy making delicious pancakes

Stephanie on pancake duty

Excited volunteers

Princesses volunteer too

Making Christmas decorations at TURN

Moving mountans or doors at Rural Housing Development Corporation construction site

To view more photos, please visit us on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=164947&id=48523063337