EDUCATION, INCOME, & HEALTH

JANUARY 2015

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT CARD WHEN WEONE UNITE AS WE CHANGE EDUCATION, INCOME, & HEALTH THE STORY OF MANY UNITED WAY OF THE BIG BEND underwent a vitally important strategic planning process that engaged hundreds of volunteers and residents in the fall of 2013 and early winter of 2014. This process was aimed at positioning us to better serve the region and to more directly apply our energies and the community’s valuable investments to solve critical problems.

Through this process, our community identified issues in three key areas – EDUCATION, INCOME, and HEALTH. In answer to the community, our organization is working to address these issues through a collaborative Council System.

This report is UWBB’s first Annual Report Card, updating the community on our progress in working to address these issues. This report details those issues, outlines our goals, and gives our progress to date.

This report also includes a list of those members that are serving on each of the councils established. As you can see, every sector of our community has a seat at each of the three tables and are working collaboratively to create solution-based strategies.

Imagine a community where we know that all children are ready to learn when they start school, where every child graduates from high school, where the working poor are provided opportunities to improve their financial position, and where the Big Bend becomes the healthiest group of counties in the state.

All of these things are possible …

Ron Sachs, UWBB Board Chair

Heather R. Mitchell President & CEO ReadingPals & 10,300 EDUCATION READ UNITED 7,385 Books 535 Volunteers Initiatives Hours Reading Distributed

is the cornerstone of individual and community EDUCATION success. When students don’t graduate, this hurts our community in lost wages, taxes, and economic development. These trends are reversible, but only when school districts and entities in the public, private, and non-profit sectors work together. EDUCATION COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Based on the information gathered during the UWBB community workshops, • CHAIR, Dr. Barbara Wills, Leon County Schools strategic planning sessions, and the goal setting summit, the Education Council was tasked with focusing on three areas to impact change. Formed • Mr. Fred Baggett, Greenberg Traurig, P.A., in April of 2014, the Council has set the following goals in these three areas: • Ms. Amy Bradbury, Leon County Schools • Ms. Tracey Cohen, Target Copy • Mr. Mike Coleman, Tallahassee Community College Early Education • Mr. Brian Dassler, Department of Education • 90% of children will be ready for Kindergarten by 2020 • Ms. Pam Davis, Kids Inc. • Dr. Barbara Foorman, Florida Center for Reading Research • Currently, 76% are testing ready to enter kindergarten • Mr. Louis Garcia, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend • Mr. Stu Greenberg, Leon County Schools • Mr. Matt Guse, Early Learning Coalition • Ms. Cat Keen, Volunteer Florida Mentoring • Ms. Kim Kelling-Engstrom, WFSU • Local Mentor Advisory Board will be created in 2015 • Ms. Stacy Larkin, Goodwill Industries • Mr. Jim McShane, CareerSource Capital Region • Dr. Jim Murdaugh, Tallahassee Community College • Ms. Nan O’Kelley, Redwire Graduation Rates • Ms. Joi Phillips, • Ms. Melissa Radey, Florida State University • 85% of students in Leon County will graduate on-time with their peers • Dr. Deborah Reed, Florida Center for Reading Research • 2012-2013 Graduation Rate was 76% • Mr. Ryan Rogers, Tallahassee Community College • Pastor Bill Shiell, First Baptist Church • Mr. Kevin Smith, Florida Center for Reading Research • Dr. Edward Tolliver, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University • Ms. Peggy Youngblood, Leon County Schools In Leon County, 46 percent of Households 46% households - some 49,708 households 75,267 INCOME - fall under the ALICE threshold, often In the eight-county Big Bend area are putting them in a constant struggle to struggling to afford basic necessities even make ends meet. though many of them hold steady jobs with regular paychecks.

are still challenged by the recent recession and are struggling MANY to get back on their feet after loss of jobs or other economic VITA STATISTICS 29,134 difficulty. Others have never had the opportunity to develop good financial We saved clients more than Clients have utilized our FREE Volunteer Income Tax Assistance habits and continue to grapple with basics such as balancing a bank Clients utilized our FREE Volunteer Income over the past 10 account or managing revolving credit. These are formidable challenges, but Tax Assistance (VITA) Program to have their $630,000 (VITA) Program in income tax prep fees in 2014 years to have their taxes prepared we believe they can be overcome. 4,202 taxes prepared and filed for free in 2014. and filed for free. Based on the information gathered during the UWBB community workshops, strategic planning sessions, and the goal setting summit, the Income Council was tasked with focusing on three areas to impact change. Formed in June of 2014, the Council has set the following goals in these three areas: INCOME COUNCIL MEMBERS: Financial Literacy for Youth: • Provide all Big Bend youth ages 12-24 with access to high quality • CHAIR, Ms. Brooke Hallock, Capital City Bank financial education. • Ms. Marta Arrington, ECHO • One-third of teenagers are already in debt, owing either some individual or corporation money at levels greater than $1,000. • Mr. Dave Chodorowski, Catholic Charities of NW Florida • Mr. Tim Center, Capital Area Community Action Agency • Ms. Wallisa Cobb, Cobb Realty Financial Literacy for Adults: • Provide Big Bend adult residents with educational UWBB is working with a collaboration of partners • Mr. Andre Holmes, Jefferson Homes LLC tools and resources to help them achieve financial to provide financial literacy training to adults. • Ms. Kris Knab, Legal Services of North Florida, Inc. security and keep more of their own money. This comprehensive financial curriculum has been • Ms. Christina Lynch, Clear Channel and Bing Energy presented at local churches and businesses like • Only of Americans • Ms. Hollie Maddox, Envision Credit Union 40% the , Tallahassee Memorial keep a budget and track their • Mr. Daniel McGrew, CareerSource Capital Region Healthcare, and CareerSource Capital Region. spending. • Ms. Cari Molinaro, Godby High School - Godby Academy of Finance PROGRESS: • Ms. Kimberly Moore, Tallahassee Community College • Ms. Jeanna Olson, Florida Department of Children & Families Working to help ALICE • Ms. Reyonna Parrish, Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed): • Provide all ALICE individuals and families with opportunities to • Mr. Bill Spiers, Tallahassee Community College become financially independent. • Rev. Alvin Stewart, ALARM Ministries • Ms. Melissa Wright, BB&T UWBB launched The ALICE Report in November 2014. This groundbreaking document outlined the true cost of living for the eight counties in the Big Bend, giving us an accurate picture of who the working poor are in our community. PROGRESS: HEALTH of all surface-level cavities are preventable 373 Students on the molars. Placing sealants on 11 Title 1 Schools in Leon have been served children’s teeth help address this problem 85% County being served

things go wrong, people often say – at least you have your WHENhealth. United Way believes that the same is true for a thriving community – you have to have good health. Based on the information gathered during the UWBB community workshops, strategic planning sessions, and the goal setting summit, the Health Council was formed in February 2014 and HEALTH COUNCIL MEMBERS: tasked with focusing on the following areas to impact change:

• CHAIR, Ms. Katrina Rolle, Community Volunteer To date, we have worked in 5 Title 1 schools, serving almost 400 2nd graders. • Ms. Claudia Blackburn, Florida Department of Health Leon County Pediatric Measurements established to measure effectiveness of program at year’s Dental Health • Dr. Fran Close, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University completion to include: For the 2014/2015 • Ms. Sue Conte, Capital Medical Society 1. Number of students affected: ensure that all 2nd graders at Title 1 Schools in school year - ensure • Dr. Alan Cox, Leon County Schools that every 2nd grader Leon County receive sealants in the 2014/2015 school year. • Ms. Rosemary Evans, Leon County Healthcare Services in a Title 1 school 2. Track effectiveness of sealants: in Leon County • Baseline: access data on existing 3rd graders in all Title 1 Schools in • Ms. Lauren Faison, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare receives dental Leon County to assess their dental issues as it relates to absenteeism. • Mr. Tom Glennon, Capital Health Plan education, dental • Effectiveness: evaluate in 2nd year (2015/2016) those that had • Ms. Cynthia Harris, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University exam by a dentist, sealants applied in 2014/2015 and assess their absenteeism rates. • Mr. Tom Harrison, Tallahassee Primary Care Associates dental cleaning, PROGRESS: 3. Lower the number of children attending the ER due to dental issues. • Ms. Mollie Hill, FSU College of Medicine dental sealants, and 4. Partner with both Medicaid and dental insurance providers in our community referrals if deemed to ensure that these visits are covered in their cost. • Mr. John Hogan, Capital Health Plan necessary. • Ms. Oretha Jones, Neighborhood Medical Center • Dr. Esias Lee, Neighborhood Medical Center Mental Health Awareness Working to create a new partnership • Mr. Rob Moss, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare • Access to mental health services for those in need throughout that will develop a comprehensive • Mr. Mark O’Bryant, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare the Big Bend. behavioral healthcare triage and • Mr. John Padget, Florida Blue service delivery system for the Big • Approximately people in the Big Bend area 17,000 Bend Region. • Dr. Jay Reeve, Apalachee Center for Human Services

have some form of severe and persistent mental illness. PROGRESS: • Mr. Rob Renzi, Big Bend Cares • Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, Capital Health Plan Healthy Lifestyles Working with FSU, FAMU and the Florida • Ms. Karen Wendland, Community Volunteer • Goal is for Leon County to be the healthiest county Department of Health, Leon County to create a • Ms. Pam Wilson, Capital Medical Society in the state. public survey to identify how people are coping • Dr. Ed Zapert, Florida Department of Health Leon County - Molar Express • STRESS - and how we deal with it - is the with stress. Results from this survey will be common denominator for many health issues presented back to our community through a in our community, serving as a cause of obesity, Health Summit in May 2015, and the Council will

heart issues, anxiety, drug, and alcohol abuse. PROGRESS: work to create a plan for interventions. EDUCATION, INCOME, & HEALTH

307 E. Seventh Avenue Tallahassee, FL 32303 Phone 850.414.0844 Fax 850.414.0852 web uwbb.org