Community Investment Team- CIT- December Newsletter

 

 

 

 

We know you’ve heard us say it countless times in the past. United Way of Central Florida works with community organizations to fill gaps of service and improve the lives of everyone in Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties in the areas of Education, Income and Health. But what does that mean? How are we doing that? Well, now could be your chance to find out exactly how we determine what programs and organizations we support. We’re looking for curious community members interested in making measurable changes in the lives of people in need to join our Community Investment Teams (CIT).

Each year CIT volunteers research the best possible options for investing your donations. They make the decisions that help kids succeed in school, promote financial stability for families, and help people improve health indicators such as blood pressure, weight and blood sugar levels. The teams are comprised of diverse individuals who have a combination of the following skills: strategic planning, outcome measurement, community leadership and financial expertise. Team members are representative of the region served by the United Way of Central Florida. Each member personally reviews and scores funding applications from local agencies. They also participate in a group discussion and develop a consensus based score.

The Community Investment process ensures wise investment of hard-earned dollars contributed to our campaign and is a rewarding experience for volunteers. Teams will review three impact areas: Education, Income and Health. Additional teams examine short-term crisis services for families in need of “Safety Net” services. Community Investment Teams meet once a month from February through May. The timeline includes volunteer training, review of partner program application packets, partner program site visits/presentations and “Discuss and Deliberate” meeting where close to $6 million is invested to strengthen our community. Volunteer commitment will help us to invest in programs that improve lives and strengthen our community.

Please contact Debbie Wilson at Debbie.Wilson@uwcf.org or call (863) 648-1500, extension 236 with any questions or need additional information.