United Way Suncoast’s newest commitment to nonprofit capacity building resumed on May 16 at a second event aimed at giving organizations a chance to shine before donors, United Way team members and fellow nonprofits.
A day after entertaining nine nonprofits in Hillsborough County at Results 1st Showcase, United Way Suncoast extended the opportunity to eight Pinellas nonprofits at the Valpak’s community room.
Both events culminated a year-long collaborative effort between United Way Suncoast and Results 1st, a program that helps nonprofits achieve their goals. United Way Suncoast strives to support nonprofits by providing them with the resources and expertise they need to succeed. The nonprofit partners thrilled attendees by delivering engaging presentations that inspired and motivated. Their speeches highlighted the incredible work being done in our community and gave hope for a brighter future.
Aiming At Outcomes
The event highlighted the impressive work of eight organizations: Girls Inc. of Pinellas, New Visions of the Well, Golden Generations, Inc., Project Prosper, Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation, Arts 4 Life Academy, Preserve Vision, and Healthy Start Pinellas. Each presentation aimed to engage the audience and highlight their significant impact.
The Results Team Program caters to program teams and staff members who play a vital role in generating, delivering, and assessing outcomes. By using Results 1st tools, every team can establish, monitor, validate, and disseminate the outcomes of a fresh or improved program through project-based learning and practical application.
Girls Inc. Gains STEAM Engagement
Darla Otey, the Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Pinellas, led off the event.. Otey made a significant impact on her organization as she discussed the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) program. She emphasized the importance of using data to tell a story about the impact they wanted to create through their project.
“Understanding our end goal allowed us to use the project’s data to craft a story that would help us achieve it,” Otey explained. “Getting girls and women involved in STEAM was going to have a long-term impact on their lives. Engaging our girls in STEAM programming increased their engagement, not just their participation.”
The girls achieved this engagement by using a tool provided by Results 1 and creating attainable benchmarks to determine their organization’s progress. One of the benchmarks was to get their girls more engaged in the STEAM camp, an artificial intelligence program that helped overcome their fear of technology.
Mental Health Nonprofit Motivates
At United Way Suncoast, mental health and wellness are integral parts of our culture. New Visions of the Well, Inc., mirrored our organization’s commitment to culture with an impressive presentation. Joy Haugabook, the Operations Manager of the organization, explained that New Visions’ work encompasses its clinic, community services, training and development, and the collective effort. Haugabook emphasized that this collective effort drives their work forward, empowering and equipping them with a network of healing practitioners and community members who are passionate about mental health and wellness. She added that this network is a valuable resource to draw from to continue serving the community. She effectively conveyed the message on behalf of her organization, inspiring the community.
Bringing Vision Into Focus
Preserve Vision Florida, CEO Joanne Lighter also captivated the audience. She spoke about Preserve Vision’s United Way-funded project, which aims to screen 1500 children in Tampa Bay and 330 in Desoto County for vision impairments. Lighter explained that her organization’s goal is to detect eye disorders in their early and treatable stages by using high-tech digital screening devices. They also work closely with parents and provide eye exams and glasses to families who cannot afford them. She concluded her presentation by introducing a Lenz Frenz, a cute stuffed puppy that doubles as an eyeglass case.
Like the organizations at the earlier showcase in Hillsborough, all eight nonprofits at the Pinellas showcase spoke highly of working with United Way Suncoast and Results 1st. The representatives said the lessons they take away will strengthen their work and help them better serve the community.
Click here to learn more about United Way Suncoast’s community investments.
Results Team Program Presentations – Pinellas County:
Visit these sites to learn more about the nonprofits that presented at the showcase.
