2009 Annual Report - United Way of Connecticut

United Way of Connecticut
United
Way
2-1-1
2-1-1
Child
Care
Access to
Services and
Information
Care 4
Kids
Child
Development
Infoline
ANNUAL REPORT
2009
Community
Results
Center
HUSKY
Infoline

United Way of Connecticut Board of Directors
• Holly C. Wolff, Chairperson
• Rev. David C. Parachini, Vice Chairperson, Grace Episcopal Church, Windsor
• Diane Randall, Secretary, Director of the Partnership for Strong Communities
• Laura Huren, Treasurer, United Way of Connecticut (not a board member)
• Timothy F. Bannon, President Connecticut Housing Finance Authority
• Susan Dunn, President and CEO, United Way of the Central
and Northeastern Connecticut
• Karl Epple, Honorary Board Member
• Theresa Hopkins-Staten, Director, Connecticut Public Affairs, Northeast Utilities System
• James Ieronimo, Executive Director, United Way of Meriden & Wallingford
• Estela R. Lopez, Higher Education Consultant
• Charles Mason, President, Mason, Inc.
• Robert Metzler, Esq. Hinckley, Allen and Snyder, LLP
• Elizabeth Levering Morgan, Director, Middlesex Coalition for Children
• Matthew Nemerson, President/CEO, Connecticut Technology Council
• Joe Ragusa, CIGNA Relationship VP, IBM
• June Renzulli, Nonprofit Consultant
• Althea Marshall Richardson, President/CEO, Empower New Haven, Inc.
• Jack Walsh, President and Chief Operating Officer of Valley United Way
• Richard J. Porth, President and CEO, United Way of Connecticut
The mission of the United Way of Connecticut is to help meet the needs of Connecticut
residents by providing information, education and connection to services. UWC
furthers its mission by providing 24/7 toll-free call center access to health and human
services information through 2-1-1, as well as specialized services in child care, child
development and disabilities and HUSKY health insurance; and by collaborating with
local United Ways and Connecticut State agencies and elected officials.
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2009 United Way of Connecticut

THE YEAR IN PERSPECTIVE
United Way of Connecticut (UWC) handled close to 725,000 calls in its 2-1-1, HUSKY Infoline, Child
Development Infoline, 2-1-1 Child Care and Care 4 Kids operating centers in fiscal year 2009. There
were 520,000 additional inquiries on UWC’s website database, providing direct access to up-todate
information on community and human services in Connecticut from A to Z.
FY09 saw unemployment rise to its highest levels in years, the stock market’s significant decline
and the State struggle to craft a budget in the midst of a very large revenue deficit. The state of
the economy led to higher call volumes at UWC and particularly more calls from middle-income
families who had never before needed to ask for help. Like many organizations and agencies, UWC
absorbed significant decreases in its budget. Throughout, UWC fulfilled its mission, providing more
state residents with information, education and connection to needed services. We have been able
to rise to the challenge when the people of Connecticut needed us most.
During FY09, UWC’s Board of Directors continued its important work to strengthen UWC’s
governance and accountability. New board charters of work and new policies (including conflict of
interest, whistle blowers and document retention) were all adopted and implemented, consistent
with new government standards and best practices for nonprofits.
In an effort to help Connecticut United Ways speak with one voice on public policy issues related to
their community leadership and community investment priorities, UWC crafted a 2009 legislative
agenda focusing on four broad policy areas: early childhood education, housing, workforce, and
United Way 2-1-1. UWC provided print materials on these issues to every legislator and to other
state leaders and community partners. During the upcoming year, we plan to meet with more
government leaders to promote a unified United Way policy agenda in Connecticut.
2009 marked an important anniversary for United Way 2-1-1. In 1999, Connecticut became the
first state in the nation to implement a statewide 2-1-1 system. Created in 1976 as Infoline, UWC’s
human service information and referral service was originally accessed through an 800 number.
UWC was able to switch to the easy-to-remember 3 digit number once the Federal Communication
Commission designated 2-1-1 as the number to call for information about health and human
services. UWC continues to work on its strategic plan aimed at universal awareness of 2-1-1
throughout Connecticut. This plan includes working with United Ways and the media to promote
2-1-1. This strategy, as well as others, is meant to keep UWC on a path to continue to help meet
the health and human services needs of Connecticut residents, a mission that is more important
than ever during these tough times.
2009 United Way of Connecticut 3

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
United Way 2-1-1
• Handled more than 480,000 requests for service and over
345,000 calls, an increase of 4% and 3% respectively
over fiscal year 2008.
• Established 2-1-1 as the way for children and youth, who
are experiencing a behavioral crisis, to connect with the
state’s Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services (EMPS).
• Partnered with Connecticut Public Broadcasting to
connect state residents with mortgage foreclosure
assistance and with volunteer opportunities. Connecticut
United Ways played a key role in the volunteer campaign.
• Received over 9,000 visits to the 2-1-1 Navigator, an
increase of 77% over the previous fiscal year. This
screening tool for public benefits is now averaging
approximately 1,000 inquires per month, many of which
are from state agencies and nonprofits.
• Began taking after-hour, holiday and weekend calls from
the 2-1-1 program in New Hampshire to assist them in
providing their clients with 24/7 access.
• Sent call specialists to assist with 2-1-1 operations in Texas in the wake of Hurricane Ike. The Call
Specialists spent 5 days assisting callers with finding basic necessities.
• Assisted the Department of Public Health in distributing information regarding the H1N1 virus.
• Maintained a comprehensive community resource database with over 4,500 health and human service
providers offering approximately 48,000 services.
2-1-1 Child Care
Top Ten Requests for
Information
• Received over 30,000 calls and over 74,000 visits to the 2-1-1 Child Care web site, from parents seeking
advice and referrals on quality child care.
• Conducted the annual availability survey to provide a snapshot of the availability of child care in
Connecticut and the number of children served.
• Provided over 200 trainings to various local organizations and child care providers focusing on child
development and child care topics such as Healthy Young Children, Guiding Young Children’s Behavior and
Early Literacy.
• Assisted the Department of Public Health in distributing information regarding the H1N1 virus to licensed
child care programs.
• Participated as a State team member in Operation Military Kids, an outreach effort aimed at educating
professionals and volunteers about the impact of military deployment on children and youth in
Connecticut.
• Provided technical assistance to 56 newly licensed child care providers to promote quality care.
FY08
FY09
Utilities/Heat 42,528 65,769
Housing/Shelter 39,723 41,798
Information Services 36,714 38,633
Outpatient Mental Health Care 33,604 32,306
Substance Abuse Services 27,955 23,327
Financial Assistance 27,903 32,533
Legal Services 25,616 23,137
Public Assistance Programs 21,707 22,611
Food 17,662 21,569
Health Supportive Services 17,287 18,921
Total (all requests for
information)
462,526 482,309
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2009 United Way of Connecticut

Care 4 Kids
• Handled 285,852 customer service calls from parents and child care providers, a 3% increase over the
2008 fiscal year, to help implement the state’s program for child care subsidies for eligible working
families.
Child Development Infoline
• Helped over 20,400 parents, doctors and child care providers with child development assistance and
support.
• Made over 9,200 referrals to Birth to Three, 1,700 referrals to Help Me Grow and 1,200 new referrals to
the Ages and Stages Child Monitoring Program. (The Birth to Three System focuses on children under 3
years of age with significant delays or disabilities. The Help Me Grow program helps to find services for
children under age 9, who are at risk for developmental or behavioral concerns.)
• Served as the access point for the Department of Public Health’s Medical Home Initiative for Children &
Youth with Special Health Care Needs, making over 500 referrals to this program.
• Served on the technical assistance team for the National Help Me Grow Replication project. This project
is supported by the Commonwealth Fund which is looking into replicating Help Me Grow in other states.
HUSKY Infoline
• Handled over 60,000 incoming and 44,000 outgoing calls, helping over 51,000 families understand
the HUSKY application process, eligibility requirements and the benefit package. These call volumes
represent an increase of 13% and 19% respectively over fiscal year 2008.
• Completed the Citizenship and Identity project which provided outreach to HUSKY members statewide
who were missing documentation and were in jeopardy of losing their HUSKY coverage.
• Assisted with the Medicaid Managed Care Transition project by making 19,000 after-hour calls over
a two and a half week period to families to help them understand the insurance options available to
them.
Community Results Center
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
• Began staffing the State’s new Commission for the Advancement of 21st Century Skills and Careers,
referred to as the P-20 Council. The Commission seeks to support collaboration between early
childhood, K-12, higher education and workforce training sectors to create an education and career
pipeline that maximizes the education and skill level of Connecticut residents.
• Responded to over 40 media inquiries for UWC and its programs, including regular contact with WTNH/
My TV9. UWC and WTNH/My TV9 established a partnership to help promote 2-1-1 in Connecticut and to
provide TV viewers with immediate access to an information source related to a given news story.
• Supported the public policy work of UWC and the local United Ways.
2009 United Way of Connecticut 5

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
For the years ended June 30, 2008 and 2009
Assets:
2009 2008
Cash and cash equivalents $3,590,100 $2,800,657
Prepaid expenses 238,027 13,903
Contracts receivable 18,454 281,464
Local United Way receivables 41,951 54,336
Other receivables 20,425 60,882
Office furniture and equipment (net
of accumulated depreciation)
61,792 290,992
Total Assets $3,970,749 $3,502,234
Liabilities and net assets:
Accounts payable and accrued
expenses
$1,188,419 $889,624
Refundable advances 1,612,542 1,422,142
Deferred revenue 85,290 76,749
Total Liabilities 2,886,251 $2,388,515
Net assets:
Designated - Office furniture &
equipment
$61,792 $290,992
Undesignated* 1,022,706 822,727
Unrestricted net assets: 1,084,498 1,113,719
Total Liabilities and Net Assets $3,970,749 $3,502,234
*Increase of $199,979 in undesignated net assets in 2009 compared to 2008
reflects accrued vacation expense decrease of $55,954 plus a net surplus of
revenue over expenses from operations of $144,025.
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2009 United Way of Connecticut

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
For the years ended June 30, 2008 and 2009
Changes in unrestricted net assets:
Revenues, gains, and other support:
Grants & contracts, federal & state
2009
$14,036,526
2008
$13,364,696
Local United Way revenue 632,647 644,714
Grants & contracts, other 223,645 177,212
Miscellaneous 171,488 52,349
Investment income 21,013 51,582
Directory sales — 1,728
Database income 500 2,332
$15,085,819 $14,294,613
Expenses:
Program services:
2-1-1 HHS 5,688,255 $ 5,653,945
Care 4 Kids 6,440,550 6,243,392
Community Results Center 136,622 294,037
Other Programs 315,769 90,682
Total program expenses $12,581,196 $12,282,056
Supporting services:
Management and general 2,533,844 2,472,396
Total expenses $15,115,040 $14,754,452
Increase/(decrease) in unrestricted net assets** (29,221) (459,839)
Net assets at beginning of year 1,113,719 1,573,558
Net assets, end of year $1,084,498 $1,113,719
**Decrease of ($29,221) in unrestricted net assets is due to non-cash expenses, primarily depreciation
($229,119). Revenues for this period actually exceed cash expenses by $144,025.
2009 United Way of Connecticut 7

United Way of Connecticut
1344 Silas Deane Highway
Rocky Hill, Connecticut 06067
(860) 571-7500
www.ctunitedway.org
UWC Senior Management
Richard Porth
President & CEO
Tanya Barrett
Vice President
2-1-1 Health and Human Services
Laura Huren
Vice President
Business Operations
Sean Jackson
Chief Information Officer
Sherri Sutera
Senior Vice President
Child Care Services
Connecticut United Ways
• United Way of the Central and
Northeastern Connecticut
• United Way of Coastal Fairfield County
• United Way of Greater New Haven
• United Way of Greater Waterbury
• United Way of Greenwich
• United Way of Meriden and Wallingford
• Middlesex United Way
• United Way of Milford
• United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls
• United Way of Northwest Connecticut
• United Way of Southeastern Connecticut
• United Way of Southington
• United Way of West Central Connecticut
• United Way of Western Connecticut
• Valley United Way
• United Way of Connecticut
GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.
LIVE UNITEDTM
UWC is supported by the State of Connecticut and Connecticut United Ways.