Three panel discussions were featured in the summit, each addressing a concern facing women and girls in our community at all life phases – transportation, career readiness and economic self-sufficiency. These topics were derived from a series of workshops leading up to the summit initiated by Sue Parks, United Way volunteer and co-founder of Orange County United Way’s Women’s Philanthropy Fund, a group composed of experts in the community on issues facing women and girls.  Audience members were asked to take an active role in the summit by providing suggestions, ideas and solutions for the issues at hand. 

Discussions and findings from the summit led Orange County United Way to create a new pilot program, taking effect January 1, 2009, to A) increase awareness of and access to available transportation for working women and B) partner with local corporations to facilitate resources to female employees.

United Way’s new pilot program’s goal is to proactively respond and create programs and partnerships that align public, private, and non-profit coordinated support and services to facilitate connections among programs. The programs can be found below, which will connect women and girls to existing resources and raise awareness of the following critical areas of basic needs, education and financial stability. These programs will be supported through short-term and long-term solutions:                                

Short-term Solutions:

• Transportation Partnership with Orange County Transportation System to provide carpool employee programs, van ride programs and increase awareness of existing transportation options in multiple languages. Examples of how these will be accomplished are by providing 2-1-1 Orange County Emergency Call Center with bus routes and other transportation information, as well as connecting non-profits to viable transportation programs.

Long-term Solutions:

• Used Vehicle Purchase Program to secure private loans at low interest rates and matching funds to purchase used vehicles. This also includes classes focused on credit and budgeting to increase buyer’s knowledge on how to sustain new assets.
• Corporate Responsibility Program: Supporting Women in the Workplace to connect a minimum of five (5) corporate partners with small businesses to facilitate and enhance resources to female employees. Listed below are options an employer may use to connect women and girls to existing resources:

1.       Mentorship to Women and Girls Program: to connect trained volunteer mentors to women and girls.

2.       Business English and Career Classes Program: to partner with local community colleges and offer free courses to groups of 25 or more participants to increase marketable skills needed to build self-sufficiency.

3.       Self-Sufficiency Standard and Calculator Program: to provide a realistic assessment of the amount of income it takes to meet basic needs without public or private assistance.

4.       Earned Income Tax Credit Access and Financial Education Program: to partner corporations employing women to provide financial education courses explaining the benefits of the Earned Income Tax Credit program and other financial mainstreams.  

President and CEO of Orange County United Way, Maria Chavez Wilcox, is delighted about the insight provided by United Way’s Women’s Summit and the opportunity to realize both short and long-term impact.

“The women in our community must be self-sufficient, or their entire family will struggle permanently – they hold the key to strong families and communities. Who will help these women and girls lead economic self-sufficient lives? If not us - who? We are excited about the unique convener role that United Way will play in mobilizing this innovative public-private-nonprofit collaborative effort in support of working with key partners in Orange County,” added Chavez.  

For more information on United Way’s 1^st Annual Women’s Summit, the pilot program, becoming involved in United Way, or for photos from the event, please contact Cara Lasala at (949) 263-6155 or visit www.unitedwayoc.org.