Financial Wellness Project Continues in 2016!

What if . . . life could be different?

What if . . . you & your spouse were on the same page financially?

What if . . . you had no credit card debt?

What if . . . you didn't have car loans?

What if . . . you had emergency savings?

What if . . . you understood your investments?

What if . . . there was help available?

There is!!

The Goal: Bring together a wide variety of organizations, businesses, and resources to help Cache Valley families get the education, training and help they need to take control of their finances, develop attitudes and behaviors toward money that will lead them to financial peace and help them pass on to their children attitudes and habits that will lead to success in their careers, their families and their lives!!

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Tax Benefits of Running a Home-based Business  -  Jan 21, 28 & Feb 4

Time: 12:00-1:00pm

Location: TBD

NOTE: These luncheons will go over the same information at each one. 

You only need to register for one luncheon.

DATE NIGHT!!  Financial Wellness Boot Camp (8 class series over 3.5 months)

Fridays, Jan 22 & 29 - Feb 5 & 12 -  Mar 4 & 25 - Apr 1 & 8

Time: 6:00-7:00pm

Location: Cache Chamber of Commerce (160 North Main, Logan)

Topics:

√  (Jan 22) Super Saving

√  (Jan 29) Relating with Money

√  (Feb 5) Cash Flow Planning 

√  (Feb 12) Dumping Debt

√  (Mar 4) Buyer Beware!

√  (Mar 25) The Role of Insurance

√  (Apr 1) Retirement and College Planning; Real Estate and Mortgages

√  (Apr 8) The Great Misunderstanding

Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (9-week series)

Thursdays, February 11th-April 7th

Location: Cache Chamber of Commerce (160 North Main, Logan)

Topics:

√  Super Saving

√  Relating with Money

√  Cash Flow Planning

√  Dumping Debt

√  Buyer Beware!

√  The Role of Insurance

√  Retirement and College Planning

√  Real Estate and Mortgages

√  The Great Misunderstanding

Dave Ramsey's Smart Money! Smart Kids!

Dates and Location:  TBD

√  Work & Responsibility

√  Spending & Wisdom

√  Saving & Patience

√  Giving & Generosity

√  Debt & Honesty

√  Contentment & Gratitude

On-line Training: Learn at your own convenience

8 Pillars University

https://8pillarsu.com  (Contact us to get involved and to get a code)

Topics:

(1) Establish a Financial Confidence Account

(2) Organize and Systemize for Success

(3) Break Your Financial Bonds and Barriers

(4) Take Care of the 'What If'

(5) Invest for Happiness Now and In the Future

(6) Make Your Home the Heart of Money Matters

(7) Maximize Your Money Making Machine

(8) Get Perspective By Giving Back

Financial Basics Evening Workshops -  Jan 29, Feb 4, Mar 25, Apr 29, May 27, Jun 24 

Additional training available through a one-time evening workshop held monthly. This workshop covers a variety of topics: Finances for Main Street America, Debt Elimination, Rule of '72, Theory of Decreasing Responsibility, the Cash Flow Quadrant: Working for You.

SPONSORS:

  

Service Curriculum

The World We Want Guide 

The World We Want is a guide to the Global Goals for children and young people that gives you and your students the background information that they need.

Lesson Plans 

Lesson plans from our friends across the world. We've gathered a group of passionate celebrities and teachers to create exciting lessons plans that range from introducing the new Global Goals as a whole, to ones that focus on education, gender equality, violence and many more.

The World's Largest Lesson Film

The World's Largest Lesson is a film written by Sir Ken Robinson and animated by Oscar winning Aardman Animation that will challenge students to help fight global inequality, end poverty and protect the planet, using their very own superpowers. It's introduced by celebrities in different languages to inspire children. 

Grant Deadlines Coming Up!!

Katie's Krops Grants 

Deadline: December 31

Katie's Krops is excited to offer grants to youth between the ages of 9 and 16 in the United States to start vegetable gardens with the harvest donated to feed people in need. The winners will be awarded a gift card to a garden center in their area (up to $500), support from Katie's Krops, and a digital camera to document the garden and the harvest....»

YSA & Sodexo Foundation Youth Grants

Deadline: January 15 

YSA and Sodexo Foundation are looking for the most innovative and sustainable ideas from young people about how they can help end childhood hunger in their communities. 125 $400 grants are available for youth leaders ages 5-25 across the U.S. to turn their ideas into action and make an impact on the issue of childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day - April 15-17, 2016 - and beyond. Apply at www.YSA.org/SodexoYouth

Captain Planet Foundation Grants 

Deadline: January 31
Captain Planet Foundation will accept small grant requests for amounts between $500 - $2,500. All proposed activities must be project-based, projects must be performed by youth; and projects must have real environmental outcomes....»

Fiskars' Project Orange Thumb Garden Grants 

Deadline: February 1
Fiskars' Project Orange Thumb garden grants provide tools and resources to help communities reach their goals for neighborhood beautification, community collaboration, and healthy & sustainable food sources. Fiskars will award 30 applicants $3,500 in cash and tools in the coming year....»

MLK Day of Service just one month away!

Senator Harris Wofford, a YSA Board Member who served as Martin Luther King's lawyer and later led the effort in the US Senate to establish MLK Day as a national day of service, reflects on the importance of making MLK Day "a day on, and not a day off" and extending that service beyond a single day through programs like YSA's Semester of Service in order to truly honor Dr. King's legacy.

MLK Day of Service is just one month away! Here are some ideas for how you can make it a day on, and not a day off:

√ Begin a Semester of Service or Classrooms with a Cause project on or around MLK Day.
√ Have youth/students participate in YSA's Global Goals Contest on MLK Day, and kick off 2016 by raising awareness of the new UN Sustainable Development Goals. (www.YSA.org/globalgoals)
√ Help our children or your students understand Dr. King's vision with free, easy-to-use resources created by the Corporation for National and Community Service and Scholastic. Visit www.scholastic.com/mlkday

Find more ideas for how to get involved on MLK Day at www.MLKDay.gov or choose one of these ideas:

• Host a Sunday Supper to encourage people to share a meal and discuss issues that affect their communities, to increase racial and cultural understanding and, to promote unity.
• Recognize an outstanding volunteer with a MLK Drum Major for Service Award or MLK Drum Major for Service President's Volunteer Service Award.
• Register your event or search for an opportunity at www.MLKDay.gov 

HAVE FUN as you plan for MLK Day 2016!!

A New Year Tradition~

The new year is right around the corner and I'm beginning to hear talk of new year's resolutions and goals for the new year.

A few years ago I came across a new tradition to bring in the New Year. We have done a variety of fun art projects over the years with our TEAM Mentoring youth and I have used it myself as well. I have found it to be very effective and wanted to share. 

Let me share in the words of one of my favorite authors who originally shared it with me:

What's Your One Word?

Each year around this time I pick a word that will inspire me to be my best. I started this practice five years ago after my friends Dan Britton and Jimmy Page told me that for almost two decades they and their wives and children came up with a word each year that gave meaning and focus to their lives. Then they gathered on New Year’s Eve and made paintings of their words that hung in their houses to remind them to live their word for the year.

I was inspired and did it with my family. It was catalytic and powerful. My wife’s first word was INTENTIONAL. My daughter’s word was MOTIVATION. A great word for her. She needed it back then. My son chose FOCUS to the delight of his teachers. I chose PURPOSE because I knew my purpose had to be greater than my challenges. It wasn’t at the time and I was struggling. But once I remembered my purpose everything changed.

Each year since I have chosen a new word. SURRENDER. SERVE. PRAY. RISE. Each word has molded and shaped me to become a better person, father, husband, writer and communicator.

Dan, Jimmy and I wrote a book One Word that Will Change Your Life a few years ago and we’ve heard incredible stories of impact from countless people, schools, sports teams and companiesthat have discovered the power of one word. Several college teams put their one words on their lockers and practice shirts. NFL and NBA teams chose their words for the season and talked about them before games. Schools made t-shirts with all their teacher’s one words. Hendrick BMW even made a one word car. Click on the links to see pictures and examples.

It’s a fun practice and much more effective than New Year’s resolutions. In our busy stressed-filled world with tons of distractions, the research shows that 9 out of 10 people will fail with their resolutions. But one word sticks. No goals. No resolutions. Just one word that gives you meaning, mission, passion and purpose. One word that represents the essence of who we want to be.

You may not have any idea what your word is going to be this New Year. That’s okay. I still don’t have my word for 2016 yet. Give it some time. Dan and Jimmy say that instead of randomly picking a word they allow the word to choose them after reflection, prayer and listening to their heart. Your word will come.

I’ve had people email me saying, “I waited and waited and waited and one day, bam, the word hit me. I knew it was my word for the year.” If you are open the word always comes. There is a word that is meant for you to help you be all that you are meant to be and if you believe it you will receive it.

To help you get started ask a few questions. What do you want to focus on this year? Or what’s in the way? What do you need more or less of? What needs to change?

Once you come up with your word feel free to write it on one of the one word posters we created for you and put it somewhere you can see it. (Additional Posters Here) Or write it on a rock and put it on your desk. Or make it your screen saver or phone’s wall paper. Some have even made one-word jewelry to wear during the year. The ideas are endless. The key is to keep your word front and center so you can see it and live it.

For more ideas you can watch my segment on the Today Show or you can watch this short videowhere I talk about One Word.

Imagine if everyone reading this chose a positive word and lived it for the year. Imagine how much more powerful and impactful we would be. Imagine the difference we would make. The positive change inside us would help us create positive change outside us.

So, what’s your word?

When you know it I would love to hear it. One of my favorite things is to hear people’s words and why they chose it. You can share your word with me and others on Twitter, Facebook or my blog.

-Jon Gordon

25 Days of Service Winners

You can see the winners of the 25 Days of Service winners on our facebook page!!

We've had a LOT of fun!!! Continue serving throughout the year.  

You can even make your holiday pledge here:

Today's the Day!!

It's Christmas Eve!

Last Opportunity to fulfill a Holiday Wish List

Looking for a way to GIVE BACK

during the holiday season?

Check out our Local Non-Profit

Holiday Wish Lists

A Season of Giving!

What better way to celebrate the Season by GIVING BACK!!

The Cache Valley Volunteer Center has numerous opportunities for you to participate in this Season of giving with meaningful, yet simple, acts of service that can have a significant impact. In fact, you have a wonderful opportunity right now to double or even triple the benefits from every act of service you complete.

Here are some of our suggestions:

• Looking to GIVE? Check out the Holiday Wish Lists for our local non-profits.
• Looking to SERVE? Check out the Cache Valley Volunteer Center website to see what opportunities match your interests.
• Looking for a little Holiday Cheer?  Get involved in our 25 Days of SERVICE: whether you participate every day, once a week, or just here and there, your efforts will make ALL the difference to those you serve. You will also have an opportunity to win daily holiday gifts that you can choose to give away or keep for yourself!

Now . . . are you ready to BOOST the impact of the service you picked??

Here’s how:

• Boost #1:  Super Service Challenge. This is a GREAT way to help bring funding for non-profits to Cache Valley without dipping in to your pocket book. A 20-30 video report of your efforts could mean $50,000 for your favorite non-profit!
• Boost #2:  Are you 18 years old or younger?  The JoyMaker Challenge is just for you! Report your service and you will also be donating a toy to a child in need! (Each act of service will also enter you into a drawing for a $1,000 gift card to use to further your volunteer work or use wherever you need it.)

LAST FEW DAYS to Join the Joy Maker Challenge!!

Over 86,000 kids and teens have already joined generationOn to become Joy Makers! Will you be next? The Joy Maker Challenge connects youth ages 5-18 to meaningful, hands-on service projects during the holiday season. For each kid or teen who participates, Hasbro will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots, up to 1 million dollars' worth! (It doesn't have to be holiday related/themed service; any kind of volunteering counts!) Visit generationon.org/joymaker to sign up and find volunteer project ideas and lesson plans.

Get more details on the Cache Valley Volunteer Center website here: http://cachevolunteercenter.org/joymaker/

Here are the basic steps: 

√  Complete a service project by December 23rd (WEDNESDAY!). 

√  Share the story of your service for a chance to win grants! 

One grand prize winner will receive a $1000 grant to support further service and 20 runners-up will receive $250 grants.

We have some winners!!

We have LOTS of WINNERS!!!

Everyone who participated gets an 

AWESOME Family Volunteer Day T-shirt!!

We also have the following winners of additional prizes:

Jiffy Lube Oil Change:                   Natalie Whitehead and Aimee Olsen
Car Smart Oil Change:                   McKenzie Reeder and Ronell Gardner
Les Schwab Tire Rotation:             Laura Larsen
Les Schwab Tire Alignment:          Brant Fonnesbeck
$20 Juniper Restaurant Gift Card:  David Greene
$15 Taco Time:                               Ian Welch
$15 Blimpie Gift Card:                     Kayla Dinsdale
$5 Sizzler Gift Card:                        Jane Hyer
Subway Sandwich:                          Correy Kustin
                                                         Ashton Greene
Little Caesar's Deep Dish Pizza:     Jennie Ostermiller
                                                        Josephine Hannah
Large Domino's 2 Topping Pizza:   Mary Richardson
                                                         Brittany Andrus
                                                         Shelsie Allen
Einstein Bagels and Schmear:         Kymber Broadhead
                                                         Vern Fielding
                                                         Katie Clark
                                                         Stetson Gordon
                                                         Holli Crockett
Arctic Circle Coupons:                     Meghan Fonnesbeck
                                                         Brady Fonnesbeck
                                                         Doug Stephenson
                                                         Sandy Shaw
                                                         Krystal Butterfield
                                                         Amanda Greene
                                                         Heather Gordon
                                                         Chris Crockett
Taco Bell Tacos:                              TEAM Youth and Mentors

Winners can pick up their prizes at the Cache Valley Volunteer Center located at 160 North Main beginning Monday, December 21st. Please let us know when you are planning to stop by so we can be sure there is someone there to give you your prize!!

Stop Hunger!!

One in five children in America are at risk of hunger. This is a problem that can be solved, and kids are a part of the solution! YSA (Youth Service America) and Sodexo Foundation are looking for 125 of the best ideas from young people about how they can help end childhood hunger in their communities.

$400 grants are available for youth leaders ages 5-25 across the U.S. to turn their ideas into action and make an impact on the issue of childhood hunger on Global Youth Servicei Day - April 15-17, 2016 - and beyond.

What are we looking for?

Youth-led community service projects designed to address childhood hunger. We're especially interested in projects that bring together young people, families, Sodexo employees, and other comunity members.

Youth ages 5-25 that live in the United States are eligible to apply. Applications are due by 5:00 PM on January 15, 2016.

Check out YSA's video HERE.

YSA and the Sodexo Foundation will be offering sustainability grants during Summer 2016. Those who are awarded for projects to take place during Global Youth Service Day are eligible to apply to sustain and expand their projects through a Summer of Service.

Looking for some ideas?

Check out YSA's 10 Ways You Can End Childhood Hunger for tips and sample project ideas.

Need more resources to get started? Check out these resources provided by YSA!!

• Check out our Engaging Youth; Fighting Childhood Hunger webinar series.
• Download our No Kid Hungry Guide (for youth) or A Teacher's Guide to Engaging a New Generation of Anti-Hunger Leaders (for educators).
• Be inspired by case studies of 10 of last year's grantees; you can find even more projects that made big impacts in their communities in our Inspiring Projects database.
• Visit  No Kid Hungry 2 for additional project ideas.
• Use the Feeding America - Food Bank Locator to find a food bank near you.
• Explore Children's Defense Fund Factsheets for statistics and data surrounding childhood hunger.

Holiday Wish List Spotlight: Loaves & Fishes Community Meal

Loaves and Fishes Community Meal:

Commercial aprons

Styrofoam To-Go containers

Gift cards from local grocery stores

Dishwasher detergent

Food Service Gloves

Telling YOUR Story in 2016!!

As a changemaker, you need to be comfortable telling four main types of stories to engage the hearts, heads, and hands of your audience to help give wings to your project. New media an donline distribution channels make sharing our stories easier than ever. What makes great stories so powerful is their "stickiness," their ability to draw our attention and engage our hearts and minds. The best stories spread good ideas like wildfire and inspire us to take action. And that's precisely what makes storytelling such a powerful toolf or social innovators. Everyone has a story. Ashoka's guide will help you prepare to tell yours.

The four types of stories are:

• The challenge story
• The how-to story
• The big idea sotry
• The impact story

Click HERE to learn more - including the Eight Steps to Creating a "Sticky" Story.

Holiday Wish List Spotlight: Public School Partnership

Holiday Wish List Spotlight:

Public School Partnership

“Every year, the Public School Partnership organizes a Holiday Service Project with its VISTA members and partners, This year, we our decorating trees and stuffing stockings, and we will be donating these to local families. We need these items by Wednesday, December 2! Contact Shonna Ferree if you would like to donate: (301) 876-8761 or pspvistaleader@gmail.com.

• 3 boxes clear plastic ornaments
• 3 boxes silver or gold ornaments
• 4 tree skirts (of any color)
• 4 sets of Christmas lights
• 10 Princess ornaments (any princess, any size)
• 10 Poinsettia-style ornaments
• 4 star tree-toppers
• Toy donations! 

Point in Time Count

Point in Time Count

January 28 - January 30, 2015

Bear River Area: Cache, Box Elder, Rich Counties

There are multiple opportunities and several ways to be part of the Bear River Area Point in Time Registry Week. The project will take place over a four-day period from Wednesday, January 27, through Saturday, January 30, 2015.  During the week there will be a need for upwards of 20 volunteers, most of which will be needed to conduct the surveys with homeless individuals on the streets.  However, there are other vital roles to support the effort of the count by providing in-kind or monetary donations to support the campaign to end homelessness in our community.

Approximately 20 volunteers are needed to work in teams to interview homeless individuals for the Count.  This is a four-day commitment due to the manner in which the outreach is conducted, wherein each team will work together in a designated geographical area the entire three days of the registry/survey gathering.

To be part of an outreach team you will need to participate in a training session related to interviewing homeless people and completing the survey forms.  The trainings will be held:

  Wed, Jan 27 – Overview & Volunteer Training 7:00-8:00 p.m. – attendance required

  Thurs, Jan 28 – Meet with Team/Survey, 4-7 a.m.

  Fri, Jan 29 – Meet with Team/Survey, 4-7 a.m.

  Sat, Jan 30 – Meet with Team/Survey, 4-7 a.m.


Volunteer training will be held at the BRAG Offices, 170 N Main, Logan.

To sign up to volunteer visit:

 https://braghomeless.wufoo.com/forms/bear-river-homeless-point-in-time-count-2015/

Holiday Wish List Spotlight: Cache Valley Volunteer Center

Holiday Wish List Spotlight:

Cache Valley Volunteer Center

Volunteers!
Bloggers
Social Media Specialists
Donations: Rewards and prizes

Nominations for Volunteer of the Month

Youth Service Leaders for the Youth Advisory Board

Eagle Scout Project Ideas. Post them HERE.

20-30 videoclips for the Super Service Challenge.

Families ready to volunteer in order to:

• Earn toys for needy children through the JoyMaker Project
• Earn up to $50,000 for local non-profits
• Get their finances in order
• Help clearing an elderly or disabled neighbor’s snowy sidewalk for our Citizen Assist program.
• Pledge volunteer service throughout the coming year
• Lend a click throughout the year to help our partner organizations win grants and cash awards.
• 

Global Goals Art Contest

The world is on the brink of something historic. In 2016, people in 193 countries begin working towards 17 GlobalGoals to achieve three extraordinary outcomes in the next 15 years: End Poverty, Promote Prosperity, and Protect the Planet.

With half the world's population now under age 25, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says young people will lead the way: "This is the largest generation of young people in history - and with this agenda, they can shape history. A child who is ten will come of age with the Sustainable Development Goals. I call today's youth the 'SDG generation.' Young people can mobilize the world. They can lead us to a better future."

With that in mind, Youth Service America (YSA) challenges youth ages 25 and under to participate in their Global Goals contest in three easy steps:

1. Think critically about the Sustainable Development Goals and how youth will take a leadership role.
2. Create an image (photo, drawing, painting, or graphic) that shows how youth will "lead us to a better future". Focus on ways that youth will take action ASAP (through Awareness, Service, Advocacy, and/or Philanthropy).
3. Submit your entry by January 20, 2016.

YSA will select winners to be recognized internationally. Each of the winners will also receive a gift card. Enter your image of a better future created by youth at www.YSA.org/globalgoals

Holiday Wish List Spotlight: Willow Park Zoo

Holiday Wish List Spotlight:

Willow Park Zoo

$ – Copy paper

Handi wipes

Elmer’s or tacky glue

Wiffle balls

Pet litter scoopers

$$ – Meat (chicken or beef)

hunting scents

Kong toys/balls

Rakes and loppers

Straw brooms

Realistic animal figures (Schliech)

$$$ – Lap top

outdoor extension cord

bubble machine

Natural fiber door mats