April 13, 2020
Susan Makowski, Owner and President of Community Consultants Orlando, is a member of the United Against Poverty Orlando Advisory Board and Chair of the Advocacy Committee. Susan holds a Master of Business Administration and has more than 25 years of experience in both the private and public sector, and is adept at navigating through the red tape of local government. She is using that experience to spearhead the advocacy efforts of UP Orlando, and we are very excited by her work in helping us move the needle on poverty!
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April 13, 2020
“Through the Success Training Employment Program, I have gained much more confidence than I started with. I learned a great deal about emotional intelligence and how to manage myself, my emotions, and my relationships with others. The daily themed morning motivations have been helpful in boosting my self-confidence. Through the discussions, I learned skills that I could apply in personal life situations, as well as in professional/work settings. I refreshed my computer skills. I revamped my resume. I gained valuable practice, interviewing with actual employers. The Retail Learning Institute trainings equipped me with workplace skills I never had before. I...
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April 13, 2020
The Success Training Employment Program (STEP) cohort 25 graduated on March 6, 2020. These 15 adult learners mark a significant milestone for UP Orlando as we celebrate 4 years of STEP. These last 4 years, we have shared in the journey with 239 graduates. We are grateful for cohort 25 for sharing their stories, hopes, and goals with us and we look forward to walking alongside them and celebrating as they reach success.
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Coretta Scott King, author, activist and wife to Martin Luther King Jr., believed that “the greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” There is so much greatness happening right here in Central Florida! All of us at United Against Poverty are fortunate enough to experience it every day in ways big and small, ordinary and obscure. Below are just a few highlights from the past two weeks. Westgate Resorts and Westgate Resorts Foundation, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways. Ten gallons of milk, eight boxes of muffns, thirty...
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April 13, 2020
Our hearts go out to all those affected by the Coronavirus. All of us at United Against Poverty would like to express our concern, love and support to those who have experienced illness or loss of a loved one due to COVID-19. Even though our everyday lives have changed significantly during these past few weeks, the human spirit has shown great resilience through remarkable acts of compassion towards others. We extend our deepest gratitude to all those who have united to serve the greater good during this unprecedented time. Thanks to the support of the community, United Against Poverty (UP)...
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April 02, 2020
United Against Poverty is thrilled to announce the appointment of our new CEO, Gwendolyn D. Butson. Gwen comes to us with 15 years of non-profit experience. She has worked with The Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries in key executive positions and has a love for helping people. She has extensive executive management experience and holds a Masters in Business Administration. Gwen’s demonstrated compassion is accompanied by her keen interest in the areas of strategy, accountability and succession planning, the hallmarks of an effective CEO. Her passion for the non-profit industry is evident in her dedication to the employees, the participants,...
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July 25, 2019
This year, thousands of high school students poured in from all over the country to attend the week-long LIFE 2019 Conference, held by the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Included in the experience is the opportunity for large groups to volunteer at various nonprofit organizations throughout Central Florida. UP Orlando was lucky enough to be one of those service project sites! From July 10-July 13, a different team of 75 amazing high school students showed up everyday ready to work. That means a total of 300 volunteers served at our campus! Volunteers worked hard in our Member Share Grocery Program and...
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July 25, 2019
Brenda, STEP Class 12 graduate, has been living in Orlando most of her life. Her passions include writing and psychology. She is very intrigued by psychology, because she loves to study people and rationalize why people are the way they are. STEP has taught her interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, and she feels more confident than ever! After STEP, Brenda wishes to find a permanent job where she will be happy.
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July 25, 2019
With STEP students, volunteers, donors, partners members, and staff walking through our building everyday, our carpets take a lot of abuse. This is why we’re so grateful for our newest corporate partner Stanley Steemer! Last week, Stanley Steemer, owned and operated by Mark and Connie Gellner in Apopka, cleaned the carpet in our 2,0000 sq. ft. STEP Classroom free of charge. The carpet looks brand new just in time for STEP graduation on August 1 and a new STEP class starting later in the month. Thank you, Stanley Steemer!
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July 24, 2019
by Kyanna Johnson, Executive Intern, UCF College of Undergraduate Studies As the CEO of Adept Leadership, Paul DePalma continues to show his impressive leadership skills as the Chairman of the Board of Directors at UP Orlando. Previously serving as the Chairman of the Organizational Leadership Committee, DePalma has remained committed to our cause since 2015. Having trained numerous companies and organizations about restructuring and re-developing leadership skills, DePalma has made his mark in the Orlando community. Wanting to get involved in his community, DePalma began volunteering with UP after visiting the campus with Eric Gray, Executive Director who describes DePalma...
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