How to LIVE UNITED

Last Wednesday evening, the doors to our office remained open after hours for a very special event. Several dozen community members dropped by to put their own personal stamp on the new LIVE UNITED message from United Way. (In deference to our board chair Keith Trent, I must now clarify that the word is LIVE as in "live a long life," not LIVE as in "a live performance.") Between shots of young and not-so-young, all shapes, sizes and hues donned in the basic white t with black letters spelling LIVE UNITED across the front, this message came to life before our eyes.

When vice president Nancy Anderson saw the new LIVE UNITED messaging at a recent conference, she reacted immediately. She practically burst into my office with the materials. YES! They've got it! In two words the messaging gurus at McCann Erickson NY (the top advertising firm in the country that provided the work pro bono) summed up not only the vision of an organization called United Way, but the vision of a country called United States; a vision we too often forget.

United Way of America describes LIVE UNITED as an experience, so it was fitting that we launched our local effort to put the message in front of people with an experience. We invited lots and lots of people to "come as you are" to pose for us. It's amazing how people's personalities, playfulness and just plain goodness came through while wearing the same basic t. I have to credit photographer Dale Pickett for his ability to make people comfortable in front of the camera, but that doesn't diminish the credit I have to give to each person who participated.

The LIVE UNITED campaign is meant to emphasize the basic fact that underneath everything we are, underneath everything we do, we are all people. Connected, interdependent, united. And when we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all. Every one of the people who posed for us and then enjoyed a dinner of pizza around out conference table understands that message. They were invited because they are people who LIVE UNITED every day.

Sure LIVE UNITED is bigger than one organization. That's the point. The vision of United Way is external. It's people, it's communities, it's us. Added to our two-word message are three other words: GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

These are also not specific to our organization, or to our community. It's up to us to provide the specifics, which are the things you read about in this space most of the time.

I can't imagine that this message would ever not be timely, but it seems that we need it now more than ever. This simple message actually took about three years to develop, following up on an understanding that what United Way is really about is advancing the common good, not so much by helping one person at a time as about changing systems to help everyone attain the basic things necessary for a good life.

LIVE UNITED, then, becomes the call to each one of us to be part of the change. It is specific: GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. It is local and it is beyond our neighborhood, town, county, state, country. It is about the idea that we are all connected and while each of us makes a difference, together we change the world.

It is what we've always known, but sometimes need reminding. It is also about the thing that brought me to this organization more than two decades ago: working with others, making a difference, having a good life.

Look for the messages soon, but don't wait until then to LIVE UNITED.