Thursday January 26, 2012
United Way of Union County will issue a record-level of community support to its funded partners in 2012. The Board of Trustees approved $679,843 in allocations at its January meeting.
In all, 44 programs of 31 local agencies will receive United Way funds, including seven area pantries, four senior centers, two shelters, two programs for prescription medication, a program for rent and utility assistance, hospice care, cancer support, youth activities, and more.
The announcement comes on the heels of a record-setting fall campaign that exceeded goal and raised nearly $920,000. Dave Gleeson, a United Way Board Member and Chair of United Way’s Community Investment Committee that recommends funding levels, said he appreciates every donor who gave this fall because he knows that times are tough.
“The need is continuing to increase throughout all areas of the community,” he said. “It’s getting more and more difficult for people who contribute too, because their employers are being stretched. Many haven’t received raises in years. If they have, it goes to pay their own rising bills. They have to spend more on their health benefits. It’s a little harder for them to give even though they know the need is there.”
The Salvation Army is United Way’s top-funded partner, receiving $110,000 in all. The need for affordable housing was cited as the top need in Union County by a recently completed Community Needs Assessment in the fall. As such, $72,000 will be used for the highly successful Homeless Prevention Program, which provides rent and utility assistance for families with eviction notices. Because of high use and funding cuts from other sources, the program was practically shut down for the last quarter of 2011. An additional $26,000 will be spent on a Rapid Re-Housing Program for Homeless Families that covers move-in costs for people who have already lost their homes.
“We wouldn’t be able to do either of these programs if we didn’t have United Way funding,” said Beth Fetzer-Rice, The Salvation Army’s Director of Social Services. “We receive government funds for the two housing programs. But the local funds we get from United Way are critical for the local match amounts we’re required to obtain to be eligible to receive the state grants. United Way’s investment is showing the commitment that this community has for the programs. It tells us we’re meeting a priority that’s been established. We feel that we’re meeting a critical need.”
The Salvation Army will also be receiving $12,000 to help start a new food pantry. Organizers say it will not compete with existing pantries, rather compliment them by being open and available on days when the others are closed.
“We’re trying to extend the coverage, not duplicate it,” said Fetzer-Rice. “By adding it to the services we already provide, we’re hoping to add coverage to Union County so that residents have access to food multiple days of the week. It’s very central and core to what The Salvation Army does to meet the basic needs.”
The Disaster Services of the American Red Cross will receive $32,000. The Union County Chapter responds to families who suffer a house fire and also prepares wide-spread community response for floods or other natural disasters. Overall, American Red Cross will receive $51,000. Consolidated Care will receive $48,000, $30,000 of which will go to operating the North Star Center, Richwood’s after-school youth center. The Memorial Meals program at Memorial Hospital will receive $37,500 for its trio of food service programs, including $22,000 for Mobile Meals, which uses volunteer drivers to deliver in-home meals to homebound senior citizens.
Even though United Way exceeded its $900,000 campaign goal by $20,000 this fall, funding requests exceeded available dollars by $102,120. 17 of United Way’s 44 funded programs will receive what was requested. 16 programs will receive more funding in 2012 than they did in 2011. 13 will receive less. This month’s allocations end a five-month process by which the 22 volunteers on United Way’s Community Investment Committee determined how to best spend donor dollars.
“Because of the number of applications received and the need expressed, it is impossible to fund all of them at the level of request,” said Holly Zweizig, a first-year volunteer. “It is important for the Committee to be equitable, but more importantly, professional in handling the funds that have been given so generously.”
“First we must determine the difference between the needs and wants of the agencies,” explained Dave Irish, another first-year volunteer. “This is where the experience of the group pays off. Then the hard part begins in trying to allocate the monies. There are only so many dollars to go around. Each program is rated on a priority ranging from immediate and critical programs to life enhancement programs. The immediate and critical programs received more weight in deciding the funding. No system is perfect and I wish we could have given everyone everything that they needed.”
United Way reduced its own fundraising and administrative budget by $17,000 from last year. For 2012, it stands at $142,153.43. An additional $45,000 has been allocated to “Pledge Loss” in anticipation that 5% of the money pledged by donors during the fall campaign will not actually be paid in 2012.
United Way has been working to bring neighbors and resources together to improve lives in Union County since 1958. More than just a fundraiser, United Way collaborates with local businesses, government, and non-profit organizations to solve pressing social service issues large and small.
For a complete line-by-line breakdown of United Way’s 2012 allocations, please view the attached PDF file, or visit www.unitedwayofunioncounty.org.
For more information, please contact Shari Marsh, United Way’s Executive Director, at (937) 644-8381.
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