July 2008
With all the dour and distressing news that seems to dominate the daily news, I thought a positive news item needed celebrating. In fact, it's the opposite news than one would expect given today's economic climate...that is if you take people's heart out of the equation.
I am referring to the fact that in the face of job related challenges, rising fuel and food prices, concerns about economic well being, and a whole range of family and employment stressors, our Lorain community looked beyond those needs and responded generously to our United Way call to help their less fortunate neighbors and others whom they most likely will never know. The response exceeded our 2.75 million dollar goal by a $100,000 and enabled our community volunteers and Board to just award financial resources to 51 quality human service programs for the July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009 funding period.
Such generosity speaks to a community that both cares and shares United Way's understanding that under everything we are, under everything we do, we are all people. Connected. Interdependent. And that when we reach out a hand to one person, we influence the condition of all because, as a community, we live united. Such is the meaning of the "united" in our agency's name. It has been since 1887 when a Denver priest, two ministers, and a rabbi recognized that reality and the need for cooperative action to address their city's problems. The quartet put their heads together to plan the first "united campaign" for ten health and welfare agencies and established a system to distribute the $21,700 they collected to agencies providing care for the most critical needs.
Those same themes-- a community based, volunteer driven, collaborative effort directed at addressing issues which most impact people and communities-- mirror well today's United Way efforts, especially in how Lorain County community's generosity will be touching lives and bettering the community in the 3 areas identified by citizens as most critical. They are the ones on which our Lorain County United Way focuses support.
I am referring to the fact that in the face of job related challenges, rising fuel and food prices, concerns about economic well being, and a whole range of family and employment stressors, our Lorain community looked beyond those needs and responded generously to our United Way call to help their less fortunate neighbors and others whom they most likely will never know. The response exceeded our 2.75 million dollar goal by a $100,000 and enabled our community volunteers and Board to just award financial resources to 51 quality human service programs for the July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009 funding period.
Such generosity speaks to a community that both cares and shares United Way's understanding that under everything we are, under everything we do, we are all people. Connected. Interdependent. And that when we reach out a hand to one person, we influence the condition of all because, as a community, we live united. Such is the meaning of the "united" in our agency's name. It has been since 1887 when a Denver priest, two ministers, and a rabbi recognized that reality and the need for cooperative action to address their city's problems. The quartet put their heads together to plan the first "united campaign" for ten health and welfare agencies and established a system to distribute the $21,700 they collected to agencies providing care for the most critical needs.
Those same themes-- a community based, volunteer driven, collaborative effort directed at addressing issues which most impact people and communities-- mirror well today's United Way efforts, especially in how Lorain County community's generosity will be touching lives and bettering the community in the 3 areas identified by citizens as most critical. They are the ones on which our Lorain County United Way focuses support.
- Caring for Basic Needs: the $ 764,798 in support that will be distributed in the coming year to the 17 agencies, which United Way volunteers evaluated as best providers of care in this crucial area, will enable individuals and families to have adequate food, and daily subsistence, access to safe and affordable shelter, and crisis, emergency, and disaster assistance.
- Nurturing Children and Youth: the $369,192 that will be distributed to 22 county agencies will provide much needed and quality youth programming that emphasizes early childhood intervention; provides violence intervention services, outcome based youth development and leadership activity; and that promotes life skill training and character building education.
- Strengthening Families: the $471,897 that will be distributed to 12 quality county programs will offer family interventions and stabilization; employment and life skills which will enable people to lead independent, productive, and meaningful lives. Funded programs will provide nutritious meals for seniors; parent education to prevent child abuse and neglect; access to substance abuse treatment and counseling; Then, too, these will promote positive peer influences for youth family members while teaching program participants to take ownership of their personal lives.
Added to that support will be the $426,993 in donor designations and $5,000 in student directed funding that will go to individual agencies selected by donors. And so that anyone looking for service information or referral assistance can get help by speaking to a qualified and knowledgeable person, United Way provides $73,000 for its around the clock, 2-1-1 Information & Referral program.
I call all that really good news…especially, for individuals and families who will be served by programs in the coming year. Their numbers are projected to increase 15-20%, making the generosity shown by our Lorain County community all the more important.
It is a spirit of generosity, of being connected, of being one community in which to take pride.
