| 417 Pregnant and parenting teens have received education to ensure their
babies have healthy development. |
| 191 Individuals and families in financial crisis received the education needed
to recover from financial difficulties. |
| 290 Runaway and homeless youth received emergency shelter and counseling to reunite them with their families. |
"Being a man or a woman is a matter of birth. Being a man or a woman who makes a difference is a matter of choice."
Byron Garrett
|
|
Today's challenges can become tomorrow's opportunities, depending on how we respond to them.
Preparing for Economic Hardship
The media are reporting estimates of more than 9,000 people
facing job losses this summer, and the Montgomery County Department of
Job and Family Services has reported prior job losses of more than
12,000 people over the prior five years. The combined effect will be well over 20,000 local jobs permanently lost from 2000 through 2006.
Some
of these friends, neighbors and relatives may be able to take advantage
of the new jobs and opportunities in our community. Many others may
not, unless they have services and support from agencies and programs
because the practical and emotional barriers can seem overwhelming.
I'm
happy to report that your local United Way is working to ensure a
safety net is in place as many of these individuals and their families
may need to seek help. Beyond the funding of ongoing agency programs,
the volunteers recently set aside $186,050 to meet emerging and/or emergency needs related to the major economic transition affecting the region. This fund will allow United Way to respond quickly to an increase in need.
United
Way Partner Agencies have already seen the effects of the challenging
economy. Agency staffs have reported an increase in people seeking
counseling and help with basic needs such as food or rent assistance. A
home health care agency has noticed an increased number of their
elderly clients' families, including grown children and grandchildren,
moving back into their homes to try to make ends meet. These cramped
living conditions have unfortunately triggered an increase in domestic
violence. And, alarmingly, even calls to the local suicide hotline are
up.
Supporting the Network
On
a more encouraging note, the successful 2005 campaign translated into
increased funding for the local network of health and human services in
Montgomery, Greene and Preble Counties. The campaign was up $150,000
over 2004. With the continued emphasis on reducing overhead and
maximizing dollars to services, the Board of Directors passed on a
slightly larger increase to support programs provided by United Way
Partner Agencies in the following priority areas:
- Children, Youth and Families: $3,000,671 will support programs that strengthen families and help children and youth succeed.
- Positive Living for Vulnerable Populations:
$1,125,829 will fund services that enhance the quality of life for the
elderly and persons with disabilities or chronic health conditions.
- Community Capacity:
$1,610,652 will go towards programs that strengthen the overall local
health and human service network or target specific emerging needs such
as Disaster Preparedness, HelpLink 2-1-1, The Foodbank, and the
Hispanic Family Advocacy Project.
In total, $5,737,152 was distributed by United Way volunteers to 95 programs at 45 agencies.
In
addition to the $5.7 million allocated through the volunteer funding
panels, $2,997,579 was directed by individual donors to more than 500
nonprofit organizations providing a health or human service in the
Miami Valley. Also, $110,000 will support community initiatives so that
United Way can work on long-term solutions to needs - from preventing
home foreclosures and homelessness to helping youth succeed in school
today and in the jobs of tomorrow. In total, $8,877,731 from the
campaign will directly support services.
Engaging the Community
Many of the people who soon may need help have been long-time United Way contributors.
It will be imperative in the 2006 Campaign that we attract new
contributors to sustain the network of services and help our community
survive and eventually thrive. We need bold leaders to spread the world and get involved. That's
why we're asking you, as a stakeholder, to be engaged and help engage
others in working together on behalf of our community and giving
through your United Way.
With sincere thanks,
Marc R. Levy
President
|
|
|
Did You Know?
Lend Your Voice
Share Your Strength
Get Help