By Sandra Rossi

The United Way of Western Crawford County is currently in the middle of its annual campaign to raise much needed funds for local programs and services that assist individuals and families in western Crawford County all year.

Although the United Way has conducted its campaign each year since 1925, there are still many questions asked each year about who we are and what we do. I hope to answer some of those questions now.

United Way is a local, private, non-profit organization meeting local needs. United Way has served the western Crawford County community for more than 84 years as directed by local volunteer leaders. With the downturn in our economy, providing services is harder than ever, while the demand continues to grow. When people face difficult times, the agencies, programs and services are needed more than ever.

The money raised during the campaign is allocated to programs and services in the categories of health and healing, strengthening families, nurturing children and meeting basic human needs. The need for funding will always exceed the available funds. In view of this, United Way has the responsibility to direct its resources to areas of critical need while supporting the community as a whole.

Volunteers, representing all segments of the community, govern United Way through its board of directors and committees. Volunteers plan and conduct the annual fundraising campaign, study local human service needs and review agency programs and services in order to allocate contributions in a fair and effective manner. The members of the United Way board and committees are dedicated citizens, many of them with years of experience in serving the community. United Way staff is small in number, just two.

United Way has long been recognized as one of the most efficient and economical of all charitable organizations. One campaign each year for many agencies, carried out by volunteers, eliminates the expense of separate campaigns and saves time for both the contributor and the agencies. A large percentage of the contributions are given through payroll deductions at the workplace. The rest comes from grants, corporations, businesses and individuals. United Way’s cost is 10.9 percent for fundraising and 4.75 percent for administration. The remaining funds go directly to services for people and support for our local programs and services. And since we are local, most of the fundraising and administrative monies are spent right here in western Crawford County.

Although United Way is most visible in the community during the fall campaign, it is at work all year around: receiving requests for funding from agencies, evaluating programs, recruiting and training volunteers, making allocation decisions, keeping itself informed of government actions and trends related to human services, and providing information and referral through our Human Services Directory and directing people to the programs and services that most fit their needs.

Over the years, United Way has been instrumental in identifying the most pressing local needs and developing services to meet the needs of the community and in working with other local groups to ensure those services exist, i.e., Soup Kitchen, Food Pantry system, Forest Green Child Care Center, Meadville Area Free Clinic, Crawford Heritage Foundation, Make A Difference Day and French Creek Valley Community Improvement Center (FCVCIC, a volunteer center to meet critical needs) to name a few. And not only is United Way at work year-round but, more important, the programs and services of the agencies are at work all year long.

Agency services are geared toward helping people. One person out of three directly benefits from United Way-supported programs and services — family counseling, emergency assistance, youth mentoring and character development, disaster assistance, housing, health care, child care, etc. A need or crisis can affect anyone at any time. With United Way funds, agencies provide many services that do not carry the eligibility restrictions that government programs do and thus can serve more individuals and families that may not qualify for government supported programs.

How much should I give?

Many people ask what would be a “fair” donation. Several guidelines are: one hour’s pay per month, one-half of 1 percent of annual income; or, for the leadership giving level, $1,000 or more or 1.5 percent of annual income. Payroll deduction, where available, makes giving easy and convenient. If you prefer to make a pledge, you will be billed for payment on a regular basis. Other ways to contribute include: gifts of stock, memorials, endowments or bequests and other special purpose contributions. All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. United Way has always viewed the amount a company or person is willing to pledge is a personal and individual matter. Our donor lists are never sold or disclosed.

Limited designations are honored. All we ask is that it is at least $50, with United Way supported programs and services given first consideration. Our goal is to raise funds for programs that have a proven track record in western Crawford County and have met all reporting guidelines and standards as required by law. Due to changes in recent laws, United Way must also have on file a “Patriot Act Compliance” form before any funds and/or designations can be forwarded.

During the recent time of the budget impasse, several of our local agencies relied on their United Way funds to keep their doors open and to continue providing services to those most in need as they wait for the funds to be released from the state. This is a critical time for our community. Helping families stay in their homes, keeping their utilities on, providing counseling services so families can cope and providing quality activities for our youth are all vital to maintaining a healthy community. Your support is critical. Please give when contacted by one of our volunteers.