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United Way Kicks Off
Community-Wide Campaign
Monday, September 9th
marked the start of the annual Darke County United Way Campaign
Kick-off. The goal is $360,000 this year, but United Way is hoping
to bring in $400,000, and the board of directors at United Way
encourages individuals and businesses to get involved in the
campaign. The Darke County United Way serves 27 non-profit programs
in the county. Last year, between these programs, over 24,000
residents were served in Darke County. That was an increase of over
5,000 residents from the year before. Your gift makes a difference!!
The United Way welcomed 115 people for lunch to learn more about the
United Way. Lauren Henry, Executive Director, thanked the Whirlpool
Corporation and KitchenAid® Experience for sponsoring the day and
for continuing to be the largest employee campaign in the county,
making up 1/3 of the community’s campaign. Wayne Deschambeau,
President of Wayne HealthCare, was honored and celebrated as the
chairperson for last year’s campaign which exceeded goal bringing
in pledges of $368,589 or 102% of goal. Jean Young, President of
Family Health, was welcomed as the 2014 campaign chair and she spoke
of community and the healthcare needs among Darke County residents
and how we can help those who are struggling.
United Way also
welcomed Sharon Fellers, Director of Grace Resurrection Community
Center. Sharon shared the work of GRCC including their food pantry,
soup kitchen, clothing bank, medical support, and children’s
nutrition backpack program for those children who need a meal over
the weekend. The United Way is a partner with GRCC and provides help
for the food pantry to help fight hunger in our community. Sharon
shared a very nice testimony from a client who has worked all her
life, is a single mom and has three children. She never had to ask
for help before, but was laid off before Christmas. GRCC and the
United Way were there for this mom, helping with food, clothing and
gifts for her children at Christmas. United Way is about community. It
is this county’s fundraising campaign. Donations stay in Darke
County to lend a hand to those who need a little hope. This campaign
would not exist without such a caring community. It may be your
loved one, a neighbor or yourself in need. You are to thank for a
successful campaign, and you make the difference in the life of
others.
Mailings will be going
out and brochures will be around the county if you would like to
donate. We have three wonderful mailing sponsors helping us with
this effort this year including Law Offices of Scott D Rudnick,
Romer’s Catering, and State of the Heart Hospice. If you are
interested in learning more about Darke County United Way or donating
please feel free to send donations to Darke County United Way at PO
Box 716, Greenville, OH 45331 or visit the website to donate and
learn more at darkecountyunitedway.org.
The luncheon
celebrated our community as well as the United Way programs including
Education programs - connecting the leaders of tomorrow: Big
Brothers/Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke Co, Boys & Girls
Club
of Greenville, Council on Rural Services (CORS) Gateway Youth
Programs & ACES (Achievement Center for Educational Success),
Darke County 4-H, Miami Valley Boy Scouts, Dolly Parton Imagination
Library, & Stuff a Bus; our Stability Programs - putting the
pieces back together: American Red Cross - Darke County Chapter,
Community Action Partnership (CAP) Emergency Homeless Shelter &
Supportive Housing, Community Unity, Darke County YMCA Financial
Assistance, FAME (Financial Assistance for Medical Emergencies), FISH
Choice Pantry, Grace Resurrection Community Center, Bridge the Gap;
and our Health Programs - building wellness throughout the community:
Cancer Association of Darke County, Catholic Social Services -
Counseling Services, CAP Medical & General Transportation for
Seniors, Community Services for Deaf, CORS-RSVP, HandsOn Programs,
Rehabilitation Center for Neurological Development, SafeHaven, Inc.,
State of the Heart Hospice Bereavement programs, and Familywize
Prescription Drug Discount Program.
Darke County United
Way is working to strengthen health, education and stability for
residents in need. The Stuff A Bus program this year brought in
close to 7,000 school supplies for students in the county. How do
you make a difference and Live United for Darke County? Give: You
will be a part of helping 3,142 youth in the county. You can help
provide 633 meals to children who do not have food over the weekend
during the school year. You can help 32 families during fires seek
safe shelter and rebuild. You can help us provide over 14,000 food
distributions, so Darke County residents can fight hunger. You can
help us provide over 23,000 miles for seniors for medical and general
transportation. Imagine
your child coming home from school and not having a meal for the
weekend. Imagine
needing transportation to a cancer treatment, but not having a family
member or friend to take you. Imagine
having a 6 month old baby, and having to stay in a garage during the
winter, trying to find safe shelter. You can make the difference in
these individuals’ lives. These are all situations that we have
faced for clients this year in our office at United Way.
The board of directors
and staff of Darke County United Way thank the community for this
continued support and helping us make
the 2013-2014 Darke County
United Way campaign a success! Join us Friday, September 20th
for Runway & Rhythm at Montage featuring music by Frohna
&
Warner. Call the United Way office at 547-1272 for your tickets!
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