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September
2006
Hope
and opportunity are what your local United
Way and the campaign are all about. Hope
and opportunity are what our community needs
right now.
Last
year the United Way Partner Agencies that received program funding
through the volunteer-directed Community Solutions Fund served 214,867
local children and adults in need. Taking into account all the Partner
Agencies in the network, the figure would be exponentially larger.
It is safe to state that easily one out of every three people in
Montgomery ,
Greene and Preble Counties
are touched by United
Way each year. Most
clients need more than one service so the numbers do contain some
duplication. Yet, that fact also makes a case for the importance
of the United Way
because the network helps ensure that the full spectrum of needs
is addressed while the root cause is tackled.
Unfortunately,
all signs point to even more of our neighbors needing help this
year. The response to our foreclosure prevention initiative is just
one indication. Since the awareness program was launched at the
first of the year, HelpLink 2-1-1
made referrals for
992 requests for foreclosure assistance and 92 for mortgage assistance.
The
reality is that we must, as a caring community, provide services
to those families who for the first time in their lives will need
help. Meanwhile we cannot forget about our future and our youth.
The
solution to the challenges we face as our community weathers the
current economic transition won't come from the state or federal
government. United Way has stepped up. You have stepped up. Now
we need more individuals and companies to help raise $11.8 million
through the 2006 Campaign to sustain the vital network of services.
Fortunately, as a community, we have faced serious economic challenges
before and came out strong. Our community can survive and thrive,
but we can't do it alone.
Intervention
and Prevention
Your
United Way works everyday
to alleviate immediate problems and to address the root causes behind
them. While our region is in the midst of a major economic transition,
now is the time to get upstream of the challenges. We have a lot
of talent in this region working to shape a promising future. I
believe if we keep in mind that economic development is intrinsically
linked to human development, we will succeed.
It
is through both addressing the immediate pressing needs and working
to prevent problems at the source that United Way creates hope and
opportunity for the hundreds of thousands of local people helped
each year through your generosity.
Why
United Way?
As
a United Way Stakeholder, you have shown your support by sharing
either your valuable time or treasure or both. If asked why you
support United Way
, how would you respond?
Here
are a few points you can make to help champion your United
Way .
•
Economies of scale: The
annual campaign lowers overhead costs and allows more agency resources
to be directed to programs.
•
Accountability: United
Way's volunteers focus on local priorities and ensure quality services.
•
Value of a network: United
Way works to bring our community together to address critical needs,
to increase effectiveness and eliminate duplication, and to help
fill the gap between needs and resources.
•
Results: United
Way enhances local economic conditions by improving human conditions.
Your
United Way wants to ensure that everyone in our community – all
children, families, and elderly have hope and opportunity. Now is
time to step up personally and to inspire others to respond. There
is hope and opportunity in your generosity that makes it possible
for so many of our neighbors to get the help they need. There is
hope and opportunity in the services the Partner Agencies provide
and the difference they make. There is hope and opportunity in working
together. Help us as a caring community spread hope and opportunity.
With
sincere thanks,
Marc
R. Levy
President
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