United Way of Midland County’s community campaign will be continuing into November. They are encouraged by the outpouring of support thus far and are reporting pledges totaling $3,907,453 raised, which represents 83% of the overall campaign goal of $4.7 million.
“We could not be more thankful for how the community is showing up to offer help and hope,” said Holly Miller, President & CEO of United Way of Midland County. “The needs are greater than ever and many people are asking for help for the first time. We are inspired by the results to date and know that many organizations are running their campaigns later than usual. Continuing our campaign into November allows them to inspire their teams to invest their time, talents and even a portion of their paycheck.”
Miller added that several long-standing United Way partners have just launched or will be launching their workplace campaigns, including: Members First Credit Union, The Great Lakes Loons, Savant, and many others.
While workplace campaigns are still underway, local businesses are making exciting announcements of their own. DuPont added a raffle to their mix of campaign incentives, offering their team members a chance to win a vacation. Trinseo is encouraging their team to show off their arts & crafts skills by hosting a fall decorating contest.
“I’m so encouraged by the way our local corporations and businesses show their support,” shared United Way’s Corporate Relationship Manager, Katie Bell Pearce. “They have so much fun and come up with the most creative ways to get their teams involved in the campaign. We are so grateful for their commitment to our community.”
Many other organizations like Valley Electric, Everett Carpet, and Northwood University have all wrapped up their campaigns this week and have shown promising results. Valley Electric had their most successful campaign to date, raising over $8,000. Others, like DCECU, Huntington and Horizons Bank are wrapping up in the coming weeks.
“One thing that brings me so much joy when talking with our local businesses is how invested they are in learning about the programs United Way supports,” continued Pearce. “Sharing our process for how their dollars are allocated and the incredible work our partner agencies do is very inspiring to our supporters and helps them to better understand how their gift makes a big impact, especially for our most vulnerable neighbors.”
United Way measures success in how lives are changed, and they do not do this work alone. They partner with 25 dedicated nonprofits and invest in quality programs that show measurable outcomes every year. Together, they create new solutions to old problems and join with people from all walks of life to put those solutions into action.
United Way listens, asks questions and analyzes data to ensure that top issues are aligned with the most pressing needs. Dollars are invested in programs in the areas of Youth Success, Health and Household Stability because change is bigger than a single organization or program.
“You may not realize that volunteers determine how the community’s investment will be allocated,” shared Miller. “Each year our volunteer panels devote nearly 30 hours reviewing applications, looking at outcomes, posing questions and hearing from our partners. Based on what they learn, these volunteers make funding recommendations to the United Way board.”
This process ensures that there is a high level of accountability and demonstrates the impactful ways that lives are being changed by the community’s investment.
The campaign will be continuing into November, so you can still make a difference.
“Your gift matters,” said Kali Cochran, Director of Investor Relations at United Way of Midland County. “It matters to a lot of people. To our neighbors, our colleagues, and our community. It’s not too late to give back and change a life.”
