SHELBY, Ohio – Midway through its “Our Community, Our Time” campaign, United Way of Richland County has raised almost half the funds needed to reach its $1.6 million goal.
Campaign co-chair Marilyn John announced during United Way’s Mid-Campaign breakfast on Monday that the campaign thus far has raised $763,894. The mid-campaign total is $140,000 more than the midway point for the 2014 campaign.
John commended numerous organizations in Richland County who have contributed to the mid-campaign total, emphasizing the importance of working together towards a common goal.
“The buzzword has been collaboration,” she said. “Richland County is doing an amazing job at setting the example.”
The $1.6 million goal was announced during United Way’s campaign kickoff event in September. With the help of many pacesetter companies and other local entities, significant headway was made toward that goal with $464,459.83 already raised at the campaign’s outset.
One of the county’s best examples of collaboration is with The Ohio State University Mansfield Campus and North Central State College, who in addition to partnering with each other also have made significant contributions to United Way. The two colleges also sponsored the mid-campaign breakfast at the Kehoe Center in Shelby.
Dean Steve Gavazzi of OSU Mansfield stated the colleges are linked “arm-in-arm” in partnership for the community to provide better opportunities for students to live and work in Richland County.
“It starts with educational opportunities,” said Gavazzi. “United Way helps to increase those ties; you can’t ask the community for support unless you’re going to give back to the community.”
President Dory Diab of NCSC also praised United Way for identifying and solving community problems, again through collaboration.
“Our biggest asset is our people – they’re caring, they advocate for us, and they’re willing to give back and volunteer their time and energy,” said Diab. “To give is to receive – our rewards in life are in direct proportion to our services.”
United Way also shared several positive stories from the campaign trail during the breakfast. Kristie Massa, chair of the United Way marketing committee, shared progress on United Way’s increased social media presence. In addition, Liz Prather, United Way board president-elect, shared updates from the Big Red Bookshelf project.
Prather noted since the start of the Big Red Bookshelf project three years ago, thousands of books have been distributed to children in need throughout the county. This year’s Big Red Bookshelf campaign will begin at noon on Jan. 19 at the Richland Carrousel.
“One of our impact areas for United Way is education,” said Prather. “Success with literacy starts at a young age; the mere fact of having a book in the home makes a child more likely to graduate from high school.”
Jessica Gribben, vice president of Richland Young Professionals, also shared the success of the Young Professional’s “Yard Charge” project, where a number of volunteers helped clean up the yards of the elderly. Gribben noted the Yard Charge’s partnership with United Way and the Area Agency on Aging was yet another example of collaboration.
“We’re always looking for ways to collaborate with the community as part of our Richland Young Professionals goal,” she said.
United Way of Richland County funds more than 50 programs within 24 local, non-profit agencies. These programs focus on four community impact areas: health services, family services, emergency services and youth development.
“This community is continuing to improve at a more rapid pace because of collaboration, working together, and identifying common needs and focusing in to find solutions to those common needs,” said Dan Varn, executive director of United Way of Richland County. “United Way continues to want to be part of that and support that mission here in this county because at the end of the day, that will produce the best results for us.”
