United Way Announces $750,000 Goal

 

“We need more leadership. More companies, more people,” says United Way of Wapello County President and CEO, Desiree Johnson.

 

Ottumwa (9/16/13) - Simple actions like parents reading to their children every night help our community reach bold goals, but what simple actions ensure financial education is available to the public or increase the quality of local child care centers?

 

“This is a very generous community of giving. It will take bold leadership by businesses and simple actions by individuals to achieve results that create opportunities for a better life for all,” Johnson said.

 

“This year, we are looking beyond simply raising funds,” Johnson said. “Engaging more people as donors, advocates and volunteers will help get the word out about the great work United Way’s strategic initiatives and agency partners are doing in Wapello County.

 

The goal is $170,000 over last year’s goal of $580,000 and $183,000 over last year’s $566,557 result.

 

“This will be a tremendous achievement in a difficult economy,” said Johnson. “This year the United Way Board of Directors looked back at 2009 when the community invested almost $700,000 even in tough economic times and adjusted that amount to include inflation and current cost of living to arrive at the $750,000 community giving campaign goal.” The United Way Board believes this is a realistic goal due to current economic conditions and forecasts from corporate partners.

 

Everyone deserves opportunities to have a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health.

 

That’s why United Way’s work is focused on the building blocks for a good life:

•      Education – Helping Children and Youth Achieve Their Potential

•      Income – Promoting Financial Stability and Independence

•      Health – Improving People’s Health

 

Advancing the common good is less about helping one person at a time and more about changing systems to help all of us. We are all connected and interdependent. We all win when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable, when people are healthy.

 

United Way’s goal is to create long-lasting changes by addressing the underlying causes of these problems. Living united means being a part of the change. It takes everyone in the community working together to create a brighter future.

 

United Way has been addressing community needs in Wapello County for over48 years. We know that every donation matters and everyone can help their friends, neighbors and colleagues by giving. Some of our most pressing needs are:

 

·         25% of our children do not have enough nutritionally balanced food to eat.

·         In Ottumwa, only 81% of students graduate high school

·         Only 68% of third graders are proficient in reading

·         Only 15.5% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher

·         Almost 18% or Wapello County residents live below the Federal Poverty Level

·         The medium household income in Wapello County is $10,000 below the state average.

 

Through United Way, contributions will support the building blocks of better lives and stronger communities:

•      A quality education that leads to a stable job;

•      Enough income to support a family through retirement; and

•      Good health.

Be part of the change. Please make a tax deductible contribution and keep this movement going. Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED.