United Way of Central Virginia 2018 Campaign Kickoff
- Shannon Kelly
- Sep 21, 2018
- 2 min read
Shannon Kelly | Altavista Journal News Correspondent
On September 11, 2018, United Way of Central Virginia (UWCV) continued their campaign kickoff with a stop in Campbell County at Hyland Heights Baptist Church. United Way of Central Virginia is part of the global non-profit United Way organization and targets bettering peoples’ lives in four critical focus areas: health, education, income, and basic human needs.
United Way of Central Virginia held kickoff events in each county in the region. Different partner agencies set up booths at each different event. “So many people see us as just being in Lynchburg, and we really service all of Central Virginia,” explains Joan Phelps, Director of Community Impact. “It’s a way to let people see United Way’s presence in [all] the counties.”
At Hyland Heights for Campbell County’s kickoff location, the YWCA, Virginia Legal Aid Society, Altavista Habitat for Humanity, and the Big Brothers, Big Sisters programs were represented. The YWCA offers services such as domestic violence prevention programs, sexual assault response program, town center housing program which provides housing for low income single women, and racial justice programming, among other things. Virginia Legal Aid Society provides legal assistance in civil cases, free of charge to qualifying clients. The Altavista branch of Habitat for Humanity carries on Habitat’s mission in the Altavista area, providing human services and especially housing for needy people. The Big Brothers and Sisters program for Campbell County allows children to be paired with mentors – big “brothers” and “sisters” – to help them as they grow. “Gus the Learning Bus” also made an appearance. The former passenger bus was converted into a mobile learning center for children ranging from infants to pre-school, and travels to two different communities in Campbell County offering educational opportunities to kids and families in need.
United Way team members spoke to the small audience about their mission, past accomplishments, and future goals. “[A] study recognized that there’s a group that’s actually above poverty, and yet still can’t make ends meet,” explains Bill Varner, President and CEO of UWCV. “And when you combine that with the group in poverty, in all of Central Virginia it’s just about half of the population. It’s a little bit less in Campbell County, but that’s still 40, 45% of the community that’s really in a very vulnerable position…” “In 2017 we supported 26 agencies and 38 programs [in Central Virginia]. We provided services to 60,500 individuals and raised a total of $2.1 million,” says Olivia Beavon, marketing and communications coordinator for UWCV. Nearly 12,000 of those individuals served annually are Campbell County residents, Varner adds. “In 2018, we hope to raise $2.2 million which would allow for more funds to be allocated to our 26 partner agencies and their 38 programs,” Beavon continues. “We also hope to continue to be a resource to people in need as well as be a resource for key leaders in the community on the community’s needs.”
As a non-profit, United Way operates almost exclusively on a volunteer basis. Anyone interested in volunteering or making financial donations to make a difference in their community may visit United Way of Central Virginia’s website to find more information.
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