UNITED WAY OF MONROE COUNTY CELEBRATES REACHING $500,000 RAISED TO DATE IN ANNUAL CAMPAIGN 

 

United Way of Monroe County is releasing the first update on progress in its annual community campaign, “Change Begins with You. Are You In?” As of November 21, $505,465 has been donated to support programs which ensure that families in our community have opportunities and everyone can meet basic living needs.

 

Last year, the annual giving campaign in Monroe, Owen, and Greene counties exceeded $1.2m in donations from thousands of individual and corporate donors. United Way leadership, including Campaign Chair Jim Sims and Executive Director Efrat Feferman, hope to exceed that total this year.

 

“Too many individuals and families in our community are facing challenges making ends meet,” Sims noted. “Interrelated to financial stability are homelessness, mental health, substance use, and other issues on the rise. The more generous we are this season, the more we can offer a hand up to those who need help in the year to come.” 

 

The annual campaign, which launched in September, runs through February. With many workplaces currently engaging employees in efforts to support the campaign, United Way leadership is hopeful that the momentum continues throughout the weeks to come, targeting a benchmark of $750,000 by Giving Tuesday. Weekly updates will be released to the media and shared on monroeunitedway.org.

 

The community is encouraged to consider donating online, via phone, in person, or through a participating workplace. “One in five in our community are living in poverty, while an additional one in three households teeter right above it yet do not qualify for federal programs,” Feferman noted. “This is our chance to give back as we are able. Our friends and neighbors in need are counting on us.”

 

Total Dollars Raised: $505,465

 

Change Makers

 

A very special thank you to these, and other, workplaces in our community whose employees come together in support of United Way:

 

• Community-minded IU Credit Union employees donated $19,902, in addition to a corporate gift of $20,000, for a total of $39,902 supporting local families on the edge of poverty. 

 

• Andy Mohr Honda team members are giving more to their community with contributions of $1,404. 

 

• Dedicated employees at member agency Community Kitchen cooked up $1,953 to help local people stay safe and healthy.

 

 

Want to get your workplace involved with making a positive change in our community alongside United Way? Contact United Way at sherrie (at) monroeunitedway.org