The time is now!The new year, 2009, is just around the corner. Sunday is the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year, which heralds the beginning of winter. Just as we are feeling the bite of freezing temperatures through our winter layers, the United Way of Clallam County is feeling the bite of a nationwide, yes, even worldwide, financial disaster unlike anything we’ve seen in eight decades. The 2008 Clallam County United Way annual campaign is winding down. The campaign doesn’t officially close until March 31, 2009, which is the end of our fiscal year, but the active, public part of our campaign is almost at an end. The 2008 annual fund drive goal is $1 million. Last year we raised $973,125 and we still couldn’t meet all the increased needs and new requests from our partner agencies. To date, this year’s campaign has raised $792,000. As Executive Director Jody Moss states, “All the work of the many United Way campaign volunteers and loyal donors is making a difference but we’ve also heard bad news from some of our 27 partner agencies who are getting requests for help from more community members than ever before. And people who have never been unemployed are some of those seeking help. State and some local funds for health and human services have been severely reduced. And many fear it will get worse before it gets much better.” The city of Sequim has once again generously committed $50,000 to fund health and human services through the United Way. It needs to be very clear, however, that this funding is not part of the annual fundraising campaign. United Way has a contract with the city of Sequim, the city of Port Angeles and Clallam County to administer the distribution of these kinds of funds to health and human services agencies of their choosing. United Way acts as an advisor to these government entities and they rely on the United Way’s expertise to guide them. When the state of Washington releases its 2009 budget figures, we know we’ll see reduced funding to education and the environment and more than likely health and human services are on the chopping block as well. These cuts not only will affect the programs and services offered by our partner agencies to the needy but we’re talking employee cuts as well. This means jobs. When we think about these cuts it’s not just the poor, the needy, the homeless who are affected, it’s also working class folks who for the first time ever may be asking for help and these people, these jobs, are part of the economic fabric of our community. Our county, like all counties across Washington state, has areas of need for health and human services that cannot be met any other way than through the generosity of people like you and me. The needs not only are overwhelming, they are reaching a point of crisis. The challenge for every health and human service agency in our county this coming year will be to serve more people in need with less money, less personnel and less hope. Overall, private donations still make up the largest piece of the pie and that’s where we come into the picture. Who are we? We are the employed and the retired with some measure of financial security. Because even though our expenses have gone up too, we still can afford to make a donation. We can afford to reach out a hand to those in need in our own community, no matter how small the amount. The United Way of Clallam County has been raising money through its annual campaign for 56 years. In that time it has built a reputation of good management, fiscal responsibility and community commitment. Our local United Way does an excellent job of collaborating with local government in community partnerships, partnering with the agencies to build coalitions around community issues and creating nonprofit networking to achieve goals set by its donors and volunteers. There are 27 agencies under the umbrella of the United Way of Clallam County. Each one eagerly anticipates and works hard at maintaining the level of accountability needed to qualify for the dollars United Way raises for their organizations. The United Way is asking you to please give. If you haven’t yet or you are still undecided what you might do for charitable giving in 2008 or even in 2009, the United Way of Clallam County is still one of the best and most effective ways to give back to your community and be assured your donation is working right here at home. The time is now. Please give. Please.
For online giving go to www.unitedwayclallam.org If you would like to receive more information about the partner agencies or our local United Way, call Jody Moss, executive director, or Russ Bonham, resource development manager, at the United Way office, 457-3011.
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