The Lowndes County United Way is off and running on its 2010 campaign after giving volunteers a chance to see how important their contributions are Thursday.
The annual Day to Care coincided with the United Way”s campaign kickoff. The communitywide fundraising campaign will run through the Thanksgiving holiday.
Day to Care placed nearly 200 volunteers at United Way-supported agencies and homes throughout the county for a few hours Thursday morning.
“We blended the two events because there”s such an impact for people new to the United Way to go out and see where funds are used in the community,” said Jan Ballard, director of United Way of Lowndes County.
The campaign is off to a good start as the Pacesetter Campaign, a preliminary fundraising campaign among area businesses intended to kick-start the big campaign, raised $176,000 toward the overall goal of $600,000.
But there”s still a long way to go, and the United Way will have help from a few new businesses while striving for its goal. Severstal, Baldor, Golden Triangle Mill Service and smaller companies like On Time Taxi Service have all signed on.
By the numbers
Ballard also reported the Lowndes County United Way services administered through June 2009:
- Dial A Bus has traveled more than 17,000 miles to provide 2,847 trips for elderly and disabled residents to medical and health related appointments that include chemotherapy and dialysis.
- Home Delivered Meals has delivered 3,930 nutritious meals to homebound residents in Lowndes County.
- Helpings Hands has assisted 61 families and individuals with rent and mortgages, 58 with utilities, 20 with medical and dental and six with automobile fuel.
- The Salvation Army has provided prescription assistance to 39 residents and food to 1,435 individuals and families.
- Hundreds of Lowndes County youth have participated in Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, 4-H Clubs, the Boys and Girls Club and Columbus Air Force Base Youth Center activities.
- More than 300 men and women have received academic assistance to improve their employability in classes provided by Greater Columbus Learning Center.
- Year-around, local disaster relief agencies like the Tenn-Tom Chapter of the American Red Cross prepare to provide disaster relief should severe weather strike Lowndes County again.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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