When we say the United Way of Union County is YOUR United Way, we mean
it! Local volunteers, representing you, are guiding our organization, making the policies, and allocating the money
that comes in from the local fundraising campaign. At the United Way’s Annual Meeting in March 2010, the new Board
of Trustees and a new Slate of Officers were elected.
Board Members Doug Hoy, President, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Luke Braun, Internal Revenue Service Jim Cox, Past President, McCarthy & Cox Paul Jaeb, Treasurer, Union Rural Electric Mike Rose, Assistant Treasurer, Union Rural Electric Joyce Garrard, Secretary, Union County Engineer's Office Denise Grow, Assistant Secretary, Memorial Hospital of Union County * Debbie Boer, Nationwide Derric Brown, Mannasmith Funeral Home Mary Ann Conley, Marysville Schools Mike Heifner, Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities * Betty Hoile, Honda of America, Mfg. * Sylvia Minshall-Dyer, Nestle Product Technology Center Sheriff Rocky Nelson, Union County Sheriff’s Office Donnie Parrott, Parrott Implement * Donald Piché, Veyance Technologies Ellen Pond, Huntington * Chuck Sattler, Select Sires * Mike Streng, Cannizzaro Bridges Jillisky & Streng Laurie Whittington, Memorial Hospital of Union County/Gables at Green Pastures
* denotes new Trustees
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my money when I give to United Way? Your investment stays right here
in our community helping our friends and neighbors in need. It doesn’t go off to New York or Washington D.C. or
even Columbus. It doesn’t go overseas or someplace where you’ll never see the impact. Most pledges are not designated
for a certain destination. Those dollars are allocated by United Way volunteers who spend hours visiting Member Agencies, evaluating their
effectiveness and efficiency. They sift through budget requests and make informed decisions in allocating United
Way dollars to the Member Agencies.
What happens when I make a designated gift? If you make your pledge to one of the four Impact Areas or to a Member Agency of the United Way of Union County 100% of your
money will go directly there. Maybe you grew up in another part of the state and want to benefit your hometown.
You can do that too, by designating to the United Way in that community. In these instances, United Way of Union
County keeps 10 percent of the pledge for fundraising and administrative costs—a standard amount agreed upon by
United Way of America members.
How do I know that I can trust the United Way of Union County? United Way continues to
meet all 20 Standards of Charitable Accountability established by the Better Business Bureau to maintain your trust
in our organization. In fact, United Way is listed as an Accredited Charity with the BBB. Click here to see our full Reliability Report.
I feel like I 'm being pressured to give to United Way. Giving is a personal choice. No one should be coerced
into giving. But if we don't ask, no one's going to give. The goal of the United Way is to educate our community
about the social services needs in Union County and to provide all with an opportunity to help.
I / we can’t afford to give to United Way. We are all feeling that there is less disposable income to give
to charity during these uncertain economic times. The people who feel it most are the health and human service
agencies. It’s a catch-22. There is less money being allocated to them, yet there are more people turning to them
for assistance. We must examine our own situation and make a choice. Through the United Way campaign, we have the
opportunity to spread our generosity throughout the entire year. By utilizing payroll deduction you can have a
small amount taken each pay period. For as little as $1 a week, your generosity can greatly impact the lives of
others.
I already give money to Church or another charity. Supporting your religious belief is important and reflects
your personal religious convictions and your desire to help other people. But consider giving to United Way as
a way to enhance your charitable portfolio. The benefits derived from our United Way gifts are vitally important
to our entire community, just as our religious contributions are to our Church community. We have a responsibility
in both areas.
I work for a living and pay my own way. I’m not going to use these services. Why should I support them?
Services funded by the United Way of Union County support all members of society either directly or indirectly,
regardless of economic status. The fewer people in need in our community makes our community a better place in
which to live. In addition, you never know when your life or that of a relative or friend will be touched by a
United Way Member Agency.
No one plans to get cancer. But if you or a loved one find yourself in that unfortunate situation, there will be
services such as the Union County Cancer Society and Loving Care Hospice for you to utilize. Odds are that you
probably know some folks who would benefit from your gift.
I don’t want to give because when I or someone I knew needed help, the United Way didn’t help at all. The
United Way will never turn down people seeking help, but it is not set up to provide direct services to individuals.
We refer people to our Member Agencies and funded partners, the experts in meeting the needs of the people. The
agencies themselves determine eligibility and amount of aid given to those in need, usually in terms of government
guidelines or established policies that prevent people from taking advantage of the system. The United Way raises
money for the programs and services that can help the most people possible. They are listed in our campaign brochure
and here on our website.
I read stories and hear ads about the United Way of Central Ohio that talk about different services than are
offered here. The United Way of Union County is independent and autonomous from all other United Ways, including
the United Way of Central Ohio, which is the new name for the United Way of Franklin County. They are operated
by a separate Board of Directors, and service the people of Columbus and Franklin County. Information you read
or hear about that United Way does not necessarily reflect the operations of this one. Confusion can occur because
news about the United Way of Central Ohio leaks into Union County through larger media outlets such as the Columbus
Dispatch and local TV stations. For accurate information about the United Way of Union County, look to local
media such as the Marysville Journal-Tribune, This Week Marysville, the Richwood Gazette,
and the Plain City Advocate. You can also browse this website or ask to be included on the mailing list
of our quarterly newsletter, The Contributor.
Does United Way of Union County fund abortion? NO! United Way of Union County does NOT fund abortions or
agencies that provide or support them.
United Way of Union County Financial Statement December 31, 2008
Prepared by Click here to view entire
document in .pdf form
Your Pledge to Us; Our Pledge to You
When you complete a United Way pledge form, your’re pledging to make a donation to our organization. But theUnited
Way is also making a pledge to you: to use your investment wisely to make the greatest possible impact in our community.
This is not a pledge taken lightly at the United Way of Union County. Much effort is made to live up to the highest
standards of charitable accountability.
1. Each year, the United Way of Union County must prove that it meets 13 requirements for
United Way of America membership along with verification of the status of 44 indicators that demonstrate it embodies
the intent of the membership requirements.
2. United Way remains the first and only Union County non-profit organization to meet the
new 20 standards of Charitable Accountability established by the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio. This allows
another set of independent eyes to oversee and validate the operations of our organization.
3. Each month, an independent CPA reviews our monthly financial statements and every year,
a different firm performs an audit of our organization. Our most recent audit is linked above.
4. In addition, United Way files the IRS tax form 990. Each of these documents is available
upon request for public review and inspection. Our most recent 990 can be accessed here.
To review our financial statements or audit, please call our office at (937) 644-8381.
United Way of Union County IRS Form 990:
Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (2008)
untitled
Why do YOU give?
United Way volunteers share their motivation during
National Volunteer Week
April 20, 2009
When we say our mission is to “Bring neighbors together
to improve lives in Union County,” we mean it! It’s local volunteers guiding our organization and working to make
our community a better place. In celebration of National Volunteer Week, we asked volunteers why they do what they
do. Their answers are revealing, heartfelt, and inspiring. And they demonstrate a true desire to serve others.
Here’s a sampling.
Mike Heifner, Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities
“Winston Churchill once said, ‘We make a living by what we get. We make a life
by what we give.’
When I read that quote many years ago, it certainly made an impression. My parents instilled the will of
volunteerism into my life as a child. In fact, they received a volunteerism award in their small town of
Shelby, Ohio about 10 years ago. This award is given to the one person or couple that made the largest impact
on the community through volunteerism. It remains as one of my proudest moments of my parents as I could
see the impact that they made in Shelby.
Mike Heifner (left) signs up to volunteer at a
United Way event. YOU can sign up to help in our community too. Click here (link to volunteer page) for a listing
of volunteer opportunities and contact info.
Why did I choose United Way of Union County? Well, it all started with a fax machine.
The occupants of 232 N. Main Street were talking at a planning meeting prior to our move into that building in
1996. At that meeting we discussed the possibility of sharing some equipment costs since we were going to
be in the same building. I expressed that we did not have fax capacity and Shari Marsh, United Way’s Executive
Director, stated that United Way had a machine that they would just give us. I thought it was an extremely
nice gesture and felt that I would like to give back to that group. And that was the start of it all.
I often refer to United Way as the ‘blue collar’ charitable organization in Union county. It is all about
‘Bringing neighbors together to improve lives.’ Everyone goes through some kind of tough times during their
lives. If one of the United Way agencies can help that person for a short period of time, it may very well
prevent that person from losing self-confidence and self–esteem. It may keep them from being homeless.
It may be just the ticket to give them HOPE! That is what it is all about.”
Joyce Garrard, Union County Engineer’s Office
Denise Grow and Joyce Garrard
“I have always enjoyed helping others. So when I was approached by Shari Marsh, several years
ago to serve on the United Way Board, I decided that I would take on this responsibility to be a part of an organization
that helps others right here in our community.
My respect for United Way of Union County has grown as I have volunteered with this organization over the years
because I have come to know how many lives are touched through the Member Agencies and I’ve seen the smiles on
the faces of many who are the recipients of United Way funding.
There is such a broad range of Member Agencies that offer help to Union County residents of all ages and it makes
me happy to know that I’ve been able to be part of an organization that will help brighten someone’s day and bring
a smile to their face!”
Denise Grow, Memorial Hospital of Union County
“It was some of the United Way of Union County agencies that drew me to help coordinate Memorial Hospital’s United
Way campaign. Their efforts were important to me and I wanted to be a part of keeping them here. Then came an
opportunity to serve on our local Board. It’s been a rewarding experience as I’ve served on several committees
with the United Way. These Union County agencies’ need for support is clear and I have had so much fun being a
part of Community Care Day, the School Supply Drive, the Winter Warm Up, the Balloon Rally, and collecting items
for the pantries. It gives me a wonderful feeling to help others and I’ve met so many new people. I am proud
to be a part of such a great organization.”
Jim Cox, McCarthy & Cox
United Way officers Doug Hoy, Jim Cox, and Mike
Rose
“I guess it starts with how I was raised. From a very early age it was instilled in me to be
active in my community. I was taught that everyone can make a difference and make their community better if they
just tried. But most people will only talk about how to improve their community. Too few actually do get involved.
I feel very fortunate. The people of Union County have been very good to me. I feel a strong need to give back.
Because time is limited for all of us and after looking at many different organizations, I felt that the one that
would allow me to make the biggest impact in our community was United Way.
The United Way of Union County serves so many different agencies and worthwhile causes. I actually feel like my
time and effort does make a difference and that I am improving the lives of my neighbors and community.”
Derric Brown and his family.
Derric Brown, Mannasmith Funeral Home
“I learned about volunteerism from my parents. It was never stressed or spoken
about, they just did it. They were active with church activities, our local ball association, and the Oakwood
Homecoming Committee and now they remain very active with the Oakwood Library.
There are two main beliefs I have regarding volunteering. The first is definitely ‘the more you give, the
more you get.’ My sacrifice of time for various groups has been repaid exponentially through new friendships,
a sense of community, and personal fulfillment. My other belief stems from my Catholic guilt: ‘Why shouldn't
I be the one volunteering; if not me then someone else would have to carry the burden.’ I also try to follow
the notion to never say, ‘It's not my job.’
I volunteer for the United Way because it is an efficient way to support a multitude of important and diverse agencies
serving Union County.”
Laurie Whittington, Memorial Hospital of Union County / Gables at Green
Pastures
“I Volunteer with United Way to invest in our future community and to make today’s community a better place to
live and to make a positive difference in the life and businesses of others. I want to give back to the community
that has given so much to me. Volunteering allows me to see our community from a different perspective, and I enjoy
using my abilities to help others. Without volunteering, I may not have had the opportunity to interact or expose
myself to diversities in my community.
I am motivated by seeing first-hand, positive social changes in our community and the direct results from my personal
efforts. Making the world a better place begins with you and me.”
Luke Braun
Luke Braun, CPA
“I chose to give my time to the United Way originally so I could impact other charitable organizations.
I started on the Budget & Allocations Committee because I enjoyed the aspect of deciding how money
is split between agencies. I was making a real difference.
Very little of my motivation is altruistic. It feels good to contribute my talent and time to a worthwhile
cause. At the same time I am able to connect with other members of the community.
This is one of the biggest reasons I stay involved with the United Way. Socializing and interacting
with people during various events and meetings makes my time spent with the United Way well worthwhile!”
Brian O’Kane, Siemens
Brian O'Kane.
“For me it was the way I was raised. Growing up, I saw my parents and other
adult relatives doing volunteer work on many levels. I saw the contributions they were able to make in
their communities, and the resulting personal growth and satisfaction that it brought. I was taught that
if I have the ability to help someone or have something of benefit to offer, then I have the responsibility
to contribute where possible. Along those same lines, I have been very fortunate to have a strong support
system around me throughout my life. Everyone else is not that fortunate. That is really what
the United Way and its Member Agencies do: they provide support and assistance as needed. We provide a helping
hand.
I started with the United of Union County when I saw an ad for volunteer opportunities. I have stayed because
of the quality of the people involved in the organization, the results achieved by the United Way of Union County
family, and the sense of satisfaction and growth that it provides internally. The United Way of Union County makes
the county, and me, better.
Doug Hoy, Scotts Miracle-Gro
“Before moving to Marysville, I spent the better part of four years living in a northeast Ohio community, but not
being part of it. I was disconnected…disengaged. I was waiting for things to be different, for that sense of belonging
to kick in without any real effort on my own. It doesn’t work that way, though. To truly be a part of a community,
you have to throw yourself into it. No dallying in the shallow end.
Marysville is my dive off the high board and into the deep end. I committed myself upon relocating here to becoming
as much a part of Union County as I could. To discover how “community” is more than a noun, it’s a verb. It’s action.
It’s doing. It’s serving. It’s being the hands and feet He calls us to be.
It began in earnest with my church and was quickly followed by an urge to connect with the United Way. Why? Simple…results,
and lots of them. The United Way has the ability – and the track record – of helping so many families and individuals
on so many different levels every day: basic needs, education, essential services, and more. You see its impact
all throughout Union County. Its influence in a county this closely knit is inescapable. It’s a tremendous feeling
to be part of such change, of lives turning around, of problems being overcome, hopelessness replaced by hope,
and to be doing so in a spirit of fellowship with other volunteers in the ‘deep end; who get it, too. And serving
on the Board of Trustees allows me to demonstrate that it’s more than a passion and calling; it’s a responsibility.
I’ve given money. I’ve given my time. But becoming a part of this community through the path of the United Way
of Union County allows me to truly give my hands.”
Paul Jaeb and wife Becky
Paul Jaeb, Union Rural Electric
“I very much enjoy it! I feel that I personally have been very blessed in this life. In many ways this feeling
is tied to being right here. United way gives me an opportunity to lend my talents and time for the benefit of
our local community. It gives me the feeling of giving back something. And I know where the benefactors of my efforts
are – right here in this community where my friends and family live. And I have found in these tough economic times,
these folks who volunteer don’t give up – they dig in and work even harder because we all see and feel the needs
our agencies growing.
United Way has given me the opportunity to meet so many good people and many more good friends. And this means
volunteers and our Member Agencies. The opportunities to get involved in so many different types of United Way
activities gives me many choices to get out and meet all the other volunteers and people behind the scenes. I had
no idea there were so many people involved and giving of their time and talents. And now that I know so many of
them, I call them friends and we really can help to make a difference in somebody’s life. That is a huge opportunity.
And it all began when a friend asked me to be a volunteer.”
Sheriff Rocky Nelson, Union County Sheriff’s Office
“First of all, my family and I are not wealthy by any means, but we are more fortunate than
others. United Way of Union County helps so many people that are down on their luck, that need a hand through
a tough time, or that simply don’t have anybody to help them or care for them, such as our seasoned citizens.
I have always placed a lot of emphasis, before becoming Sheriff and afterwards, to look after our very young and
our elderly. I suppose that is why you see me on two committees that have a mission to help both groups – Community
Care Day and Youth, Arts, and Recreation. It also feels very good to stand next to other caring individuals of
our community who also care a great deal for the citizens of Union County. Together we can and do make a
difference.”
Ellen Pond, Huntington
“I volunteer with United Way primarily due to the agencies supported and the impact the
agencies have on the lives in Union County. Improving lives in Union County is a daily focus in the United Way
Office, from the annual campaign drive, fairly allocating to member agencies, coordinating Community Care Day and
many other events throughout the year.
Volunteering through United Way definitely gives any volunteer the sense of satisfaction knowing they played a
part in giving back to their community.”
For more information about the United Way of Union
County, please eMail Shari Marsh or Dave
Bezusko or call at (937) 644-8381.
United Way of Union County, Inc. 232 N. Main St., Suite UW,
P.O. Box 145, Marysville, Ohio 43040-0145
Phone 937.644.8381 Toll-free 1.877.644.8381
