United Way able to avoid budget cuts to Member Agencies
Where donor dollars from the 2003 campaign are headed

For Immediate Release
February 3, 2004


The United Way of Union County made no funding cuts to its Member Agencies this year despite the fact that the local organization did not reach its campaign goal for 2003. Allocations that maintain the 2003 level of funding to the United Way’s 23 Member Agencies were recently approved by the Board of Trustees.

The 2003 campaign goal was $750,000. To date, $626,120.85 has been collected in pledges with the projected final outcome for the campaign totaling around $700,000. That is near the 2002 campaign result of $702,000, but short of meeting the funding requests of all 23 Member Agencies. The United Way of Union County isn’t alone. 77 of the 93 United Way’s located throughout Ohio have not met their 2003 campaign goals.

"In light of the fact that other United Way’s have had to go through the process to reduce agencies from their 2003 levels of funding, I think that we’re in good shape," said
Shari Marsh, Executive Director of the United Way of Union County. "Our agencies should still be able to provide quality services to meet the needs of people in our community."

27% of the money raised to date has been designated by United Way investors to a specific agency or cause. 100% of that money goes directly there. Then a dedicated group of local volunteers comprising the B&A Committee steps in to divide the rest, working hard to find a solution to the agencies’ funding requests.

The 2004 United Way of Union County Allocations:
Member Agency

Requested Support

2004 United Way Support

American Red Cross

$106,930.00

$106,930.00

Big Brothers Big Sisters

$35,000.00

$26,000.00

Boy Scouts

$10,000.00

$9,362.00

Child Assault Prevention Project

$25,000.00

$25,000.00

Child Care Network

$30,000.00

$30,000.00

Community Services Association

$600.00

$600.00

Consolidated Care

$44,487.00

$44,487.00

Girl Scouts

$8,000.00

$8,000.00

Legal Aid Society

$7,200.00

$6,300.00

Loving Care Hospice

$25,000.00

$20,000.00

Marysville Victory Center

$12,000.00

$12,000.00

Memorial Meals

$35,000.00

$30,000.00

Mental Health Association

$15,000.00

$10,000.00

Pleasant Valley Seniors

$11,000.00

$10,310.00

Richwood Civic Center

$42,000.00

$39,930.00

Speech, Language & Hearing

$14,000.00

$10,250.00

Turning Point

$20,000.00

$20,000.00

Union County Cancer Society

$35,000.00

$30,000.00

Union County Family YMCA

$40,000.00

$26,000.00

Union County Personal Needs Pantry

$28,500.00

$20,000.00

Union County Special Needs Council

$34,000.00

$34,000.00

Windsor & Community Seniors

$7,913.40

$6,594.50

Wings Enrichment Center

$15,000.00

$11,000.00


Total

$601,630.40

$536,763.50



Designated by donors to United Way’s Youth Arts & Recreation Grant Fund

$2,819.85

Designated by donors for United Way to support Housing Assistance Programs

$213.30

Designated by donors to United Way’s outside of Union County

$34,907.31


As part of its commitment to improve the quality of life in Union County, the United Way funds additional programs and services as needs arise throughout the year above and beyond the 23 Member Agencies. In 2003, the United Way also used investor dollars to help fund the following through one-time grants:
Additional 2003 Funded Partners

2003 United Way Support

City of Marysville Pool

$5,000.00

Elite FC, Inc. Soccer

$500.00

Fairbanks Elementary PTO

$496.23

Friends of the Marysville Public Library

$450.00

Marion Shelter Program

$4,500.00

Marysville Junior Baseball/Softball

$1,270.00

Marysville Victory Center

$12,000.00

The Salvation Army Housing Assistance Program

$11,500.00

Union County Military Family Support Group

$1,000.00

Union County Summer Youth Program

$1,764.00

Village of Plain City Pool

$1,500.00


Total

$39,980.23


The United Way of Union County’s 2004 operating budget has been established at $137,337.99. In 2003, only 15% of the money raised during the 2002 campaign went to cover the United Way’s administrative costs. A non-profit organization meets one of the new charitable accountability standards of the Better Business Bureau if 35% of the money raised goes toward administrative costs.

For more information about agency allocations, please call the United Way at (937) 644-8381.