At their annual meeting on Wednesday, March 13, the United Way of Marion County announced they hit their 2012 fundraising campaign goal. They also shared success stories of several programs over the past year and honored the Agency and Citizen of the Year.
Pam Stone, Executive Director of the Marion United Way, said they looked each year for one particular agency that consistently searches for ways to improve upon the services they provide to the community. With that in mind, Marion Area Counseling Center was named the Agency of the Year.
“Marion Area Counseling Center isn’t afraid to try new things and step up to meet a community need,” stated Stone. She shared that the agency implanted the Prime for Life program to help deter local kids from abusing alcohol and drugs, operate Signs of Suicide program helping to screen junior and senior high school students for signs of depression, and have (and continue to) expand permanent supportive housing specifically for persons with severe mental illness. They also continue to manage Contact Care-Line, Marion Area Housing Program, and the Victim Assistance Program.
Dr. James Barney, Marion City Schools Superintendent, was named the Citizen of the Year to honor him for his dedication of time and commitment to the community. Stone said that among the dozens of activities that Barney is involved in and contributes too, the one of the largest impacts has been the creation of Rushmore Academy.
Stone explained that after being hired as the City Schools superintendent, Barney recognized that some students were struggling in the normal classroom setting and needed another option. A program that started in the middle school was expanded to eventually become Rushmore Academy in 2010. The charter school, sponsored by the City Schools, has helped more than 260 students receive their high school diploma.
“This opportunity allows students, not just those struggling with being in the regular classroom, but those students with children, issues at home, job responsibilities, and many other obstacles to obtain their high school diploma when otherwise they would not have been able to do so,” stated Stone. “(Barney) can see issues that need to be addressed now in order for our students to become productive members of society and able to transition into work and job responsibilities.”
In accepting his award, Barney said, “Only one thing to say. I’m honored and deeply humbled.”
Stating that “Spring reminds us that things do change,” Stone shared some of the successes that the United Way has seen locally over the past year. Some of those included:
- Launch of the Born Learning Program, which helps new parents learn how to engage their children in learning from birth and increase their readiness for school;
- Helping those in need obtain birth certificates for their kids so they can start preschool;
- Launch of Project MORE at McKinley Elementary which had matched up 18 third graders with volunteers four times a week for help on reading. The program hopes to expand next year;
- The donation of 5,000 books through the Stuff the Bus campaign. Those books were then given to children throughout Marion County;
- The completion of the Marion Community Healthcare Center which handled 14,000 appointments and added 400 new patients in 2012.
Campaign Chair Scott Yancey shared the successes of the latest campaign and honored several for their outstanding work.
2012 Pacesetters
- Frontier Communications raised $2,325 as Verizon in 2008. This year they raised $30,000 due in part to tripling the number of employees giving.
- United Church Homes increased contributions be more than 70%.
- Nucor Steel used their company’s match of 50 cents for every dollar donated by employees to increase their fundraising. They now rank as the 3rd largest employee campaign in Marion.
Outstanding Organization Award
- Marion General Hospital is the United Way’s top employee campaign raising more than $100,000 this year.
- Sims Brothers collected more than $15,000 in pledges for the 5th time in the past six years. And that amount does not include donations from their sister companies.
- Marion Shelter Program employees increased their pledges by nearly 500% this year.
- General Mills continued to increase their contributions. Five years ago they raised nearly $15,000. Last year they raised more than $30,000. And this year they jumped to more than $45,000.
Creativity in Caring Award
- Peltier Chiropractic was honored for being a small staff that doesn’t let that fact stop them. New patients are given the opportunity to schedule a consultation for $25 that is then donated to a designated agency each quarter.
- United Federal Credit Union is the reigning champion three years running for the best decorated room at the annual Boo-Tacular event which raises funds for United Way.
To learn more about the United Way of Marion County and the programs they run and fund, you can visit www.unitedwaymarion.org.
About Marion Online News
