United Way offers prescription for immediate savings
The United Way and FamilyWize discount prescription card program has saved people living and working in the Greater Augusta area more than $1 million on prescription medicines.
“No one should be forced to choose between paying for food, rent or medicine because of the high cost of prescriptions. That’s why we’ve partnered with FamilyWize to distribute free prescription discount cards to everyone in Augusta County”, said Cynthia Pritchard, executive director of the United Way of Greater Augusta.
Distributed through United Ways, the FamilyWize card lowers the cost of medicine by an average of 30 percent or more for people without insurance or who take medications not covered by their plan. Continue reading “United Way offers prescription for immediate savings” »
United Way to launch Volunteer Centers
The United Way of Greater Augusta will launch its Volunteer 2012 initiative at area Senior Centers on Friday. The Volunteer Center is an online center approved by the Virginia Office of Volunteerism and Community Service to serve our region.
Over the next 12 months, the UWGA Volunteer 2012 initiative is to Give 20 hours, Volunteer 20 times, and Impact 20 lives. The launch will be the first program associated with the initiative as the United Way of Greater Augusta partners with Senior Centers in hopes to engage active adults and retirees with opportunities in volunteerism. Continue reading “United Way to launch Volunteer Centers” »
United Way of Greater Augusta’s Volunteer Center Launch at local Senior Centers
United Way of Greater Augusta will launch their Volunteer 2012 initiative at area Senior Centers on Friday, Jan. 20. The Volunteer Center is an online center approved by the Virginia Office of Volunteerism and Community Service to serve our region.
Over the next 12 months, the UWGA Volunteer 2012 initiative is to Give 20 Hours, Volunteer 20 Times, and Impact 20 Lives. The launch will be the first program associated with the initiative as the United Way of Greater Augusta partners with Senior Centers in hopes to engage active adults and retirees with opportunities in volunteerism. Continue reading “United Way of Greater Augusta’s Volunteer Center Launch at local Senior Centers” »
United Way awards additional $40K in grants
The Board of Directors of the United Way of Greater Augusta is very aware of the needs in the community. With the reduction of almost 70 percent in FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Funding to the region and the increased demand for housing and utility assistance, it was important for the United Way to respond.
The United Way of Greater Augusta exceeded its $600,000 campaign goal for 2010-2011 due to the outpouring of donations from the community, but the need to the community is also growing exponentially. One of the most vital needs is in basic necessities; such as shelter and heat for the upcoming winter. There are also those individuals from the Beverly Hotel still trying to obtain permanent housing.
The Board of Directors awarded the Staunton Salvation Army $25,250, a portion which is specifically earmarked for the displaced Beverly Hotel residents, and $15,250 to the Waynesboro Salvation Army. This money is for new clients that are for the first time struggling to keep a roof over the families heads this year.
Judy Burtner, chairman of the Board, stated, “If we are to be true to our mission, to serve as a catalyst to improve the lives of people in our community, then we must respond when the community needs us to.”
Lt John Blevins, Salvation Army Waynesboro, stated: “We can really use the additional funds and we can put it to good use for many families who will be in need this winter.”
Maj. Samuel Hearne, Salvation Army Staunton, stated: “”This will give us the resources to get those from the Beverly settled in long-term living situations.”
Cynthia Pritchard, executive director of the United Way, said: “The reduction in FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter program for our region hit our area hard and the United Way wanted to make sure that people could be taken care of this winter.”
The United Way of Greater Augusta is currently in the midst of its 2012-2013 campaign, and the trend is looking positive for them to achieve their $700,000 campaign goal. The United Way is grateful to donors in the community who can see the needs and donate to the programs and service the United Way supports.
Local organizations give back $1.8M in 2011
It began a little over a year ago at a lunch meeting, when the four largest grant makers in the community decided to create a common grant application. “Our community is a fairly small one,” explained Christiana Shields, director of nonprofit services for the Community Foundation. “Many of our local nonprofits apply for funding from more than agency. In the past, each of the four funders had separate requirements and guidelines. Applying for grant funding is already a challenging task, and we wanted to make the process easier.”
A few months and many collaborative edits later – the task was done. In 2011, for the first time, a common grant application was available for all nonprofit organizations that wanted to apply for funding from the Community Foundation, United Way, Augusta Health Foundation, and CAPSAW.
The group continued to meet and collaborate, and when the competitive community grant process was finished for the year, they were delighted to discover they had distributed almost $1 million dollars in funding.
Then, they realized an even larger truth. “If we include our internal programs, like the United Way’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Stuff the Bus, our numbers are even greater,” noted Cynthia Pritchard, Executive Director for the United Way of Greater Augusta.
The funders realized that when they took into account all their gift programs, in 2011:
- Augusta Health Foundation distributed $230,000
- CAPSAW contributed almost $200,000
- United Way gave close to $650,000
The Community Foundation, when including awards, scholarships, and designated funds, distributed about $800,000
“It’s a pretty amazing total,” Anna Leavitt, CAPSAW Coordinator observed, “$1.8 million can impact a lot of lives.”
The common grant application for 2012 is due to be released in the next few weeks, and the four foundations continue to work together. Enhanced collaboration is the focus of the future for funders and nonprofits alike.
“All of us want to impact lives, solve problems, and improve futures,” says Becky Kohler, CEO of the Community Foundation. “We are more determined than ever to bring our community partners together to find innovative and effective solutions to some of our most challenging issues.”
United Way to mark campaign kickoff on Sunday
The United Way of Greater Augusta will be holding its Corporate Cup and Campaign Kick Off in Ridgeview Park in Waynesboro on Sunday from 1-6:30 p.m.
The day’s events will include the 5k fun run/walk, free bingo with prizes, basketball shoot-out, corn hole throw, tennis, golf chipping contest, community partner fair and many more great activities.
The day will also be featuring a host of exciting and fun kids’ activities including a bouncy house, face painting, RC car exhibition, and many more.
The day will conclude with a Sept. 11th memorial tribute presented by the Stonewall Jackson Council Boy Scouts and the United Way campaign kick-off and awards ceremony.
Log on to www.unitedwayga.org/corporatecup for more information and to register for select events.
United Way receives Rotary grant for library
United Way of Greater Augusta announces collaboration between United Way and the Rotary Club of Staunton for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library from the District Rotary #7570 in the amount of $3,000, which will be matched by the Staunton Rotary Foundation with an additional $3,000.
The funding will cover an addition of 200 children to the Imagination Library, a preschool literacy program targeting local families. The program seeks to ensure that each child entering school has an equal chance of becoming a successful student, by providing free books in the mail starting at the earliest age possible.
“In a recently completed Community Assessment through our Smart Beginnings coalition, a need to support early literacy with our youngest children was identified. One way of addressing that need is to increase families’ accessibility to high quality, child engaging literature. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library fills this need,” said Stacie Jackson of Infant & Toddler Connection of Staunton-Waynesboro. “It is a joy to visit a family after their first book has arrived and celebrate with them the thrill of owning their own book which for many, is the first time!”
The Anne E. Casey Foundation and Harvard University recently released reports stating that, to counter low literacy levels, children need to have high quality learning opportunities. This process needs to begin at birth and continue in school and during out-of-school time, including summers, in order to sustain learning gains and not lose ground.
United Way Stuff the Bus effort is success
The United Way of Greater Augusta $27,099.31 in school supplies from shoppers at the Staunton and Waynesboro Wal-Marts last weekend.
This is double from the year before and exceeded the goal of collecting $25,000 in school supplies this year.
United Way volunteers will be at the Augusta County Fair this week to try to add to this year’s totals.
United Way plans Stuff the Bus event
United Way of Greater Augusta will be holding its annual ‘Stuff the Bus’ at the Staunton and Waynesboro Wal-Marts’ during tax free weekend – August 5th, 6th and 7th.
Throughout the weekend, volunteers will be collecting donated school supplies and backpacks for students in Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta Co. schools. Donations can be dropped off all weekend long at Wal-Mart. In addition to donations, United Way of Greater Augusta is in need of volunteers to help us collect school supplies.
United Way of Greater Augusta has partnered with Wal-Mart, UPS, Q101, 105.1 BOB Rocks, 96.1 Lite FM, WHSV 3, and The Salvation Army to present Stuff the Bus and Tools for School.
Each year the United Way of Greater Augusta makes it their mission to collect as many school supplies as possible to supply to all the surrounding schools with. Stuff the Bus helps provide all children with the right tools they need to learn. This annual event is planned to give kids a jump-start on getting ready for school and will help level the playing field for even our most impoverished children and their families.
The United Way of Greater Augusta is also inviting the public and private sectors to join in by coordinating a back-to-school drive at your work place during the month of July. All school supplies collected must be delivered to the United Way of Greater Augusta office no later than August 4th.
The impact of working together to serve our children can touch a life and make a difference
For more information or to volunteer please contact United Way of Greater Augusta at 540-885-1229 or email shasta.dooms@unitedway.org.
United Way announces grant funding for 2011-2012
The United Way of Greater Augusta on Monday announced its grant funding to local programs and services for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
| Organization |
Program: Area of Focus
|
Funding Amount
|
|
American Red Cross
|
Disaster-Health
|
$ 10,000
|
|
Augusta Free Clinic
|
Dental-Health
|
$ 20,000
|
|
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
|
Mentoring-Education
|
$ 10,000
|
|
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
|
Backpack-Income
|
$ 10,000
|
|
Blue Ridge Legal Services
|
Legal-Income
|
$ 22,500
|
|
CASA
|
Advocating-Health
|
$ 5,000
|
|
Community Child Care Center
|
Scholarship-Education
|
$ 30,000
|
|
Crossroads Brain and Injury Resource
|
Case management-Health
|
$ 4,500
|
|
Daily Living Center
|
Scholarship-Health
|
$ 25, 000
|
|
Family Resource and Referral (Quality Child Care Intuitive)
|
Training-Education
|
$ 1,783
|
|
Family Resource and Referral (Project Star)
|
Home visits-Education
|
$ 4,200
|
|
LEARN
|
Tutoring-Education
|
$ 3, 549
|
|
Mental Health America Association
|
Awareness-Health
|
$ 5,000
|
|
Shenandoah Community on behalf of the Office on Youth
|
Parent Education-Education
|
$ 16,700
|
|
Shenandoah Community on behalf of the Office on Youth
|
Teen Pregnancy Prevention-Education
|
$ 18, 500
|
|
Rebuilding Together
|
Building Materials-Income
|
$ 12,000
|
|
Salvation Army
|
Financial Assistance-Income
|
$ 15, 000
|
|
Staunton Y-Summer Camp
|
Day Camp for Youth-Income
|
$ 12,000
|
|
Staunton Y-Teen Center
|
Teen Center-Education
|
$3,000
|
|
The Arc of Augusta
|
Scholarship-Health
|
$ 16,000
|
|
Valley Children’s
|
Reduce Trauma Abused Children-Health
|
$ 18,000
|
|
Valley Hope Counseling
|
Counseling-Health
|
$ 35,000
|
|
Vector
|
Transportation-Income
|
$ 28,000
|
|
WALT-Waynesboro Area Learning Tree
|
Training-Income
|
$ 5,000
|
|
Waynesboro Y water
|
Scholarship-Health
|
$ 7,500
|
|
Waynesboro Y land
|
Scholarship-Health
|
$ 7.500
|
United Way crosses campaign finish line
The United Way of Greater Augusta has met its 2010-2011 campaign goal of $600,000 – raising $603,000 for partner agencies in the coming fiscal year.
The campaign relies on the giving of both local corporations and individuals. Because of these generous donations, allocations and awards to various non-profits and charities are made possible. The non-profits go through a rigorous application and evaluation process in order to ensure that donors’ money is being awarded wisely.
The United Way staff and board are celebrating the end of this very successful campaign year with an awards ceremony on Thursday, April 7 at Barren Ridge Vineyards. The corporations and individuals who made up this year’s campaign will be recognized and then there will be a DJ and dancing. Food and drink are being provided and it’s looking to be a fun evening.
If you would like to make a donation or want further information, access the United Way online at www.unitedwayga.org.
Emergency food, shelter funds available
Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro will be awarded federal funds under the Phase 29 Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.
The selection was made by the National Board and is chaired by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Jewish Federations of North America, The Salvation Army and the United Way. The Local board is charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter program in high-need areas around the country.
The Local Board made up of American Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way, Valley Mission and multiple Religious and community leaders will determine how funds awarded to Augusta, Staunton and Waynesboro are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by the local social service agencies in the area. The Local Board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these fund and any additional funds under this phase of the program.
Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must:
- Be private voluntary non-profits or unties of government
- Be eligible to receive federal funds
- Have an accounting system
- Practice non discrimination
- Have demonstrated the capacity to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs
- If they are private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board.
Qualifying agencies are urged to apply. Augusta, Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro has distributed funds previously with The Salvation Army and the Verona Food Pantry participating, These agencies were responsible for providing 2,685 meals and 117 nights of lodging.
Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program Funds must contact:
- Cynthia Pritchard
- United Way of Greater Augusts
- 1020 Jefferson Highway,
- Staunton, VA 24401
- phone: 540.885-1229, 540.943.1215
- e-mail: cynthiapritchard@unitedway.org
The deadline for applications to be received is Friday, March 25, by 4 p.m.
