July 14, 2011 — The Greenwich United Way Board of Directors has approved nearly $2,000,000 in distributions for programs in 2011-2012 to help meet the health and
human service needs of the Greenwich community. According to Greenwich United Way President Stuart Adelberg, this commitment represents the largest piece of the total
funds that will be invested locally as a result of contributions made through the Greenwich United Way's 2011-2012 community-wide fund-raising campaign that begins later
this summer.
Included in this distribution are two new community partners: CT Legal Services and Neighbor to Neighbor. Neighbor to Neighbor provides food, clothing and other items
to lower income residents in need of assistance. CT Legal Services provides free legal assistance throughout the state of Connecticut, including services over the past
year to 150 Greenwich households. According to Adelberg, "Though we all certainly wish that it wasn't necessary, I am so proud that the United Way is able to step up and
respond to the difficult and increasing challenges confronting local families, by helping those who are struggling with these basic human needs."
In committing this slight increase of funds in the midst of an uncertain economy, the Board continued the organization's long tradition of generosity, even in troubled
financial environments. United Way Board Chair, Lori Jackson noted "We have just ended another challenging fundraising year, and once again we have been reassured by the response of United Way contributors. As we continue to operate during difficult times, we recognize that local agencies and those they serve need our help even more than they have in the past."
The $1.99 million in this first distribution will be invested in 26 organizations to provide specific services available to the Greenwich community. Funding levels for these particular programs were determined by twenty-five volunteers serving on the Community Investment Committee. They spent months reviewing proposals from local agencies, visiting program sites and deliberating on the most compelling requests and effective uses for Greenwich United Way funds. They were guided by documentation of local needs as published in the 2011 United Way's Assessment of Human Service Needs and State of Greenwich Statistical Report that was released in January. It is available at www.unitedway-greenwich.org.
The Community Investment Committee's funding recommendations were presented to the Greenwich United Way Board for approval by Committee Chair and Board member, Sandy Herman who reported: "Our volunteers fulfilled a difficult responsibility of weighing each program and analyzing its contribution to the entire system of services to best address pressing community needs. While all program funding requests were justifiable, the group remained focused on effectively addressing our community's most critical needs and I am confident that decisions were based on sound judgment."
DISTRIBUTIONS BY FIELD OF SERVICE
The Board approved the recommended distribution of $778,595 for programs in the service field Strengthening Children and Families. Local agencies that provide services in this category include the Boys and Girls Club, Child Guidance Center, Family Centers, the Girl Scouts, Liberation Programs, the Greenwich Family Y, Banksville Community House and the YWCA of Greenwich.
$482,500 was approved for programs in the Assisting Individuals in Crisis service field, including the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Family Centers, the Greenwich Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Child Guidance Center, Kids in Crisis, the Shelter for the Homeless, the Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education, the Domestic Abuse Service of the YWCA, and CT Legal Services.
$513,674 will be distributed for programs in the service field Fostering Self-Sufficiency, including Community Centers, Inc., Abilis, the Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG), Pathways, Literacy Volunteers and Neighbor to Neighbor.
The $156,850 allocated for Supporting Seniors programs will be distributed among organizations including Greenwich Adult Day Center, TAG, Jewish Family Services, Greenwich Family Y, the American Red Cross, and the Personal Alert Program of Family and Children's Agency.
An additional $64,455 will be invested in Core Services offered by Community Answers, Infoline/211 and the Volunteer Center of SW Fairfield County, to support around the clock information and referral and volunteer recruitment/placement/training.
Well Over $2.5 Million to be Invested in Total this Year
This round of funding does not include an additional $500,000, approximately, that the organization will invest locally in other ways, including the Greenwich United Way Early Childhood and Youth Services Initiatives, Agency Support Efforts, Community Impact Initiatives, Critical Needs Grants that will be distributed later in the year, and an additional sum directed to specific agencies by individual donors. In total the United Way anticipates putting well over $2.5 million to work in the community throughout the fiscal year that started July 1, 2011.
Begun in 1933 as the Community Chest and Council, the Greenwich United Way has grown to become the largest local non-government source of funding for local health and human service programs. For nearly 80 years the community has relied on the leadership and expertise of United Way volunteers in researching and identifying local needs, driving planning efforts, bringing constituencies together to develop effective solutions, and raising the funds to implement them. The United Way has initiated and/or actively supports dozens of programs provided by prominent agency partners. It is estimated that more than one third of the people living in Greenwich benefit directly from the United Way's work.
Greenwich United Way's 2011-2012 Community Investments to date:
- Abilis (support for people with intellectual disabilities) $193,500
- American Red Cross, Greenwich Chapter (disaster services, senior assist.) $108,500
- Banksville Community House (family & childrenšs programs) $7,200
- Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich (childrenšs programs, after-school care) $110,275
- Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling/Education $22,000
- Child Guidance Center (crisis & mental health services) $168,200
- Community Answers (local information & referral) $27,430
- Community Centers, Inc. (family & childrenšs programs) $230,500
- CT Legal Services (free legal assistance) $15,000
- Family Centers, Inc. (childcare, pre-school, Head Start, mental health) $410,000
- Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County (Food distribution) $18,000
- Girl Scouts of Connecticut (scouting & camp program) $1,670
- Greenwich Adult Day Care (support for seniors, care givers & families) $61,850
- Greenwich Family YMCA (childcare, pre-school & senior services) $127,000
- Infoline / 211 of Connecticut (24 hr information & crisis assistance) $23,300
- Jewish Family Services (supermarketing for seniors) $24,000
- Kids in Crisis (shelter & support for youth & families) $68,000
- Liberation Programs (substance abuse prevention & treatment) $62,250
- Literacy Volunteers (tutoring in English & reading) $12,600
- Neighbor to Neighbor (food, clothing, etc.) $5,000
- Pathways, Inc. (support for mentally ill adults) $48,600
- Personal Alert of Family & Childrenšs Agency (monitoring of homebound) $2,500
- Shelter for the Homeless (shelter & transitional support) $40,000
- Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG) (seniors & special needs) $59,974
- Volunteer Center of SW Fairfield County (recruitment & training) $13,725
- YWCA of Greenwich (childcare, pre-school, domestic abuse services) $135,000
TOTAL $1,996,074
These Greenwich United Way community investments do not include approximately $500,000 in additional funds that we will invest locally including United Way Early Childhood and Youth Services initiatives, Agency Support Efforts, Community Impact projects, and Critical Needs Grants that will be made later in the year, plus an additional sum directed to specific agencies by individual donors. In total, the Greenwich United Way anticipates putting well over $2.5 million to work in the community throughout the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2011.
Contact: Susan Ferris
Email: sferris@unitedway-greenwich.com
Phone: 203.869.2221
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