FORT LORAMIE — The Shelby County United Way has created the volunteer role, county ambassador.
“We believe the County Ambassador role will assist us in sharing the impact of the United Way county-wide, and in doing so, grow corporate participation,” Scott Barr, executive director said. “This is an important strategic effort needed to ensure the annual campaign achieves goal which will allow the United Way Board of Directors the ability to evaluate future programming.”
The 2016 Fort Loramie Campaign Ambassadors are Lisa Benanzer, Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Tony Bornhorst, Shelby County Commissioner, and Tony Fullenkamp, Honda of America.
“Shelby County United Way positively impacted a significant number of people last year. The agencies involved touched many lives with services ranging from Imagination Library, providing books to the youth, to Adult Day Services and a wide spectrum of services in between,” Benanzer said. “As a community member of Fort Loramie, it warms my heart knowing almost 27 percent of our residents benefited from the services of the United Way Agencies. In 2015, there were 27 funded programs and in our small community alone we utilized over 66 percent of these. Because of United Way’s support to local agencies, quality of life is enriched in all corners of Shelby County.”
“As a Shelby County resident, I have always supported the United Way. I recently joined the board and have learned a great deal. I am impressed with the agencies that the United Way supports and how their services positively impact people’s lives,” Fullenkamp said.
“United Way enhances the efforts of all the citizens of Shelby County that reach out to their fellow neighbors. Shelby County has been blessed to have so many organizations and individuals that work and volunteer to provide assistance and improve the quality of life for residents of Shelby County,” Bornhorst said. “United Way funding enables those organizations and individuals to be that much better and to provide even more opportunities for Shelby County citizens.”
During the months of May, June, and July, the Campaign Ambassadors will be sharing with company leaders the impact of United Way programming and explaining ways they can support the Annual Campaign during the fall. Most pledged dollars to the Annual Campaign (over 60 percent) come from employee’s participating in a payroll workplace campaign. Last year, 30 percent of the campaign came from corporate gifts.
Shelby County United Way funds 27 non-profit programs positively impacting the community in the following impact areas: Enriching the Lives of Seniors, Promoting Health and Well Being, Investing in Youth and Children, Strengthening Families and Individuals, Caring for People in Crisis, and 3 community wide initiatives. Agency programs are evaluated annually by community volunteers and United Way Board of Directors for program effectiveness and efficiency. Using tools like the Community Wide Needs Assessment, the Shelby County United Way prioritizes and allocates funding toward critical community initiatives. Shelby County United Way has earned the highest rating, four stars, for the third year in a row from Charity Navigator.
For more information on the Shelby County United Way., visit their website or call 492-2101.
