United Way Keeps the Safety Net Intact, Closes In On Goal

By Amber Lester Tuesday, March 16, 2010

One by one, health and human services workers walked to the front of the Williamsburg Community Building and held up a sign featuring a number. When 25 people had formed two rows, they were asked to toss their white signs onto a brown net.

The signs in the brown net signified the “safety net” of the Historic Triangle — the agencies and nonprofits that offer help to anyone needing it. They had gathered for United Way’s annual meeting on Monday. The symbolic moment showed the audience how the $1,691,707 raised by United Way in 2009 was allocated to partners that served nearly 60,000 people.

United Way Director Sharron Cornelius recognized the necessity of the agencies in a time when more people might need their services than ever before.

“As we conclude our 2009 business year, we are proud to affirm our position as a community — united. Though we are still feeling the impact of a weak economy, and our resources are being stretched to even greater lengths, we are shoulder-to-shoulder with our partner programs to answer the growing list of calls for assistance,” she said. “It is vital that our children and families live without fear of losing their grip on the precious basics of life - like shelter, flood, schooling, independence, health and a general sense of well-being.”

The United Way fund was distributed among five focus areas, listed in a decreasing amount of support: health and wellness, children and youth, self-sufficiency, people in crisis and senior independence. United Way’s Information and Referral HelpLine, which helps connect people with resources to pay overdue bills or obtain food and clothing, provided 15,000 referrals to residents of Williamsburg, James City County and upper York County.

United Way has raised 96 percent of its target goal for 2010 of $1,550,143. Fundraising continues until the end of this month. The theme for 2010 is “The power of U in commUNITY.”

“We are one community unified to work together for all of our citizens,” Cornelius said.

The United Way Annual Meeting came one day after the Virginia General Assembly passed a bill reducing state aid to health and human services by $360 million. The state hopes to receive federal monies to offset the reduction, mostly to go toward Medicaid payments for health care providers.