(Utica, NY- June 18, 2013) United Way Board of Directors has approved its 2013 funding allocations – investing more than $1 million in Herkimer and Oneida Counties.
“United Way is able to meet the needs of many children, families, and individuals in our community due to the generosity of our donors and volunteers,” Executive Director Brenda Episcopo said. “Our community volunteers make this process possible spending countless hours reviewing funding requests and utilizing their expertise to ensure we support programs and initiatives that touch the greatest number of lives and achieve positive, measurable results in Herkimer and Oneida Counties.”
United Way of the Valley and Greater Utica Area has served Herkimer and Oneida Counties for more than 91 years, driven by our mission to mobilize the caring power of the Valley & Greater Utica Area by connecting people, resources and ideas to create a thriving community. United Way is committed to addressing the most critical needs of our community by supporting initiatives in both Herkimer and Oneida Counties in the following areas:
Health: To enable the achievement and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle for individuals.
Program Example: Allowing equal access to basic needs by providing free interpreter services for limited English proficient Oneida and Herkimer County residents.
Education: To enable children and youth to be ready for school and prepared to be successful in life.
Program Example: Providing working families affordable and educationally focused childcare services for infants through twelve years in a safe, nurturing, healthy environment.
Income: To provide opportunities and support for every individual in our community, to achieve and sustain financial self-sufficiency.
Program Example: Comprehensive services for elderly and disabled individuals to remain living independent in their own homes.
Community Safety Net: To support our community so that it can respond to those individuals and families in crisis.
Program Example: Ensuring everyone in our community has safe environments available providing food, shelter, legal aid and emergency needs met from an unexpected disaster or tragedy.
Beginning in July, United Way will support 55 programs and initiatives between Herkimer and Oneida Counties. The program funding comes from donations made locally during the 2012 annual campaign, which raised $2.2 million. “The overwhelming generosity of individuals and families in the Mohawk Valley makes it possible to address needs in our community,” Episcopo said. “Our donors expect their financial gifts to lead to meaningful improvements in the lives of individuals across all segments of our community. The programs our volunteers have chosen to support reflect the vast needs of children, individuals, and families in Herkimer and Oneida Counties.”
A diverse group of about 40 volunteers on the five Funding Allocation Panels carefully reviewed the proposals and presented a recommendation to the United Way Board of Directors, which was approved on May 23, 2013. After the designated contributions from the State Employee Federated Appeal (SEFA) and designations to other agencies and programs are set aside, the following are the funding highlights for this cycle:
q $306,225 – Education
q $296,347 – Health
q $246,956 – Community Safety Net
q $138,295 – Income
q $19,680 – Community Empowerment Grant
Following is the list of the 2013 – 2014 funded programs:
|
Community Safety Net |
|
| Emergency Response and Preparedness | American Red Cross of the Mohawk Valley |
| Blood Services | American Red Cross of the Mohawk Valley |
| Services to Armed Forces | American Red Cross of the Mohawk Valley |
| Domestic Violence Program of Herkimer County | Catholic Charities of Herkimer County |
| Runaway & Homeless Youth Program | Catholic Charities of Herkimer County |
| Community Assistance | Catholic Charities of OM Counties |
| Country Pantry | Country Pantry |
| Emergency Food Shipments | Food Bank of Central New York |
| Foothills Rural Community Food Pantry | Foothills Rural Community Ministries |
| Hope House | Peter Maurin House, Inc. |
| JPA Homeless Housing Assistance Program | Johnson Park Center |
| Emergency Legal Safety Net Services | Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc. |
| Eleanor Walsh Wertimer Children’s Center | Neighborhood Center, Inc. |
| CASA/CCAP | Peacemaker Program, Inc. |
| SA Café | Salvation Army of Herkimer |
| Hall House | YWCA of the Mohawk Valley |
| Sexual Violence Services & Child Advocacy of Herkimer | YWCA of the Mohawk Valley |
| Domestic Violence Sexual Violence Non-Residential | YWCA of the Mohawk Valley |
|
Health |
|
| Adolescent Health Initiative | Aids Community Resources, Inc. |
| RIDE Program of Herkimer County | Catholic Charities of Herkimer County |
| Domestic Violence and Aggression Reduction | Center for Family and Life Recovery |
| JPA Love & Care Family and Single Women Initiative | Johnson Park Center |
| Ensuring Language Access to Limited English Clients | MAMI Interpreters |
| PSC Health and Wellness Programs | Parkway Senior Center |
| Community Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy | Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson, Inc. |
| Elderly Services | Resource Center for Independent Living |
| Community Dentistry Program | Utica Community Health Center |
| DOVE Program | Thea Bowman Hose, Inc. |
|
Education |
|
| Project Learn & Teen Transport | Boys & Girls Club of the Mohawk Valley |
| Community Dispute Resolution Center | Catholic Charities of Herkimer County |
| Second Step | Center for Family Life Recovery Inc. |
| What About Me? Grief in the Classroom | Hospice & Palliative Care |
| Drop-In Youth Center | Johnson Park Center |
| CORE (Community of Resources and Expertise) | Oneida Herkimer Madison BOCES |
| Learning Disability Association of the Mohawk Valley | Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc. |
| Counseling Services | Neighborhood Center, Inc. |
| Child Care Services | Neighborhood Center, Inc. |
| Kids with Promise | Thea Bowman House, Inc. |
| LeapStart Playgroup | Upstate Cerebral Palsy, Inc. |
| Resolving Conflict Through Good Decision Making | Utica Safe Schools Healthy Students |
| YMCA of MV Youth Services Program | YMCA of the Mohawk Valley |
| Domestic Violence/Sexual Violence Prevention Education | YWCA of the Mohawk Valley |
|
Income |
|
| John Bosco House Transitional Living Care | John Bosco House, Inc. |
| AARP Bill Payer Program | Parkway Senior Center/RSVP |
| Main Street | Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc. |
| Mohawk Valley Asset Building Coalition | Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc. |
| Employment Services | Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc. |
| Child Care Disadvantaged | Thea Bowman House, Inc. |
| Job Readiness | WERC |
| Willow Commons | YWCA of the Mohawk Valley |
| New Horizons | YWCA of the Mohawk Valley |
|
Community Empowerment |
|
| Safe Sleep For Babies | Mohawk Valley Perinatal Network, Inc. |
| Community Gang Assessment Project | Utica Safe Schools Healthy Students |
| Job Placement and Work Experience | Salvation Army of Utica |
| Medical Equipment for Reproductive Health | Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson, Inc. |