United Way helping community for 78 years
Robin Waltz, left, and Susan Reidenbach of the United Way with a Calvin Klein designer purse that will be raffled off in December to help support the work of the United Way. A total of 12 purses by top designers will be raffled.
The United Way started in 1942 as the Community War Chest during World War II when citizens were facing a known enemy. Now with an invisible enemy in our communities, the United Way is needed more than ever.
The 78-year-old program created a COVID-19 fund to help those in need during the pandemic. They raised $82,000, and the group matched that amount with another $82,000 to help the community organizations that serve those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic.
“With COVID-19 we have seen a greater need with rent and utility assistance,” said Robin Waltz, president and CEO of the Tuscarawas County United Way. “We’re seeing people who were used to having steady jobs, and things just went sideways for them.”
In addition to supporting rent and utility assistance, the organization also has assisted area schools with social-emotional needs programs.
“Some families are really in a crisis situation,” Waltz said. “The programs through Ohio Guidestones, which used to be called Personal and Family Counseling Services, are able to help with social-emotional needs related to COVID-19.”
The program fits in with the mission of the organization, which is building a sustainable community.
“We want to help strengthen families, ensure children’s health and wellness, and meet emergency needs,” said Susan Reidenbach, community resources coordinator for the Tuscarawas County United Way.
The organization helps local organizations with grants for a three-year period.
“We have a volunteer group of community members that sit on a community impact committee along with our board of directors. The programs we support submit an application for funding. Plus, they also submit reports twice a year showing us the results of their programming,” Waltz said. “It’s evidence-based results, so we know that our money is being well utilized. Last year alone we were able to help over 15,000 Tuscarawas County residents.”
Some of the programs the United Way supports include Big Brothers Big Sisters of ECO with community-based and school-based mentoring programs, the Girl Scouts of NEO Healthy Learning Program, New Haven Residential Treatment (formerly known as Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter), Noah’s Hope Child Advocacy Center, Tuscarawas County YMCA Preschool Learning Center Program, Harcatus Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Mobile Meals of Dover-New Philadelphia, and Salvation Army rent/mortgage and utility assistance, among many others.
Success stories from the agencies they fund show the progress that has been achieved and how it helps people in their daily lives. From Harbor House, a woman and her children were able to escape a life of abuse. From the Big Brothers Big Sister’s program, a Big Brother was instrumental in helping his Little Brother improve his grades in school and cope with difficult life changes. From the Noah’s Hope Child Advocacy Center, the staff dedicated themselves to helping a 10-year-old girl who was sexually abused. The perpetrator is now in prison, and the organization helped the girl and her mother in beginning to recover from the situation.
From River Haven Residential Treatment (formerly known as Harbor House Women’s Residential Treatment), after suffering from an abusive father, her own drug abuse and trouble with the law, a woman was able to turn her life around on her seventh visit to the center through the use of counseling. In the Takin’ It to the Schools program, students are able to discuss personal experiences and good decision making to keep their lives moving in a positive direction.
The United Way does not get any funding except what is donated from the community. Because some events had to be canceled, the organization is hoping for a good response to its fall fundraising campaign with donations from area businesses and their employees. The organization raised more than $586,000 in 2019, and they feel the need is even greater this year.
“We are seeing community members step up with individual gifts more than we have in the past,” Reidenbach said. “We’re just starting to get results from corporate employees’ campaigns.”
The campaign runs through the middle of February, and many employers offer payroll deduction to make contributing easier.
Because they were unable to speak to employees in person this year, the organization put together a video with campaign chairperson Bob Alsept, superintendent of Buckeye Career Center, and spokesperson Laney Gottschall of Dover. The video is available for viewing on the website at www.tuscunitedway.org.
With the pandemic canceling several of the organization’s smaller fundraisers this year, the organization will hold a Power of the Purse raffle this December. They draw for winners of designer purses for 12 weekdays from Dec. 7-22. The drawing will be held live on Facebook. Tickets can be purchased online at www.tuscunitedway.org/events.
They also will change the way they do some of their other fundraisers like the Rivals United program with New Philadelphia and Dover students during basketball season. It’s an event they love because they are able to build awareness of the United Way among the students.
Some other relatively new programs of the United Way include the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library, which gives children age 0-5 a free book each month that is mailed to their home.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program helped nearly 1,000 people file their taxes for free in its second year. As of this year, the program is for anyone who make $65,000 or less or for a couple making $95,000 or less.
“They’ve made a big impact in the community,” Reidenbach said.
No experience is needed to be a VITA volunteer, and IRS certified training is provided. In the past individuals needing help made one-hour appointments to have their taxes done. This year they will drop off their information and receive their taxes back in about a week. Greeters and quality checkers also are needed. This service is for any Tuscarawas County resident of any age and will begin on Feb. 1. Training for volunteers will begin in January.
If you need help for anything, one of the best services the United Way funds is the 2-1-1 service.
“The 2-1-1 is an information and referral service that we support,” Waltz said. “It’s 24/7. You dial 2-1-1 if you’re looking for a food pantry, counseling services, tax services, or health and human services in Tuscarawas County.”
The information also is online at www.211tusc.org, and the service has the most up-to-date information available. Waltz and Reidenbach recommend anyone needing help call this number for information on where they can receive services.
Just as when the United Way of Tuscarawas County helped their neighbors through the struggles of World War II, they are truly committed to ensure Tuscarawas County citizens get through this pandemic with the services they need.
For more information or to volunteer for VITA, call the United Way at 330-343-7772 or visit www.tuscunitedway.org.