Letter to the Editor - United Way campaigns for hope

Dear Editor:

Every fall, United Way of Hill County holds its annual campaign to raise money for its funded partners. Those funded partners are local nonprofit, service organizations that provide services, food, shelter, education, healthcare, and more to people in need. The organizations are chosen through an interview and scoring process. They are held accountable to report back on how they utilize the funding they receive from United Way and they must reapply each year. In turn, they ask for a specific amount of money and United Way does everything they can to raise enough money to fully fund those requests.

That is what the annual campaign is all about. We are the fundraising body for our funded partners. They do not have development offices or marketing managers. They do not buy advertising or run social media campaigns. All they do is serve the people that need them. They cook hot meals, provide a warm place to sit for a while, offer a clean winter coat and a good pair of shoes. They support those who are abused and fight for the rights of innocent children. They give someone a hand up and a head start on building a better life. It’s not all pretty and the outcomes aren’t always perfect but these organizations push on with the hope of helping one, two, 10 or more Hill County residents find a way to a healthier, happier tomorrow. And United Way helps them make that possible.

  United Way of Hill County has been part of this community for many years. It hasn’t always been easy to raise money during the annual campaign or be sure our friends and neighbors understand what we do and why. But like our funded partners, we push on. Our board and our partners and our donors believe that just a little help can make the difference to one hungry kid or one lonely senior citizen. Their stories and their faces drive our passion to support these local organizations that serve people who are in a moment, or a lifetime of need. We help them today and try to help them help themselves in the days to come. Like I said, the outcomes aren’t always perfect but we know we make a difference. We plant a seed of hope. We share our hope for meeting their potential, finding their path to success, experiencing better times and brighter days. We continue to hope because without it, there is nothing.

Thank you to our generous community for the donations that have already arrived at our office and the donations yet to come. Thank you for wanting more for our community and those who live in it. Thank you for having hope and holding onto it for those who struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You make a difference. Your donations make a difference. And as long as we continue to live united, we will all make a difference together. #givewhereyoulive

  Kristi Peterson

Board Member since 2012

United Way of Hill County