United Way kicks off with special funding

"United We Fight, United We Win."

That was the battle cry heard from a platform of more than 30 individuals -- sporting boxing gloves -- representing the United Way of Southeast Missouri's Kickoff Campaign Thursday at Ray's Plaza Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

United Way of Southeast Missouri executive director Elizabeth Shelton spoke to a crowd of 200 as she explored United Way's recent benevolence throughout Missouri.

She said the back-to-school fair just a few weeks ago was "hugely successful."

The event garnered more than 1,500 people and filled backpacks for about 860 students throughout Southeast Missouri, with a lot of help from the Salvation Army, Shelton said.

Thursday's event was mainly focused on the complete funding of three specific local organizations, through mobile donations made by the crowd -- through this weekend.

The total goal for the kickoff is $3,000 with each of the three specified organizations to receive $1,000 to assist in completing its specified program.

Safe House for Women shelter manager Kim Dixon said the organization plans to use the additional $1,000 to continue the "safe phones" program, providing 60 new phones to clients.

The Safe House currently receives phones from Verizon, but that program is scheduled to end in December, Dixon said.

"So we're hoping to have an additional $1,000 to continue that program, to support our clients with 'safe phones' so they can use them to contact social service agencies, jobs, and all those things that can help them to be self-sufficient," she said.

Boy Scouts of America district executive Ashley Metelski said the organization serves more than 1,000 youth each year with programs that teach "all kinds of skills."

"The kids absolutely love our program, and we love serving them as well, too," Metelski said.

One of the many ways United Way supports the organizing, Metelski said, is by providing financial assistance for youth who may not be able to afford scouting.

She said there are several different partnerships in the area, which the United Way is funding.

And that money goes directly toward those partnerships, according to Metelski.

"We have a wonderful, brand-new partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Missouri, which we're super excited for," she said. "We're looking to incorporate scouting into the Boys and Girls Club after-school program, and this would allow us to be able to provide scouting to serve those youth."

Director of First Call for Help, Denise Wimp, revealed the $1,000 would aid the 19-year-old information and referral program by enabling it to help "even more families."

She said last year, First Call for Help was able to assist 58 families through available funding.

"Our project is a group project with the Community Caring Council. We work very closely, and we have to," Wimp said. "We all work together to address the needs in our community."

She said the Community Caring Council has housed one of First Call for Help's local communities, Family Transition Team, which is a committee of social service providers.

Whatever the need is, Wimp said, the organization makes sure "all available options have been explored."

Last year, United Way assisted nearly 33,000 people, including infants, children, working parents and senior citizens, Shelton said.

She said the organization has an internal goal it tries to reach each year. But with Thursday's kickoff event, and for the second year, the organization did not publicly release its campaign goal.

"We decided a few years ago that we would start focusing less on the amount of money we're trying to bring in, and more on the amount of lives we're trying to change," she said.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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