United Way campaign on track to meet goal

December 5, 2012

United Way Campaign chairs.jpg [1]

United Way co-chairs for 2012 campaign.

MARSHALL CO. — This year’s United Way campaign is well on its way to meeting the $475,000 goal. This is the same financial goal as last year, but United Way Executive Director Linda Yoder said she believes it will be met thanks to some new participants.
“We are ahead of where we were last year, so we are excited about that,” said Yoder Monday.
She continued, “We have the five campaign chairs and they are doing a great job. We’ve had an excellent response from them getting information out to the communities.”
Though United Way campaigns in the past have had co-chairs, Yoder said this is the first time five individuals have shared the responsibility of chairing the campaign. Bill Davis, Scott Graybill, Lance Overmyer, John Oliver, and Dave Goebel are all focusing their efforts on gleaning as much support as possible from Marshall County communities.
“I can’t say enough about these five guys, having them at the helm for this campaign has just been phenomenal,” said Yoder.
She said having the five chairs was an idea for a “different approach” in this year’s campaign.
“We just figured it was time to reach into the local communities in the county in a little different way,” said Yoder.
Yoder said she can’t pinpoint one thing that’s helped the campaign this year, but it might have been the Invest 1213 matching grant from the Indiana Association of United Way.
This grant will enable United Way of Marshall County to collect up to $42,000 in matched funds in 2012 and 2013.
“Any new gift of over $100 will get matched dollar for dollar,” explained Yoder. “If we receive increased giving under $500, we will be matched $1 for every $2 given, and increased gifts of over $500 will be matched dollar for dollar. I think we are on track to claim all of that ($42,000 possible from Invest 1213) in this campaign.”
She continued, “Marshall County is a very giving community, that’s clear. The match program has certainly helped encourage an increase in giving.”
Yoder said that she’s seen an increase in giving this year specifically from Bremen and Culver.
Three new member agencies — REAL Services, 5 Star, and 4-H Council — have been added as recipients of United Way funds this year, making 22 organizations total.
To donate to this year’s United Way campaign, visit http://www.marshallcountyuw.org [2], call 574-936-3366, or email info@marshallcountyuw.org [3].