Carla Clark | For The Republic Cathy King, community impact director, recognizes groups and people for their contributions during the United Way of Bartholomew County annual meeting at the Commons, Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
A lot of agencies and entities talk collaboration. United Way of Bartholomew County leaders openly demonstrated collaboration during their annual meeting Tuesday at The Commons in downtown Columbus.
And they earned a standing ovation from a crowd of about 300 people, including a cross section of community leaders.
Cathy King, United Way’s community impact director, addressed the issue when she stepped to the podium early in the gathering, initially highlighting the nonprofit’s Avenues to Opportunity program that won United Way a national award recently for lifting nearly 100 families out of poverty since last summer.
“Through an unprecedented engine among 20-plus certified and partner agencies, our community is setting a new standard of excellence in helping families out of poverty,” King said. “Other communities around the nation are taking notice and want to replicate what we are doing.
“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of our community and certified partners. Your partnership is not only valued, it is essential to achieving our shared vision of a better tomorrow. Thank you for your unwavering support and countless hours you spend working with families who are in their darkest hours.”
King then mentioned that some 20 or more nonprofits and organizations have gathered for the past four years with United Way each Thursday morning for a Zoom meeting on everything from the poverty fight to other needs and concerns of clients and groups. She then invited leaders of those organizations up on stage, seemingly to prove that the oversized stage lettering reading “Live United” formed more than just a proper prop.
In a minute, the stage filled with personnel from agencies ranging from Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center to Pride Alliance to the Columbus Housing Authority before onlookers broke into applause.
King said after the annual meeting that such planned, regular and extensive collaboration may be a unique practice among Indiana United Ways. But the hour-long meetings allow local organizations and agencies to do together more than they ever could do separately for clients.
“Sometimes, it involves individual challenges with something like, ‘Hey, I have a family who is in need of housing because they’re being evicted,’” King said.
Others are noticing the collaboration.
“We’re doing significant work, and we do get calls from other United Ways around Indiana that are asking what we’re doing and how we’re doing it,” King said.
Other collaborations highlighted during the meeting included work with the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation on the Student Support Helpline, which ensures that students have their basic needs met so they can adequately focus on school.
Alicia Monroe, United Way’s Volunteer Action Center director, spoke on the topic, and mentioned that some students’ requests are remarkably basic and easy to fulfill.
“Consider for instance, the simple yet profound request (of one student) for an alarm clock — but not any alarm clock. One for a very young elementary student to ensure punctuality for school, and also, not just one for himself but an alarm clock with multiple alarms so his older brother will get up on time as well,” Monroe said.
“These requests remind us of the privileges we often take for granted, like having a comfortable bed to sleep on, or reliable transportation.”
Top 10 United Way campaigns
Cummins
Toyota Material Handling
Centra Credit Union
Enkei America
Columbus Regional Health
First Financial Bank
Master Power Transmission
Elwood Staffing
Bartholomew County REMC
German American Bank
United Way by the numbers
7, 329
Children improved mental health
8,885
Youth served in United Way-supported programs
13,780
Individuals who received basic needs assistance
Top 10 United Way campaigns
- Cummins
- Toyota Material Handling
- Centra Credit Union
- Enkei America
- Columbus Regional Health
- First Financial Bank
- Master Power Transmission
- Elwood Staffing
- Bartholomew County REMC
- German American Bank
United Way by the numbers
7, 329
Children improved mental health
8,885
Youth served in United Way-supported programs
13,780
Individuals who received basic needs assistance
