United Way about neighbors helping neighbors

While political campaigns are in full gear ahead of the Nov. 7 election, a campaign of a different sort is proceeding with a little less fanfare, but the potential for much greater impact in the community every day. As it does every year, the United Way of Mat-Su, with the help of community and business leaders, is seeking dollars for its annual fund-raising campaign.

There is no shortage of charitable causes and community organizations that conduct fund-raisers and benefit events over the course of a year. From door-to-door solicitations from school groups and clubs to larger scale events like the dinner auctions, opportunities to contribute are not hard to find.

Worthwhile as these may be, none pack the communitywide punch and neighbors-helping-neighbors approach that a contribution to the United Way does. That's because a donation to the United Way is a donation to many organizations.

It's local dollars supporting local services such as addiction rehabilitation, abuse and domestic violence remediation, wellness programs, emergency relief and activities for youth that are supplied by 19 different agencies in the community.

Organized in the late 1980s to support and deliver health and other social services, United Way of Mat-Su has thrived through the generosity and compassion of the community. That generosity over the years has led to an ambitious goal of $1 million for this year's campaign. It's the third year that the lofty milestone has been targeted, and each year, the community gets closer to realizing it.

Money raised in the Valley is, perhaps, especially impressive because the community lacks the corporate base that provides the foundation for giving in most other communities. This makes individual contributions more important here.

This year's campaign got a big boost recently through one individual contribution, and made a little local history in the process.

Demonstrating the power of commitment to the community, Northrim Bank offered a &#8220challenge grant” of $5,000 to the campaign that was payable only if the United Way could find an individual in the community to make a $10,000 donation. Longtime Valley Realtor Kristan Cole stepped up and met the challenge, providing the history-making individual donation and bringing in the $5,000 from Northrim in the process.

However much is raised ultimately this year, it will go a long way in funding the needs in the community, which seem always to outpace the money coming in. Still, the agencies supported by United Way of Mat-Su will feel an immediate impact, because 99 percent of funds raised locally stay in the community.

This year's campaign runs through Nov. 17, and giving has never been easier. Credit card payments can be made online at www.unitedwaymatsu.org or by calling 373-5807.