United Way is ready when help is needed

Spectrum, by Marjie Strawn and Brooke Gardner

Now more than ever the Mat-Su Valley needs our help.

Our community is ever-changing. Our population is up 142 percent since 1980, and keeps growing. At the same time that our population is expanding, federal and state support for health and human services is staying the same or decreasing; therefore, the gap widens each year.

Right now we have the opportunity to minimize the gap before it becomes too vast. United Way is a time-honored organization whose focus is to make a positive impact on our community and unify the people of the community to make the impact more valuable.

Our goal is to increase investments to agency partners by expanding and diversifying our own development efforts. We will measure, communicate and learn from the impact of our efforts.

Since the beginning of the United Way organization, there has been one major vision: to unite all types of people. By encouraging healthy and helpful relationships, we can build a pleasant, safe and strong community.

United Way of Mat-Su seeks to expand and emphasize this main vision, by building relationships that build a community. Investors in United Way of Mat-Su can make a difference in a variety of ways and United Way's vision is to encourage diverse means of investing. Not only are funds heavily encouraged, but so are acts of care and time.

Corporate businesses also have the opportunity to encourage and invest in the United Way. Research conducted by the Cone Corporate Citizenship Study of 2002 demonstrates that Americans are eager to promote and reward positive corporate citizenship. This gives companies the ability to combine their business strategies and social commitments as they invest in their community.

These studies also prove that 84 percent of Americans are willing to switch from one brand to another, if they are similar in price and quality when the other brand is promoting and active in a good cause.

Ninety-one percent of Americans would switch to another company's products or services as a reaction to a company's negative corporate citizenship practices. Simply put, it makes good business sense to invest in United Way.

United Way organizes the resources gathered from community investors, and distributes them according to current needs to make a positive impact on the community. United Way connects charitable community investors with community programs and services to fulfill the broad needs in a more efficient way.

Someone who is an active community investor is informed and concerned about local needs and problems and seeks to see community changes from his or her investments.

An active community investor is also active in the community and understands that his or her investments will make a constructive change in the community and build a better place to live and work. United Way focuses on these community donors and leaders to make an encouraging difference in today's world.

The vision of United Way is the "Million Dollar Community." This means that the Mat-Su Valley has the potential to raise one million dollars. Being a million- dollar community means we have that many more resources to help those in need.

Our goal is to combine the financial and nonfinancial resources in order to develop relationships to achieve community impact. United Way has 20 partner agencies, which provide helpful services to those in need. For instance, provide assistance to people with disabilities and people in need of shelter.

Programs supported by United Way provide job opportunities, food and clothing, child-care opportunities, and senior citizen assistance. There is always somebody in need of a helping hand and our responsibility is to reach out.

Give light and people will find their own way. United Way is in touch with the community, researches the current needs and will distribute funds accordingly.

Before we became involved in United Way of Mat-Su, we had no concept that there were such vast needs in the Valley. We are proud to have been able to learn from the dedicated and tireless volunteers of the board. They are passionate about meeting the needs of the people of the Valley, and are a source of inspiration.

We have been amazed at the generosity of the people of this community and their care for one another. The corporate sponsorships and fund-raisers combined with the community investors have made a real difference. If we continue to love each other and work together, we will truly be a million-dollar community.

Brooke Gardner is a junior at Palmer High School and the youth advisor to the United Way of Mat-Su board of directors. Marjie Strawn is a junior at Palmer High School and a United Way volunteer.