United Way Donations Translate Into Services

We are nearing the end of the year and also nearing the end of the United Way fund raising campaign.  Campaign is a combination of excitement and stress for me.  I am always so excited as company campaigns and individual donations arrive at our office, but also stressed since I worry about where the campaign total will fall.  For me the final tally is not about the money, but rather what the money translates into.  At United Way it is a very simple formula, money in equals services out.  By the same token, not enough money in results in some very difficult decisions for us, what services don’t we provide?  Do we not feed hungry children?  Do we not shelter homeless individuals in the bitter cold?  Perhaps we shouldn’t provide a break for a husband caring for his wife with dementia?  Or maybe a family living in a domestic violence situation should remain in that home?  None of these or many other service reductions are good options, and none of them are acceptable.  What makes it even more difficult is the sheer volume of individuals affected by United Way and the decisions that we make.  Last year over 12,000 individuals were served by programs and partners of our United Way.  That is a whole lot of people being affected by the results of the campaign. 

All donations at whatever level make an impact at United Way.  When United Way loses a donation as little as .50 cents a week, or $26, for the year it translates into our ability to not shelter a homeless one night of the week, each week for the year.   As I am writing this it is -7 degrees outside, and I know that night of shelter can sometimes be the difference between life and death.  A loss of a donation of $1.00 a week, or $52 a year, means that one of our senior citizens that relies on a home-delivered meal will not eat for a week. 

The best of all scenarios is that United Way is not faced with making any of these tough decisions.  Remember donations in equal services out.  Donations to United Way stay local and when you choose to give you are providing meals and a warm bed on a cold night right here in our community.  Donations may be mailed to: Marshfield Area United Way, PO Box 771, Marshfield, WI, or dropped off at the United Way office at 156 S Central Avenue. A secure donation can also be made online with your credit card at www.marshfieldareaunitedway.org.

Paula Jero, Executive Director

Marshfield Area United Way

Time To Make A Difference

Late. Not a word that typically makes anyone happy. Bosses don’t appreciate employees being late for work. Expecting mothers aren’t usually too excited about their newborn child deciding to arrive late. And we all know how companies feel when you don’t pay a bill on time. But late, in this circumstance, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

The annual community campaign at Marshfield Area United Way is embracing the thought that the campaign is running a little late this year. The fact is, this means there is still time to make a contribution to this year’s campaign. It’s never too late to help make a difference. Any donation, large or small, does matter, so please consider investing in our community today. Your donation will support crucial community programs in the coming year that will help make the Marshfield area a better place to live. Here are just some of the ways your gift made a difference in our community last year:

Last year, with your help, 12,149 people received services in Marshfield and ten surrounding communities. Last year, because you care about your community, 303 seniors were able to remain living independently in their home through the help of United Way programs and 2310 people facing crisis had their basic needs met. Last year, 1218 books were distributed through the Reach Out and Read program, promoting early childhood literacy and 735 backpacks with supplies were distributed to area students. Last year, your investment helped provide mentorships to 4052 area children and youth.

Marshfield Area United Way’s annual community campaign is currently at fifty-five percent of the $900,000 goal set by the Board of Directors to meet our community’s health and human service needs in 2014. Your tax-deductible donation can be mailed to: Marshfield Area United Way, PO Box 771, Marshfield, WI, 54449 or dropped off at the United Way office located at 156 S Central Avenue. A secure donation may also be made online. Simply visit marshfieldareaunitedway.org and click on “Give Now.”

"The Statisticks of Marshfield" Wins Wave Award

Click on image to watch the video.

The WAVE (Web Audio Video Excellence) Awards recognizes the best web, audio and video media productions created in the Greater Madison area. Recently, “The Statisticks of Marshfield,” a Marshfield Area United Way video, won the WAVE Award in the PSA/Public service category at the Wave Award show.  “The Wave awards are kind of like the commercial Emmy Awards of Madison - it's pretty competitive and it’s judged by media/communication veterans from outside Wisconsin,” said John Holcomb, producer of “Statisticks.”

"The Statisticks of Marshfield" is a short video that takes you on a journey through adolescence with Jamie and Jamie. You will learn how two best friend's lives take different paths and how your investment in Marshfield Area United Way can help the "Jamie's" of Marshfield achieve their full potential. The video was created to bring attention to data collected from responses to the 2012 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The survey is administered to local students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades and is given with anonymity. Students are asked questions on various topics, such as: distracted driving, violence related behaviors, bullying, drug and alcohol use, suicide and healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Jamie and Jamie are more than stick figures and statistics in a video.   They are your child’s friend at school, your co-workers children and your next-door neighbors. Please take a minute to watch “The Statisticks of Marshfield” on Marshfield Area United Way’s website at www.marshfieldareaunitedway.org and click on “click here to watch ‘The Statisticks of Marshfield’ image.”

There is still time to invest in our community. Make a donation to this year’s United Way campaign. Send contributions to: Marshfield Area United Way, PO Box 771, Marshfield, WI, 54449 or drop them off at the United Way office located at 156 S Central Avenue. A secure donation may also be made online. Simply visit marshfieldareaunitedway.org and click on “Give Now.”

Marshfield Area United Way would like to extend our sincerest thank you to Associated Bank for their sponsorship of the video. Your continued support of Marshfield Area United Way, and moreover, the community are greatly appreciated.

Be Thankful For LIfe's Many Blessings

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection for the many blessings in our life that we are thankful for.  One of the things I am most thankful for is my work with United Way.  Every day at United Way we witness the needs of our community.  I don’t mean the needs on paper – I mean looking in their eyes and listening to their story, needs of our community.  Families living with no heat, water or electricity, children who are hungry, individuals who are homeless.  I have always believed that everyone crosses my path for a reason, you just have to look for the reason that your path has crossed.  So here are three lessons I have learned this year. 

Be grateful for the little things.  Did your lights turn on when you flipped the switch?  Did you have a warm bed to lay your head last night?  Be grateful, more people than you think in this community want for the most basic necessities.  Somewhere in Marshfield someone is praying for things that we take for granted every day. 

People are amazingly resilient. Some of the things I have witnessed this year and stories that I have heard are enough to make me want to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head and stay there.  I don’t know that I could keep going through some of the challenges that some of the individuals we have served this year are facing.  These individuals suffer blow after blow, but yet stand in front of me saying I am not a quitter.  If life is not challenging you today, be grateful.

Lastly, we live in a community that truly has amazing and caring individuals.  The work that we do at United Way and through our Partner Programs only happens because of donations and volunteers.  Through gifts of time and treasure we have the resources to help the neediest of our community.  When we are able to put a warm coat on a child on a cold and blustery day, or provide a child with food for the weekend, I am so incredibly grateful for all of the individuals who believe in their community and the work that we do here at United Way.  The United Way campaign is currently underway.  If you haven’t made a contribution yet this year, please consider doing so.  Our community would be so thankful.

Paula Jero, Executive Director

Marshfield Area United Way

North Central Community Action Program

A woman came to North Central Community Action (NCCAP) wanting assistance getting into subsidized housing. She needed to leave the housing that her family was renting because it had become substandard. She and the children were constantly sick and having to go to the doctor office due to respiratory problems for the past 5 months. The woman had found black mold growing on the wall behind and below the bed. She cleaned the area and that did not take care of the black mold. She contacted the landlord again and was told that they would take care of it. The landlord had not taken care of the mold and the family members were getting sicker. She gave notice to the landlord that they were vacating and the landlord released her from the lease contract. NCCAP was able to help the woman with her first month rent in the amount of $295. She has now moved into new housing and has had no more problems.

North Central Community Action Program's purpose is to stimulate a better focusing of all available local, state, private and federal resources. NCCAP works with low-income people who are at or below poverty, helping them to assess their needs and then making referrals to resources assisting with agency resources and advocating when necessary.