United Way allocates funds

By John McVey, Journal staff writer

MARTINSBURG - When John Reisenweber took over the reins of the campaign committee for the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle last year, he admittedly was worried about raising funds for the UWEP's programs because of the economic recession.

"But we've had a great year," he told the audience at Wednesday morning's annual meeting and volunteer recognition breakfast. "We hit the same number as last year. We raised a little over $1.4 million for United Way in this community."

For the 2009 campaign, UWEP had more than 2,000 donors, Reisenweber said, and more than 60 campaign volunteers.

He recognized the campaign co-chairs: Tom Rokisky, Mary Clare Eros and Montie Hicks; and the division leaders: Charla Cody, Nic Diehl, Tom Jones and Ken Barton.

Barton, the outgoing president of UWEP, said the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of United Way's annual work is determining how to invest the limited amount of dollars the organization gets through contributions.

"It is more than just allocating dollars," he said.

Of the $1.4 million raised by UWEP, about $620,000 is donor directed, meaning the person contributing the money told UWEP which member agency he or she wanted the donation to go to, Barton explained. UWEP has 45 member agencies.

UWEP had about $377,000 in discretionary funds to distribute this year, he said.

Forty-six community organizations submitted proposals for funding, totaling more than $953,000, Barton said.

So, a 40-member committee reviewed and evaluated the applications, he said. The selection process is guided by focusing on children, families and seniors, he said.

The Community Investment Committee, headed by Kathy Bradley, the Children, Families and Seniors councils and the Basic Needs Panel did extensive and detailed reviews of the applications, Bradley said.

"We wanted to give the best return on donors' investments - to make sure the dollars were spent in the best way," she said.

To the organizations whose requests were not filled, Bradley added "never, ever - I'll repeat that - never, ever see that as a lack of faith in your programs."

Following are the allocations for the next 12 months, which were presented by Trina Bartlett, director, UWEP Community Impact at Wednesday's annual meeting:

For Independent Seniors - Good Shepherd Interfaith, $12,500, and Berkeley Senior Services' Lighthouse program, $13,000.

For Strong Families - Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteer coordinators positions, $15,000; Community Networks' Hope Living/Learning Center, $8,200; Eastern Panhandle Free Clinic's chronic disease management program, $40,000; and Starting Points' family partnership program, $15,000.

For Thriving Children - Boys and Girls Club's Project Learn after-school and summer programs, $51,963; Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital before- and after-school programs, $7,500; Outdoor Education Center's Leaders in Action program, $2,500; Martinsburg/Berkeley County Parks and Recreation 2011 summer playground program, $5,000; and a partnership between Children First Child Development Center, $15,000, Norborne Preschool, $24,000, and Shepherdstown Day Care, $20,000, for United for Thriving Children program.

For Basic Needs and Services - Telamon Corp., $45,000, in partnership with UWEP, Salvation Army and West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to support the Regional Resource Connection and the Information and Referral Center.

For Other Basic Needs and Services - CCAP, $29,332; Community Networks, $11,394; Meals on Wheels of Berkeley County, $10,651; Meals on Wheels of Jefferson County, $6,645; Panhandle Home Health, $10,000; Regalos Elizabeth Fund, $3,750; and Shenandoah Women's Center, $15,385.

More information is available at www.uwayep.org.

- Staff writer John McVey can be reached at 304-263-3381, ext. 128, or jmcvey@journal-news.net

Fact Box

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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The following were elected at Wednesday's annual meeting to the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle's board of directors for three-year terms beginning July 1:

Nic Diehl, Beverly Hoffmaster, Becky Linton, Joanne Wadsworth and Joy Buck.

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Following are the 2010-2011 UWEP officers:

John Reisenweber, president; Tom Jones, president elect; Paul Espinosa, vice president; Ken Barton, immediate past president; Rob Abruzzino, treasurer;

and Alice Barkus, secretary.