WORCESTER COUNTY– United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore turns 70 this year and its footprint in the county has never been bigger.
The largest non-governmental source of funding for nonprofit agencies in the area, United Way currently supports 35 programs servicing Worcester County residents, reaching more than 7,000 individuals and families.
The organization recently toured the several of its partner sites in the area, including the Worcester County Development Center in Newark and Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services Inc. in Berlin.
“With the Worcester County Development Center, they applied to become a partner last year,” said Assistant Director Amy Luppens. “We were involved with them a number of years ago and now we’re back. (Executive Director) Jack Ferry is just doing amazing things there.”
In the case of Worcester Youth and Family, United Way supports the CASA program, as well as the mental health counseling, Family Connections and SAGES programs.
“We’ve got a pretty broad reach in Worcester County,” Luppens said. “We also partner with Diakonia and Samaritan Ministries in Pocomoke. A lot of our other agencies might be based out of Wicomico County – for example Mac Inc., which is the organization for seniors – but they have the Meals on Wheels program, which services Worcester County as well.”
United Way also operates direct service programs that serve all four counties, including the Imagination Library, promoting early childhood literacy.
“We have tons of stuff going on, all for a really good cause,” said Luppens.
Partner programs of the United Way must be a registered 501(c)3 and have been in existence for one year or more and must be in the education, financial stability or health impact areas.
“We are really servicing basic human needs – we’re helping people,” Luppens said. “We make sure that the organizations that we partner with are managed effectively and efficiently, and they are demonstrating a measurable impact on the community. Every year our partners reapply for funding and they have to show the good that they’re doing and they have to share their financials.”
The extensive process, said Luppens, ensures that the United Way and its partners are good stewards of their donor’s contributions.
“We have that obligation to our donors to make sure their dollars are being used wisely,” she said.
Approximately 75 percent of the United Way’s funding comes from payroll deduction. Additional revenue comes from fundraisers, grants and corporate and private donors. Occasionally, the charity also receives national funding, as in the case of Hurricane Sandy.
“When there was that huge disaster, United Ways all across the world rallied and were able to raise extra dollars,” said Luppens. “They allocated some of that for the state of Maryland and we ended up getting all of that funding, which we were able to put into Somerset County. We’re part of a network, we work independently, but the network is there for us. It’s all about the global impact – all of these different communities doing different things all for the greater good.”
The Lower Eastern Shore chapter of United Way maintains a single office in Salisbury and covers Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Dorchester counties.
“It’s a lot of driving and we have a really small staff, but that’s how we keep our administrative costs so low,” Luppens said. “It’s our responsibility to our donors to keep costs low and ours is at 15 percent, which is something that comes up everywhere we go. Everybody wants to know our administrative costs. The national average is close to 37 percent, so we’re doing really well.”
Donations to United Way can be made online, over the phone, or through payroll deduction.
The largest non-governmental source of funding for nonprofit agencies in the area, United Way currently supports 35 programs servicing Worcester County residents, reaching more than 7,000 individuals and families.
The organization recently toured the several of its partner sites in the area, including the Worcester County Development Center in Newark and Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services Inc. in Berlin.
“With the Worcester County Development Center, they applied to become a partner last year,” said Assistant Director Amy Luppens. “We were involved with them a number of years ago and now we’re back. (Executive Director) Jack Ferry is just doing amazing things there.”
In the case of Worcester Youth and Family, United Way supports the CASA program, as well as the mental health counseling, Family Connections and SAGES programs.
“We’ve got a pretty broad reach in Worcester County,” Luppens said. “We also partner with Diakonia and Samaritan Ministries in Pocomoke. A lot of our other agencies might be based out of Wicomico County – for example Mac Inc., which is the organization for seniors – but they have the Meals on Wheels program, which services Worcester County as well.”
United Way also operates direct service programs that serve all four counties, including the Imagination Library, promoting early childhood literacy.
“We have tons of stuff going on, all for a really good cause,” said Luppens.
Partner programs of the United Way must be a registered 501(c)3 and have been in existence for one year or more and must be in the education, financial stability or health impact areas.
“We are really servicing basic human needs – we’re helping people,” Luppens said. “We make sure that the organizations that we partner with are managed effectively and efficiently, and they are demonstrating a measurable impact on the community. Every year our partners reapply for funding and they have to show the good that they’re doing and they have to share their financials.”
The extensive process, said Luppens, ensures that the United Way and its partners are good stewards of their donor’s contributions.
“We have that obligation to our donors to make sure their dollars are being used wisely,” she said.
Approximately 75 percent of the United Way’s funding comes from payroll deduction. Additional revenue comes from fundraisers, grants and corporate and private donors. Occasionally, the charity also receives national funding, as in the case of Hurricane Sandy.
“When there was that huge disaster, United Ways all across the world rallied and were able to raise extra dollars,” said Luppens. “They allocated some of that for the state of Maryland and we ended up getting all of that funding, which we were able to put into Somerset County. We’re part of a network, we work independently, but the network is there for us. It’s all about the global impact – all of these different communities doing different things all for the greater good.”
The Lower Eastern Shore chapter of United Way maintains a single office in Salisbury and covers Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Dorchester counties.
“It’s a lot of driving and we have a really small staff, but that’s how we keep our administrative costs so low,” Luppens said. “It’s our responsibility to our donors to keep costs low and ours is at 15 percent, which is something that comes up everywhere we go. Everybody wants to know our administrative costs. The national average is close to 37 percent, so we’re doing really well.”
Donations to United Way can be made online, over the phone, or through payroll deduction.