 |
The holidays are known as the season of giving. For the Edisto Council of the United Way, giving is not just limited to one season because it is a year-round endeavor for the organization.
This year, the United Way set a fund-raising goal of $200,000.
Director Debra Smith admits the organization has not quite reached that goal, but she remains confident it can still be achieved.
"Quite a few companies and organizations have yet to report; it definitely can be reached this year," Smith said.
She noted, however, that the Christmas season may have placed a strain on giving and that, ultimately, reaching the United Way's 2007 goals could involve extending fund-raising into January.
Currently, the total raised this year is a little more than $156,000, which is dispersed to various groups and organizations throughout the community.
The United Way is encouraging companies in the area to hold employee campaigns, where small payroll deductions can be taken out for those wishing to donate to United Way.
"We still can reach our goal to meet the needs of our citizens. That would be awesome," Smith said.
Dr. Howard Hill has been a volunteer with the United Way since 2006 and says he has seen it make an enormous difference in people's lives. His involvement has enlightened him to the great needs of the community, Hill said.
"It empowers people to fend for themselves economically, socially and be better members of the community," he said of the United Way. He said the organization is making a comeback and has reemerged to be a true agency of significance in the community.
The amount of money that partner organizations receive from the United Way varies and is determined by a 17-member board. Smith said all the members of the board are active members and donate many hours to the cause.
Board members include Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College President Dr. Anne Crook, Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller, Cox Industries CEO W.B. Cox Jr., Orangeburg Consolidated School District 4 Superintendent Dr. Darrell Johnson and South Carolina Bank and Trust Regional President Gene McConnell.
The American Red Cross received the largest donation from the United Way with $16,000 while the Greater Santee Literacy Council had the smallest, getting $550.
Edisto Habitat for Humanity and the Orangeburg County Council on Aging got two of the larger donations, receiving $14,600 and $10,000 respectively.
Habitat for Humanity Director Jamie Bozardt said the donations allowed them to construct a few extra houses that would not be possible without the United Way. It has also helped in the area of advertising and hiring staff, she said. Bozardt also appreciates the knowledge that money is coming in every month.
"It's nice to have that consistency," she said.
Sheryl Jeffcoat, director of the Orangeburg County Council of Aging, said that agency's donation gave them the chance to feed 10 more people a year with their Meals on Wheels program. The program feeds the elderly with five meals per week over the course of a year.
Jeffcoat noted that the United Way is making a strong comeback in the region and that their involvement with the Council of Aging has been a tremendous boost for them.
She said the United Way makes it easy for people to donate to one organization that in turn helps out numerous, worthy ones in the community.
Smith wants the organization to continue to be proactive in areas that need to be addressed. She noted that Orangeburg County was recently named 10th in the nation in the percentage of people living below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census.
"It shows what great needs there are here," Smith said.
Recently, the organization received a $500,000 compassion capital fund grant to address poverty and education in the area. The grant came from the Office of Community Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It will be used specifically to help the homeless and at-risk youth in six counties, including Orangeburg and Calhoun.
The grant will benefit the United Way's Partners in Compassion program. It will be a collaboration between United Way of the Midlands, the Edisto Council of the United Way, Women in Philanthropy, SCANPO, Claflin University and the Central Carolina Community Foundation.
This summer the United Way worked with the Department of Public Utilities to inform people on how to reduce their utility bills this year. Smith said assistance with utility bills has been the most requested form of help this year.
With record temperatures this summer, the United Way and the Rotary Club partnered to give out 20 air conditioners to people who did not have cooling units in their homes.
The United Way has also helped to establish two new organizations in the area to help those in need. A food pantry will open in Calhoun County early next year as part of a collaboration with Harvest Hope Food Bank. Also, the organization supported the Family Service Center of South Carolina to open an office in Orangeburg.
The Family Service Center provides credit counseling and negotiates with mortgage lenders to help families in financial crisis keep their homes.
Smith said the goals for next year are to continue to expand the organization's reach. She credited United Way's partner organizations with doing a great job of promoting the United Way in the area.
"Hopefully, it will continue to grow," she said.
Organizations benefitting from the Edisto Council of the United Way include: the American Red Cross, the Indian Waters Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Calhoun County First S.jpg, Edisto Habitat for Humanity, Girl Scouts-Carolina Low County, Greater Santee Literacy Council, Orangeburg Adult Literacy Council, Orangeburg Boys and Girls Club, Orangeburg Council on Aging, Orangeburg County Disabilities and Special Needs, Project Life: Positeen, Salvation Army, Samaritan House and Sunlight Club.
To contact the Edisto Council of the United Way, call 803-531-9990. The Family Service Center is located at 976 Middleton St., Suite 11 in Orangeburg. The phone number is 803-533-0394.
T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.