By: Melissa Reabold, CEO, MBA, CFRE
Changing the calendar is an activity that I look forward to with anticipation each year. It’s not just picking out the calendar, which can be a difficult choice with all the various style options; it is the actual action of setting up my new calendar that gives me a feeling of hope for the future.
As I turn the page to January 2025, I take time to reflect on the prior year’s professional accomplishments. In this past year, your United Way focused on community impact by delving deeper into how we can better support specific demographics through our ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) initiative. Workplace partners used their annual fundraising activities as a time for fun and team building while making a difference in our community. And one of the most significant accomplishments this year is the return of volunteers after a long post-COVID hiatus. All of these accomplishments were possible under the umbrella of Team United’s rallying call to the community: “United for You.”
Everyone who heard this message was invited to join the movement to make impact where we live, work, and play. Through the 2024 Day of Caring volunteer event, 515 volunteers completed 48 projects – a testament to the power of teamwork and compassion. To date, 700 volunteers have contributed nearly 5600 hours in support of United Way’s mission.
Reflecting on the past year, I lean into the team comradery and fun created through the workplace campaigns, the professional development opportunities that agencies and community leaders had access to, and, I would be remiss if I didn’t include the efforts everyone has made thus far to raise funds in support of important and vital programs and services.
Looking toward the future, I have a lot of hope. I am hopeful that we will continue to find ways, big and small, to work together and be united in our efforts to create a stronger community through the gifts of time, talent and treasure. When we unite for hope, individuals and families know that someone cares and things will get better. Agencies receive the resources they need to provide services to community members, paving the way for a better future. Together, with renewed determination, we can make an even greater impact in 2025 as we Unite for Hope.
Let’s keep turning the pages toward a future full of possibility. Thank you for being part of this journey and for making our community a better place to live, work, and thrive.