Mark Your Calendars!

New Board Member Orientation
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Regions Bank @ 8:30 a.m.

Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, April 16, 2009
United Way Office @ 8 a.m.

Riverine Reception
Thursday, April 30, 2009
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

United Way/USPS Food Drive
Saturday, May 9, 2009

Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, May 21, 2009
United Way Office @ 8 a.m.

Community Wide Blood Drive
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
1 to 7 p.m. @ Trotter Lower Level

Volunteers Needed
Visit our volunteer center to learn more about volunteer opportunities in your area and sign up to volunteer.

United Way of Lowndes County
Agencies & Programs
American Red Cross
Boys and Girls Club
Boy Scouts (Pushmataha Council)
Columbus AFB Youth Center
Community Resource Connection
Community Volunteer Center
CONTACT Helpline
Dial-a-Bus
Four H Clubs of Lowndes County
Girl Scouts of Northeast MS
Greater Columbus Learning Center
Helping Hands
Home Delivered Meals
Recovery House
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
The Salvation Army
YMCA

Community Outreach Programs
Disaster Relief Assistance
Affordable Transportation for
Low-Income Residents
Columbus-Lowndes Home Repair for
Low-Income Residents
Charity Tracker
Annual Food Drive
Annual Blood Drive
Annual Fan Drive
Annual Blanket Drive
Prescription Discount Cards
Emergency Food and
Shelter Block Grant
Community Soup Kitchen

2009-2010 Board of Directors
Marilyn Agnew
Lynn Atkins
Susan Bell
John Bowen
John Brady
Kathy Brown
Dr. Gary Bouse
Roger Burlingame
Whirllie Byrd
Beth Cook
Bryant Cook
Will Cooper
William Corder
John R. Davis
Learnard Dickerson
John Dowdle
Dennis Erby
Scott Ferguson
Matt Fowler
Brandt Galloway
Sarah Heinkel
Jason Heliniak
James Hrusovsky
Deborah Junkin
Frances Jutman
George Kerekes
Brenda Lathan
Amber Murphree
Stuart Phillips
Beth Robinson
Scott Singley
Kevin Stafford
Stewart Stafford
Greg Stewart
James Tisminkakis
Leslie Watkins
Jim Wilson

United Way Staff
Janice Ballard, Executive Director
Michelle Avant, Office Manager
Frances Tucker, Receptionist
Meagan Coughlin, Project Coordinator

Learn how you can make a difference. Donate today by calling 328-0943!

THANK YOU Columbus and Lowndes County!
Last year, United Way funded agencies served more than 17,000 Lowndes County residents. Your generous 2009 contributions will ensure those services continue throughout the year.

Community Campaigns
Columbus Municipal School District, Lowndes County School District, City of Columbus Employees, Lowndes County Government Employees, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi University for Women, Residents of Lowndes County

Industrial Campaigns
Omnova Solutions, Weyerhaeuser Columbus Cellulose Fiber, Holcim USA, CECO Building Systems, DOMTAR, PACCAR, SeverStal, Microtek Medical-an Ecolab Company, Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation, Sanderson Plumbing Products, Metso Paper Columbus Service Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle, Weitzenhoffer-Seminole Foundation, Herman & Hazel Owen Foundation, Weyerhaeuser Columbus Modified Fiber, Columbus Brick Company, Burkhalter Rigging, Nammo Talley, Columbus Scrap Materials, American Eurocopter, General Electric, El Paso Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Financial, Insurance, & Real Estate
Cadence Bank, Trustmark Bank, BancorpSouth, Regions Bank, T. E. Lott & Company, Citizens National Bank, Galloway-Chandler-McKinney Insurance, Thomas Kerby & Brown CPA's, Rhett Real Estate, Nationwide Insurance, BankTEL, Century 21 Doris Hardy & Associates, State Farm Company Foundation, Wells Fargo Financial, Allstate Giving Campaign

Professional
Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, Mitchell, McNutt & Sams PA, Dr. David Curtis Pediatric Dentistry, Columbus Urology Group, The Colom Foundation, Columbus Orthopaedic Clinic, Internal Medicine Associates PC, Luke & Kaye Architects, Sims & Sims Attorneys, Otolaryngology Associates, Dr. M. G. Waldrop, Dr. George Elsberry, Dr. James Gatewood, Dr. William Ford, Dr. Alan Williams, Dr. G. Seale Stewart, Dr. Chance Laws, Labcorp of America, Golden Triangle Periodontal, Robert's Apothecary, Link'd Young Professionals, Dr. Frank Batson, Dr. Dean Chow, Callaway Orthodontics

Commercial
4-County Electric Power Association, The Commercial Dispatch, United Parcel Service, University Management & Harvey's, Federal Express, Atmos Energy, Wal-Mart Store 495, Newell Paper Company, Trinity Place Retirement Community, J C Penney 1829, The James & Kate Egger Family, The CPI Group, Inc., AT&T, Reeds of Columbus, Brislin, Inc., Go Box, Columbus Light and Water, JoAnn Walk Ferguson Marketing, IBM, IKON Office Solutions, West Brothers Construction, Memorial Funeral Home, Home-Med Equipment, Graham Roofing, Fitness Factor & KUDOS, Malco Charity Trust, Parker Appliance & Furniture Company, Bob's Paint & Auto Body Shop, Smith Landscaping and The Greenhouse, Premier Ford, Lincoln & Mercury, Mauldin's Unishippers, Stuart C. Irby & Company, McBryde Inc., Martin Truck & Tractor, GNC Leigh Mall, Cash & Carry Building Supply, Lowe's of Columbus

United Way Agencies, Human Service Organizations & Civic Organization Campaigns
Lattice & Lace Garden Club, Frank P. Phillips YMCA, Greater Columbus Learning Center, Girl Scouts Heart of the South, Mississippi Department of Human Services, Ellisville States School, 4-H Clubs of Lowndes County, United Way Employees, American Red Cross, Community Resource Connection, Recovery House, CONTACT Helpline, Helping Hands, Dial a Bus, Home Delivered Meals, Lowndes County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

We Thank the Following Businesses and Individuals for Their Generous In-Kind Support
The Commercial Dispatch, WCBI Television, Baptist Memorial Hospital GT, CableOne, University Management & Harvey's, Mississippi Radio Group & Sunny 93.3, 4-County Electric Power Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Bob's Paint & Auto Body, Celestial Catering, Chris Jenkins Photography, Citizens National Bank, Columbus-Lowndes Development LINK, Commerce Cleaners, Cook's Wrecker Service, Cumulus Broadcasting, First United Methodist Church, Furniture Medic, Kroger Food Store, Kwik Kopy, Lowe's of Columbus, Newell Paper Company, Northeast Mississippi Coca Cola Company, PJ's BBQ, Print Pros, Richard Coughlin, Scotty D. & Christy B., Janes and Sandra Stone, Columbus Packet, Video Magic One, Wal-Mart Store 495, Yellow Freight Systems, Younger Communications

VIEW ANNUAL MEETING PICTURES

Your contribution working year around in Lowndes County

United Way launches Charity Tracker to protect community resources

Lowndes County residents attempting to abuse the system will quickly learn to try their scams somewhere else.

United Way of Lowndes County officially launched the use of Charity Tracker after a one year trial period with the software. The program allows United Way and its agencies to track help given to families and individuals as not to duplicate their services.

"After using other tracking programs and trying to develop a system locally, United Way introduced the software to our human services agencies on a trial basis, "United Way Executive Director Jan Ballard said.

"The program allows our agencies to work together to make the best use of their resources and to ensure that those who are in real need are served, rather than those who would abuse the system," Ballard said.

United Way agencies utilizing the program include the Community Resource Connection, CONTACT Helpline, Helping Hands, and The Salvation Army.

"The software has made it much easier to weed out the people trying to abuse the system from the individuals who really need the help," Community Resource Connection Project Coordinator Jennifer Garrard said.

Garrard said the misuse of the agency's resources and the duplication of services decreased nearly fifty percent since the Community Resource Connection began using the software.

"Sadly, there are people who attempt to scam multiple charities for assistance," Ballard said.

"Agencies that use Charity Tracker can quickly find out if someone has received help from another organization, for what purpose, and for how much."

Columbus Letter Carriers and United Way help Stamp Out Hunger

Local letter carriers are teaming up with United Way of Lowndes County in the annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger food drive to benefit local non-profit food pantries. The NALC is asking city residents to leave non-perishable food donations in a bag near their mailboxes to be picked up by the carriers on Saturday, May 9.

"Last year letter carriers collected more than two tons of food items that were distributed to United Way agencies in Lowndes County that serve the needy, including Helping Hands, Recovery House, Safe Haven, The Salvation Army and the Community Resource Connection. First Assembly of God James Cook Food Pantry will also benefit from the drive. We are very grateful to the NALC for their efforts, and to the community for its response," Executive Director of United Way of Lowndes County Jan Ballard said.

The NACL National Food Drive has emerged as the largest one-day food drive in the nation. Local organizer Jeff McDonald is hopeful that this year's drive will exceed the record 4,400 pounds of food that was collected in Columbus last year. Letter carriers are asking for food items such as canned fruits, meat, and vegetables, as well as dry pasta and rice and other items that can be stored without refrigeration. Glass containers and out-of-date items should not be included.

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