United Way of Lowndes County utilizes its resources to coordinate meaningful opportunities for the community to help others in need. One of our best-loved community volunteer projects is our annual DAY TO CARE held each September. United Way coordinates the efforts of nearly 200 volunteers from all corners of the community to work for a half day at non-profit organizations, at the homes of elderly and isolated residents, and at community sites to make improvements and complete projects that the recipients have neither the time, skills or resources to conduct for themselves. Following the work, volunteers and agency staff are treated to a luncheon which also serves as the annual campaign kick-off event.

In April of 2005, United Way opened the COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER CENTER as an internal service to provide easy access to a wide range of year-around volunteer opportunities that serve the community. The center links individuals, families and volunteer groups to short term or long term projects that benefit non-profit organizations and local government organizations.

For 17 years we have partnered with the United States Post Office in the annual NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS FOOD DRIVE. Since 2005 donations of non-perishable food items for local food pantries have exceeded two tons each year!

For three years, United Way has partnered with WCBI and United Blood Services to conduct COMMUNITY-WIDE BLOOD DRIVES. In 2008 we partnered with the City of Columbus and held the drive at Trotter Convention Center. Sixty-four units of blood were collected. Held in April or May, the drive precedes the summer months which are normally slow for blood collections and when supplies dip dangerously low. Our goal is to increase the supply in advance to decrease the shortage.

In 2006 we requested and received a grant from 4-County Electric Power Association to conduct a FAN DRIVE to benefit people in our community who had inadequate cooling systems when temperatures soared into the triple digits that summer. The drive has become an annual community-wide event. Helping Hands has served as the distribution center for residents needing fans, and Home Delivered Meals and Dial a Bus have delivered fans to clients they have identified along their routes. Members of the community are encouraged to refer neighbors, church members and others who are eligible for the fans based on need. In 2010, 85 fans were distributed.

During the winter of 2006, United Way began our ANNUAL BLANKET DRIVE for elderly residents living in government housing. We now partner with WCBI and Helping Hands to collect and distribute blankets throughout the community to those who are in need.

United Way of Lowndes County is an active member of the LOCAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE (LEPC) whose efforts are coordinated by the Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency. This diverse group includes city and county government administrators, police, sheriff and fire departments, disaster agencies, city and county schools, MUW, BMH-GT, GTR Airport, Search and Rescue and other agencies that respond to disasters or are charged with the responsibility of large groups of people.

United Way of Lowndes County manages the EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER BLOCK GRANT for Lowndes County. Our responsibilities include chairing the local EFSBG board, serving as the liaison with the national board and local recipient organizations, and convening meetings to identify local needs and measures for responding to them. The federal grant for 2010 is $39,179.00.

In 2007, United Way of Lowndes County purchased CHARITY TRACKER for local crisis intervention agencies. The program is an on-line networking system that enables agencies to share assistance information at any time. The program reduces telephone-tag, ensures that all resources are utilized, and identifies individuals who would attempt to take advantage of our community’s resources. United Way of Lowndes County administers the program covers the expenses for the following agencies to use the program:

United Way staff served on the steering committee for LOAVES AND FISHES and assisted in developing policies, board description, marketing materials and coordinating supply donations.

Hurricane Katrina proved to be a unique challenge for our disaster relief organizations. They were dealing with numbers of evacuees from the Gulf Coast while assisting local residents who had lost wages due to business closures and food and medications due to power outages. United Way worked with local grocers to develop food vouchers paid for with United Way funds so people without power and evacuees in hotel rooms could purchase non-perishable food items. Helping Hands conducted intakes to ensure there were no scammers benefited from the assistance United Way of America provided $40,000 that was immediately distributed to our emergency relief agencies.

Following the STRAIGHT LINE WIND STORM OF 2001, United Way of Lowndes County was instrumental in acquiring a single site where disaster relief organizations could set up services for families and individuals affected by the destruction. The Disaster Relief Center hosted American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, volunteers from RSVP and other agencies that assisted with coordinating and tracking services, and food and clothing distribution.

Caledonia tornado in January of 2008, United Way partnered with WCBI television to collect and distribute much needed clothing and household supplies to families affected by the destruction. United Way and our Community Volunteer Center continued the effort with Helping Hands to coordinate intakes and assessments for statewide church disaster relief groups to address construction and other needs. United Way partnered with local agencies to collect furniture, clothing and supplies for the families affected by the Yorkville Road apartment fires later that same month.

There are many more examples of outreach conducted by United Way of Lowndes County, the Community Volunteer Center and our dedicated volunteers. We continually look for opportunities to utilize our resources for coordinated community service and volunteer efforts.