The United Way of the CSRA (UWCSRA) rallied supporters and volunteers during a Friday breakfast event kicking off the 2024 campaign.
The goal for the new campaign is $2.4 million. Brittany Burnett, President and CEO of UWCSRA, told ABD the money will support existing programs, along with expanding.
“We’ve actually recently expanded our footprint into Screven County, so we’re going to cover some of the folks there. We’re going to increase our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, which helps hardworking families get their taxes done at no charge. And then, we’re also launching Mission United which is a program that’s really focused on veterans and military service members. Many times, their services can be a little fragmented and hard to navigate, so we will serve as a central point to help navigate those services,” she explained.
Burnett said the program will be available to the 54,000 military families that live in her organization’s coverage area.
Dozens of businesses and corporations in the CSRA are part of the United Way team. Joanna Conley, CEO of Doctors Hospital, and a member of the Board of Directors, said participating with UWCSRA is a way to connect with the local community.
“We know being a part of the healthcare safety net of our community that it’s also important for us to connect our patients and others in the community with other services that they may need, whether that be mental health counseling and services or those who are experiencing homelessness or food insecurity,” she said.
Burnett said the organization is also being contacted by the region’s newest corporate citizens.
“We’ve got great partners like Aurubis, who have done just that. And we also know, as our new companies are coming to town, they’re looking at how to engage best. So, if we can go ahead and engage them early, and connect them and their employees to the things that matter most to them, it will help our entire community thrive,” she said.
The kickoff highlighted an often overlooked segment of society identified as “ALICE,” Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
“These are hardworking families in our community that are actually making more than the federal poverty level, but they are making less than what they need to make ends meet and meet the basics of a household survival budget,” UWCSRA President and CEO Brittany Burnett told the hundreds attending the event.
Burnett said 51% of households in the region fall under the ALICE category, ranging from 26% in Aiken County to 43% in Richmond County.
The theme for the 2024 campaign is “Imagine with Us a Greater CSRA.”
In addition to donating through the workplace, contributions can be made at the UWCSRA website: https://www.uwcsra.org/donate.
