United Way provides the power of community

Julie Guevara, Grand Valley's assessment and accreditation officer, is passionate about supporting the university's United Way campaign because it allows her to help build a stronger community. She said she plans to support this year's campaign, which runs October 1-15.

"There's a real sense of community that grows from giving in a collective kind of way," Guevara said. "I think that everybody wants to be helpful, but people don't always know where to start."
Guevara's belief in the value of collective giving stems in part from her belief in collective responsibility. "Part of being a member of a community is being responsible for the other people who live in that community and making sure their essential needs are met," Guevara said. "When the members of a community are physically and emotionally healthy, we all benefit directly."

With the current state of Michigan's economy, it's more important than ever to support the United Way campaign, Guevara said. "United Way gives hope to people in a crisis, and many people in Michigan are facing crisis. Home foreclosures are on the rise, homelessness among single mothers with young children has increased and people are simply struggling to support their families basic needs," she said.

Just because Guevara is a staunch supporter of United Way, that doesn't mean she always agrees with its policies. She said she has had disagreements with United Way over the years, such as when the organization required funded agencies to sign an anti-terrorism pledge in the wake of September 11.

"I was very disappointed in United Way," Guevara said. "I think they were making a rule for the exception."

But that didn't deter her from supporting the campaign. "Just because I disagree with United Way on that issue, that doesn't mean I withdrew my support. United Way's work is critical to the health of our communities," she said.