2009 United Way Campaign: Building on Success

Last fall, the entire nation was in the midst an economic meltdown of frightening proportions. For local United Way organizations, the bad news sparked two troublesome trends — calls for assistance rocketed while donations plummeted.

Members of the Grand Valley community heard the call and responded to the crisis. In 2008, Grand Valley’s United Way Campaign raised more than $141,000 — an increase of $10,000 over the previous year. And for the first time since 2002, more than 50 percent of faculty and staff members gave. In total, 66 percent of faculty and staff returned their forms, which marked an 8 percent increase over 2007.

That participation made a big difference for local United Ways. While many other United Ways across the nation posted decreases as great as 15 percent, both Kent County’s Heart of West Michigan United Way and Greater Ottawa United Way were down 4 percent in the 2008 campaign. Because of that success, both organizations were able to tap into reserve funds and maintain current levels of funding to agencies battling an uncertain economy and diminished funding sources.

“When we placed the call to the community that the campaign might be struggling due to economic conditions, many organizations and individuals responded, and Grand Valley was one of those organizations,” said Michael C. De Meyer, vice president of Strategic Marketing and Donor Relations at Heart of West Michigan United Way. “We greatly value our partnership with Grand Valley and appreciate its response to last year’s campaign.”

Patrick Moran, president of Greater Ottawa County United Way, agreed. “It doesn’t take a small number of people doing everything, it takes everybody doing their part,” he said. “West Michigan is extremely supportive in general, and we look forward to continuing our wonderful partnership with Grand Valley.”

Even though Grand Valley faculty and staff gave at record levels last year, many community needs persist. That’s why it is important for members of the Grand Valley community to give during the 2009 campaign, which runs September 30 through October 14.

Moran said one in four people in Ottawa County are served by a United Way program. De Meyer noted that Kent County continues to face challenges. Calls to United Way’s 2-1-1 referral hotline have increased. Often this is the first place people turn to for help when they don’t know where to go. 2-1-1 calls support reports that nearly 90,000 people in Michigan will lose their unemployment benefits by the end of this year, with more than 5,000 coming from Kent County alone. Requests for emergency food assistance have increased by 21 percent in the past year. Mortgage assistance requests have increased year to date by 82 percent.

“Working together for the common good is what strong, successful communities do, especially when times are tough. We’re counting on the giving spirit of the West Michigan community to demonstrate itself again in this year’s campaign,” De Meyer said.