SURPASSING 2012-2013 GOALS
Friday, July 26, 2013- Spring Hill, FL- The economy's uptick over the past year spelled success for the 2012-2013 Community Invesment Campaign for United Way of Hernando County, executive director Kathy Jones announced at the organization's annual meeting Thursday.
Striving toward a target of $640,000, the community raised more than $700,000, Jones said. "We've always made our goal," she said, "but we haven't gone over it."
Until now.
Emphasizing that all gifts to the campaign "stay right here in Hernando County," Jones also announced allotments to 18 partner agencies whose initiatives focus on health, education or financial stability. Arc of the Nature Coast, which provides services to the mentally challenged, led the recipient list with an award of $71,300.
Jericho Road Ministries, third in funding with an allocation of $35,000, also earned the United Way's Star Award, designated for "the agency that actually helps United Way, that goes the extra mile," Jones said. "Jericho has really stepped up to the plate, made some huge improvements themselves and has had a huge impact on the community," she said.
In distributing money from the annual fund drive, the United Way's annual report noted that teams from the grant committee, composed of representatives from 30 local businesses and 45 volunteers, visited each applicant site and interviewed agency representatives.
United Way officials recognized as leadership givers those who contributed $1,000 or more to the campaign. Pacing the list of the most generous donors were Publix Supermarkets employees and Publix Charities, the grocery chain's foundation.
"When you look at all the young kids and all the seniors that work there (at Publix in Hernando County), there were about 68 individual givers of $1,000-plus," Jones said.
Leadership awards also were presented to 16 other businesses or their employees, notably SunTrust Bank, Crystal Automotive, Regions Bank, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Wells Fargo Bank and one retiree from Proctor & Gamble.
The United Way's board of directors will gather in late August to establish a goal and consider "moving in a new direction" with the 2013-14 campaign, Jones said.
"My personal goal," she added, "is to be a $1 million United Way."