United Way readies for community service

Lessow served on the United Way board from 1994 until 2001 and actively volunteered for several committees from 2001 until 2003, while simultaneously chairing the Monroe County United Way campaign. He said he is very familiar with the role United Way plays in the Bloomington community as well as in Monroe and surrounding counties. \n"United Way can help provide resources as (needs) emerge (within the community)," Lessow said. \nThe United Way provides resources by raising funds for the 25 certified agencies in Monroe County with the resources and education the community demands of them. \nAccording to its Web site, the vision of United Way is to provide the community with sufficient food, a safe place to live, access to health care, access to emergency services, the opportunity for youth to grow and prosper, the education of skills and support needed to enter and stay in the work force, and support of the elderly in their efforts to be independent. \nEach of the 25 agencies accomplishes one or more of these visions with their individual programs.\n"(The relationship between the agencies) is a great power," Lessow said, referring to the monthly meetings in which each agency comes to address their needs, share the services they provide and advertise their latest projects and events. "They provide great information on the needs of the community, allowing (the United Way) to track and cover them." \nLessow also added that United Way's limited budget forces it to prioritize the community's needs, providing only programs that are the most pertinent to the well-being of the community. \nSuch events include after-school programs and other educational environments as well as teaching the Bloomington community about job opportunities and health care.\n"(Monroe County United Way) has to look out for the good of all the community, keeping a balance," Lessow said.\nThe campaign goal is set at $1.6 million for the upcoming 2005 year, Lessow said. In order to reach this amount, businesses and other organizations within the community are offered the chance to get involved. \nMany choose to give a certain percentage from their payrolls every month, while others chose to hold large fund-raisers to benefit United Way.\n"(The United Way's member agencies) touch the lives of one out of every five residents of the county," said Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Kumble R. Subbaswamy. "Since the IU community makes up one out of every four residents within the county, we are helping one another. It is truly neighbors helping neighbors." \nHe also said the United Way campaign is the only way in which IU raises charitable funds as an entire organization.\nIU and its students have a great impact on the Bloomington and Monroe County community. Last year alone, the faculty and staff, with the help of students, raised $602,686 for United Way's campaign. This year, the University has raised its bar a little higher to $615,000, an estimated 40 percent of the entire Monroe County United Way goal.\nThe United Way is not merely supported by the University fiscally, but its member agencies are also supported by the thousands of volunteers that get involved each year. \n"The success of the United Way campaign depends on having broad participation from the IU family; the more individuals who participate at whatever level, the greater the chances for success," said IU Dean of Education Gerardo González, the Monroe County United Way campaign co-chair.\nGonzález said he believes it is the giving and campaign-supporting of students and others on a limited income that makes a difference.\n"(It) encourages others to contribute and underscores the importance of the United Way to the health and well-being of the community in which we live," he said.\n-- Contact staff writer Melissa Swyers at mswyers@indiana.edu .