United Way of Anderson County Archives

United Way donations down after security breach, contractor changes

April 19, 2013 By John Huotari 8 Comments

Tom Hilton, 2012-2013 campaign chair, left, with outgoing United Way of Anderson County Board President Jimmy Stone, who accepted the No. 1 Company Campaign Award on behalf of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy of D. Ray Smith)

Donations to the United Way of Anderson County were down this year, and on Thursday, officials cited challenges in the federal contracting community, including the July 28 security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex and the later departure of security contractor WSI.

There was also an end to federal stimulus money, a freeze in federal budgets and salaries, and a new consolidated contract to manage Y-12 and the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, which could result in the departure of B&W Y-12, said Rick Morrow, UWAC executive director.

The United Way of Anderson County had hoped to raise $1.4 million in the fiscal year that ended March 31, but volunteers and staff members fell short of that, collecting $1,277,771. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Community, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: B&W Y-12, budgets, Buzz Patrick, DOE, DOE contractors, donations, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Rick Morrow, Rober Kiger, security breach, Tom Hilton, U.S. Department of Energy, United Way, United Way of Anderson County, UT-Battelle, UWAC, WSI, Y-12 National Security Complex

United Way will announce 2012 campaign results in annual meeting Thursday

April 17, 2013 By John Huotari Leave a Comment

It’s been a challenging year, and the United Way of Anderson County is scaling back its annual meeting this year and reducing expenses.

The campaign results from 2012 will be announced at an annual meeting at 7:30 a.m. Thursday at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, a UWAC member agency. The meeting is open to the public with advance reservation. It will include a brief networking and continental breakfast, followed by the annual business meeting and campaign recognition. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Community, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: annual meeting, Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, fundraising, Greta Ownby, programs, Rick Morrow, services, Tom Hilton, United Way of Anderson County, UWAC

Emory Valley Center donates to United Way

February 6, 2013 By Emory Valley Center Leave a Comment

Pictured above from left to right are Georgia Brownfield and Heather Gann of Emory Valley Center, United Way chair Tom Hilton, and Robin Biloski of EVC. (Submitted photo)

Emory Valley Center recently presented a check for $16,320 to Tom Hilton from Y-12 Federal Credit Union, the 2012 United Way Chair.

“United Way is a generous donor to Emory Valley Center, and we as employees felt the best way to let the agency know of our appreciation was to contribute to the fund campaign,” said Heather Gann, EVC United Way Leader. “United Way of Anderson County is such a support system to so many agencies, and we are also a support system to adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities; it just seemed a natural fit.”

“We so much appreciate the donation of the many Emory Valley Center employees,” Hilton said. “We are pleased to assist agencies such as Emory Valley Center as they do so much for the community.”

Filed Under: Community, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: donation, Emory Valley Center, EVC, Heather Gann, Tom Hilton, United Way of Anderson County

Federal funds available through United Way for emergency food, shelter programs

December 5, 2012 By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County has been awarded almost $30,000 in federal funds under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.

The money will be used to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county, the United Way of Anderson County said in a Wednesday morning press release.

American Centrifuge Manufacturing donates $60,000 to United Way

November 22, 2012 By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Ronnie Gardner and a team representing American Centrifuge Manufacturing LLC, a joint company between B&W and USEC, present Tom Hilton, United Way of Anderson County’s 2012 Campaign Chairman, with a check for $60, 554 from a recently completed 2012 United Way Campaign. (Submitted photo)

American Centrifuge Manufacturing LLC recently donated $60,554 to United Way of Anderson County, a press release said.

American Centrifuge Manufacturing is a joint company between B&W and USEC, the release said.

The money was raised during the company’s recently completed 2012 United Way Campaign on behalf of the 136 employees of B&W and USEC who work for American Centrifuge Manufacturing, the release said.

Monday forum on homelessness in Anderson County

November 2, 2012 By John Huotari 2 Comments

A Monday afternoon forum at the Oak Ridge Jewish Congregation will focus on homelessness in Anderson County.

The speaker will be Rick Morrow, executive director of the United Way of Anderson County. He will address the question, “Is there really a homeless problem in Anderson County?”

The community forum starts at 2 p.m., and it’s sponsored by the Women’s Interfaith Dialogue, a press release said.

The release said 31 people were identified as unsheltered homeless in Anderson County in January 2012. Another 20 people were in shelters, and 34 more were “precariously housed” and almost homeless. That’s a total of 85 people in need of a home, the release said.

The primary causes for homelessness in Anderson County are job losses, a lack of affordable housing, underemployment or low incomes, domestic violence, and substance abuse, the release said.

Monday’s forum is expected to include information about initiatives to address the serious issue of homelessness in the area.

The Oak Ridge Jewish Congregation is at 101 W. Madison Lane.

Filed Under: Community, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, homelessness, Oak Ridge Jewish Congregation, Rick Morrow, United Way of Anderson County, Women's Interfaith Dialogue

UWAC announces 2012 campaign chair, fundraising goal

August 9, 2012 By John Huotari Leave a Comment

United Way of Anderson County 2012 Campaign Cabinet members are, from left, Mike Belbeck, Jim Reafsnyder, Marilyn Reafsynder, Tom Hilton, and D. Ray Smith. Not pictured are David Bradshaw, Brenda Curtis, and Jenny Freeman. (Photo submitted by UWAC)

The United Way of Anderson County has named a chair for the 2012 fundraising campaign and announced a fundraising goal of $1.4 million.

Tom Hilton is the chair, and “Lives Touched Through Sustained Services” is the theme of this year’s fundraising campaign, a press release said.

“It will take about $1.4 million to sustain services and be there when people need us,” Hilton said. “With the dollars you donated last year, we were able to be there when someone needed help over 51,000 times.”

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: fundraising, Rick Morrow, Tom Hilton, United Way of Anderson County, UWAC

UCOR and United Way enjoy special showing at Oak Ridge Playhouse

July 30, 2012 By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Cleanup contractor UCOR and the United Way of Anderson County enjoy a special showing of Damn Yankees at the Oak Ridge Playhouse. (Submitted photo)

UCOR, the federal cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, hosted a special performance of “Damn Yankees” at the Oak Ridge Playhouse earlier this month in celebration of the company’s first year of work at the East Tennessee Technology Park.

The performance was for more than 220 staff members, friends, and colleagues.

Also attending the special showing was the United Way of Anderson County Pillar Society, a group of more than 120 leadership donors who have contributed $1,000 or more each year to the United Way, a UWAC press release said.

Y-12 historian named local United Way Volunteer of Year

May 9, 2012 By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian, has a passion for explaining the plant's history and has been named Anderson County United Way Volunteer of the Year. (Photo submitted by B&W Y-12)

Historian D. Ray Smith has been named 2011 Volunteer of the Year by the United Way of Anderson County.