Oak Ridge Today

Picture: United Way celebrates ‘Christmas in July’

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United Way Christmas in July

United Way of Anderson County kicked off its annual campaign with a “Christmas in July” fundraiser at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge on July 13. Proceeds will help fund UWAC’s 34 agency partners and their three core areas of service: providing basic needs, developing our youth, and enabling seniors to live with honor. (Photo by D. Ray Smith)

United Way of Anderson County kicked off its annual campaign with a “Christmas in July” fundraiser at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge on July 13. The evening included a cocktail hour, silent auction, buffet dinner, ugly Christmas sweater contest, and a live auction.

Proceeds from this year’s event will help fund UWAC’s 34 agency partners and their three core areas of service: providing basic needs, developing our youth, and enabling seniors to live with honor.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory kicked off its United Way campaign in June with the help of University of Tennessee football coach Butch Jones. [Read more…]

UT football coach helps ORNL kick off United Way campaign

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Butch Jones at ORNL United Way Kickoff

Fans of University of Tennessee football and supporters of the United Way had a chance to see UT coach Butch Jones, right, on Monday at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s United Way campaign kickoff. (ORNL photo by Jason Richards)

University of Tennessee football coach Butch Jones helped Oak Ridge National Laboratory kick off this year’s United Way campaign on Monday morning.

“United Way means everything,” Jones said after discussing leadership—and football—with several hundred workers at ORNL. “It’s a great way to give back to your community.”

He said United Way agencies help about 100,000 people in the Knoxville area. [Read more…]

United Way donations down after security breach, contractor changes

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United Way of Anderson County

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…]

United Way will announce 2012 campaign results in annual meeting Thursday

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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…]

Medicaid expansion discussed at next Interagency Coalition Meeting

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A possible expansion of Medicaid will be discussed at an Anderson County Interagency Coalition meeting next week.

Representatives of all health and social service providers in Anderson County are invited to attend, a press release said.

The meeting will be held at the Anderson County Health Department from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday.

[Read more…]

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

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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.

[Read more…]

Monday forum on homelessness in Anderson County

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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.

UWAC announces 2012 campaign chair, fundraising goal

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United Way Campaign Cabinet Members

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…]