Allocations Outcome

United Way places more weight on basic needs funding

By Angela Ward award@news-journal.com |

The Greater Longview United Way announced its funding allocations to partner agencies this week and implemented a new multi-year funding process, Executive Director Donna Mahurin said.

"While the actual dollar amounts each program gets over the next three years will vary according to how well our campaign does annually, the percentages will remain the same," Mahurin said.

"We believe this will allow program directors to more easily plan for the future and to better manage their budgets."

The allocations committee also made some changes based on the Community Needs Assessment Survey. The survey is done every three years and helps the committee make sure the funds are going to address the most critical needs in the community.

"With the difficult economic situation, both nationally and locally, the programs that meet basic needs like food and shelter are seeing the greatest increase in demand," Mahurin said. "So we've increased their funding somewhat. Unfortunately, that means we've had to decrease the funding to some of the programs that meet other needs, such as literacy and substance abuse."

The Greater Longview United Way raised $1.294 million in its 2009-10 campaign.

Doris Ramaly, executive director of the Longview Interfaith Hospitality Network, said she was pleased at the increase in funding the Inn-Keepers Housing Program received.

"We've been helping more families, and the costs for our supplies have gone up, so we really appreciate getting more help," Ramaly said.

Although programs run by the Women's Center of East Texas received less funding than in 2009, Executive Director Shannon Trest said she was still grateful to the Greater Longview United Way.

"Everything we get is useful, and I know that fundraising has been difficult recently," Trest said.

****
United Way partner agency allocations

Program, Partner agency, Team, 2010 funding, 2009 funding

Positive Youth Development, American Red Cross, Education, $9,000, $13,000

Boy Scouts/Venturing, Boy Scouts, East Texas Area Council, Education, $10,800, $9,300

Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, East Texas Area Council, Education, $15,800, $11,500

Learning for Life/Exploring, Boy Scouts, East Texas Area Council, Education, $10,800, $9,300

The Positive Place, Boys & Girls Club of Gregg County, Education, $20,000, $26,500

Adult Basic Literacy and ESL, East Texas Literacy Council, Education, $36,000, $39,000

Young Adult Dropout Literacy Program, East Texas Literacy Council, Education, $6,000, $7,500

Partners in Prevention Mentoring Program, Friends of Partners in Prevention, Education, $28,000, $23,000

Girl Scouting in the School Day, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, Education, $20,000, $20,000

Childcare Scholarships, Longview Child Development Center, Education, $80,000, $91,750

Learning Lab, Longview Community Ministries, Education, $14,000, $15,000

Children’s Place Programs, SeeSaw Children'€™s Place, Education, $66,400, $72,500

We Can Too! Downtown Coffee Shop, The ARC of Gregg County, Education, $8,000, $10,000

SMART Moves, Boys & Girls Club of Gregg County, Health, $5,000, $5,00

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, Deaf Action Center, Health, $5,000, N/A (New request)

East Texas CASA, East Texas Child Advocates, Health, $17,500, $10,000

Getting Together Safely, East Texas Child Advocates, Education, $17,500, $20,439

Access to Recovery Program, East Texas Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse, Health, $50,000, $68,050

Gregg County Family Drug Court, East Texas Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse, Health, $30,000, $40,000

Health Literacy, East Texas Literacy Council, Health, $4,000, $8,000

Fredonia Place, Fredonia Place (Community Healthcore), Health, $12,988, $12,988

Prescription and Medical Assistance, Longview Community Ministries, Health, $25,000, $25,000

Emergency Dental Outreach, Longview Community Ministries, Health, $10,000, $15,000

Parent Education Classes, Parenting Resource Center of East Texas, Health, $25,000, $25,000

Nonresidential Program Services, Women’s Center of East Texas, Health, $25,000, $34,000

Residential Program Services, Women’s Center of East Texas, Health, $37,387, $50,000

Emergency Services/Services to Armed Forces, American Red Cross, Income, $51,000, $53,707

Circles of East Texas, Friends of Partners in Prevention, Income, $17,000, $12,430

Emergency Rental Assistance, Longview Community Ministries, Income, $26,000, $24,327

Food Box, Longview Community Ministries, Income, $36,000, $16,964

Incremental Housing Assistance, Longview Community Ministries, Income, $32,000, $28,055

Meals on Wheels, Longview Community Ministries, Income, $20,000, $19,326

Utility Assistance, Longview Community Ministries, Income, $19,000, $9,707

Self-Help Home Ownership Program, Longview Habitat for Humanity, Income, $55,000, $53,145

Inn-Keepers Housing Program, Longview Interfaith Hospitality Network, Income, $20,000, $15,964

Comprehensive Emergency Assistance, The Salvation Army, Income, $51,353, $52,353

Transitional Living Program, The Salvation Army, Income, $22,000, $25,206

Source: Greater Longview United Way

© Copyright 2010, Longview News-Journal, Longview, TX. Powered by Blox Content Management System from TownNews.com. [Terms of Use | Privacy Policy]

Bringing people and services together is as easy as a few clicks on the mouse. The 2010 Resource Directory is now available online at www.longviewunitedway.org/INFOline.php. “INFOline provides information and referral to help individuals, families, and community members effectively access the programs that comprise the human service delivery system in Gregg County.”

If you prefer to call, INFOline’s English and Spanish-speaking specialists will always answer questions or assist with needs not addressed online. Contact them at 903.236.9211, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.

INFOline of Gregg County is a GLUW initiative and together we serve our community.

National Stroke Awareness Month

Health is 1 of the 3 focus areas with the greatest concern in our community. In addition to funding 13 health programs for Gregg County residents, GLUW would like to share awareness/prevention information.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in America, but many people do not realize how educating themselves and others will help reduce the incidence of stroke. We urge you to specifically educate others about how to:
*STOP stroke through risk factor management.
*Act F.A.S.T. to increase recognition of and response to stroke symptoms.
*Spread HOPE about recovery from stroke.

Image and information provided by National Stroke Association, for more information please visit www.stroke.org.

It's allocation time here at GLUW!

We have our volunteers in Community Solutions Teams for: Education, Income and Health. Before the big day teams underwent training from GLUW and the United Ways of Texas. Our volunteers are invaluable- devoting so much time (attending orientation, agency tours and reviewing applications) leading up to the finale.

This year, Stephanie Guidry and Roxanne Jones from Austin facilitated the Outcomes Training for new and returning volunteers. As a new volunteer on the Income Team, I was eager to see this process come full circle. In one day teams listen to agency interviews, and evaluate how programs are addressing critical needs according to the 2010 Community Needs Assessment Survey and INFOline of Gregg County statistics.

Through the allocation process we advance the common good and reassure GLUW's donors their dollars are well spent.