A small crowd of board members and supporters gathered on the Callaway County Courthouse lawn Monday to celebrate another milestone year for the Callaway County United Way.
The United Way has secured the donations that put it at its 2013 Fall Campaign goal of $265,000, as Honorary Campaign Chairs Barney and Jane Forsythe ceremonially marked the top of the thermometer chart that tallied the charitable group's progress.
"I would like to thank all the businesses, employees and individuals that contributed to the campaign this year," Executive Director Kathy Richey Liddle said in a statement released before the ceremony. "Our partner agencies provide more than 200 programs and services, and nearly 20,000 people in Callaway County benefited from these services last year."
The United Way annually funds a number of agencies throughout Callaway County devoted to meeting health and human services needs. This year, the United Way will fund 13 partner agencies: the Boy Scouts Great Rivers Council, 4-H, the Callaway County Senior Center, Head Start, CARDV, the Family Counseling Center of Missouri, Girl Scouts, CASA, Phoenix Home Care, Kingdom Projects, Mid-Missouri Legal Services, Our House and SERVE, Inc.
Despite raising its campaign goal from $261,000 to $265,000, the United Way broke last year's record for the shortest amount of time it raised it's goal amount. Board President Glenn Harris said it's also on its way to being the group's most successful fundraising year overall.
"The campaign isn't over yet," Harris said. "The more funds we secure, the more we're able to raise to make Callaway a better place."
The Forsythes said it was exciting to be part of such a successful campaign to help the county.
"The credit goes to the United Way team," Barney Forsythe said. "The county's not out of the recession yet, but the fact that the community comes out and supports its neighbors is great."
The increased goal reflects a greater need in Callaway County. More than 15 percent of Callaway's population, or three out of every 20 people, are at or below the poverty level, according to Missourians to End Poverty. Groups such as the Fulton Soup Kitchen have noticed a steady increase in demand as cuts to federal nutrition programs such as SNAP have made it harder for people in need to afford food.
Excess funds from United Way campaigns go toward the newly-established Community Enhancement Grants - which provide small grants throughout the year to different organizations or individuals who make contributions to the community -and the Agency Crisis Fund, which helps established agencies manage an increase in clients brought on by economic downturn.