Valley United Way joins global day of giving Nov. 29

SHELTON - Valley United Way has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide.

Occurring this year on Nov. 29, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

Valley United Way is fighting to improve the lives of every person in our community.  

United Way envisions a world where all individuals and families achieve their potential through health, education and financial stability.

Each year, the dollars Valley United Way raises are invested into local programs, services and our Volunteer Center.  In the last year alone, donations to Valley United way allowed us and our funded partners to help 107,964 Valley residents by providing basic needs, assisting people in crisis situations and preparing youth to be successful in life.

Community Campaign Chair Jimmy Tickey said, “The Valley United Way and our partner agencies do unparalleled work in the community, but it all begins with our Community Campaign. Without the funds raised into our Community Campaign; we cannot allocate funding locally. And without that, the Valley United Way cannot help to strengthen families, help people in need and prepare youth to succeed.”

Tickey continued, “The old adage is true – with the United Way, you give once but help many. Please join us in Giving Tuesday this year, and help us fight for a stronger community now and in our future.”

92Y − a cultural center in New York City that, since 1874, has been bringing people together around its core values of community service and giving back − conceptualized #GivingTuesday as a new way of linking individuals and causes to strengthen communities and encourage giving. 

In 2015, the fourth year of the movement, #GivingTuesday brought together over 45,000 partners in 71 countries and helped raise nearly $117 Million online in the US alone.

“We have been incredibly inspired by the generosity in time, efforts and ideas that have brought our concept for a worldwide movement into reality,” said Henry Timms, founder of #GivingTuesday and executive director of 92Y. “As we embark on our fifth year of #GivingTuesday, we are encouraged by the early response from partners eager to continue making an impact in this global conversation.”

Those who are interested in joining Valley United Way’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit www.valleyunitedway.org.

This is a press release from Valley United Way, the leading philanthropic resource for the Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton matching the needs of the community and the interests of donors to improve the quality of life in the community. 

United Way supports and creates initiatives addressing youth, families, and people in crisis. 

Each year Valley United Way funds programs and organizations that make a measurable difference in the lives of people living and working in the Valley.

Valley United Way allocates more than $450K for local nonprofit programs

Boys & Girls Club tops list of agencies

SHELTON - Valley United Way's Board of Directors is pleased to announce more than $450,000 in allocations for programs and services in the Valley. 

The decision followed an extensive review of requests conducted by United Way's allocations volunteers headed by Ned Miller and Ron Villani. 

Twenty-one volunteers spent time in May and June visiting with the agencies and examining their budgets and programs.

Valley United Way President & C.O.O. Jack Walsh noted that the volunteers devoted an enormous amount of time to the process to ensure that the dollars allocated return the best possible impact to the community. 

He thanked the volunteers for their hard work and dedication in making the difficult funding decisions as the requests always exceed the amount of funding available. "It's an important and difficult task, but they do an exceptional job of balancing the needs of the community with the available funding," he said. 

The funding runs from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017.

Members of the Allocations Committee were Tom Christiano, Mark Daconto, John DeGray, Jim Geissler, Dave Grant, Mona Kadiwar, Jennifer Kalasardo, Rob Lesko, and Mary McNelis. 

Also serving were Mary Ann Miskowicz, Tricia O'Malley, Cindy Rinaldi, Rich Rosen, Bob VanEgghen, Rob VanEgghen, Scott Walker, Patricia Webster, Tom Welch and Phil White.

Allocations were made to American Red Cross ($18,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters ($4,000), Boy Scouts - Housatonic Council ($40,000), Boys & Girls Club ($85,000), Catholic Charities ($36,000), Christian Counseling Center ($6,000), Derby Day Care Center ($4,500), Domestic Violence Center (BHcare - $26,000) Family Resource Center (TEAM, Inc. - $8,500), Girl Scouts of CT ($4,000) 2-1-1 ($10,000), Julia Day Nursery ($1,500), Meals on Wheels (TEAM, Inc. - $9,500), Parent Child Resource Center ($48,000), Rape Crisis Center ($20,000), Recreation Camp ($7,000), SONCCA ($500), Spooner House ($27,000), St. Vincent DePaul ($9,000), U.S.O. ($450), Valley YMCA ($41,500), Visiting Nurse Association of SCC ($10,000), and Volunteer Center ($50,000).

This is a press release from Valley United Way, the leading philanthropic resource for the Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton matching the needs of the community and the interests of donors to improve the quality of life in the community. 

United Way supports and creates initiatives addressing youth, families and people in crisis. 

Each year Valley United Way funds programs and organizations that make a measurable difference in the lives of people living and working in the Valley.

Valley United Way allocates almost $475K to area nonprofits

Valley United Way's Board of Directors recently approved allocations of just under $475,000 to agencies providing a variety of health and human services in the Valley area. 

The decision came as the culmination to a thorough process where agencies submitted budget requests and program information followed by site visits and reviews from 20 volunteer members of the Allocations Committee co-chaired by Ron Villani and Ned Miller. 
The funding begins on June 1 and concludes on June 30, 2016.

After careful review, the committee made their funding recommendations to the full board which approved the following allocations:

American Red Cross (18,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters (4,000),  Boy Scouts - Housatonic Council (40,000), Boys & Girls Club (86,500), Catholic Charities (35,000), Christian Counseling Center (6,000), Derby Day Care Center (4,000), Domestic Violence Center (24,500), Family Resource Center (TEAM, Inc.) (9,000), Girl Scouts - CT Trails Council (4,000), 2-1-1 Infoline (10,000), International Institute (1,400), Julia Day Nursery (1,500), Meals on Wheels (TEAM, Inc.) (9,500), N.H. Legal Assistance (2,000), Parent Child Resource Center (48,000), Rape Crisis Center (20,000), Recreation Camp (7,000), SONCCA (500), Spooner House (26,000) St. Vincent DePaul (7,000), U.S.O. (450), Valley YMCA (1,500), Visiting Nurse Association of SCC (10,000), Volunteer Center (50,000), Wellmore, Inc. (9,000).

Jack Walsh, President & C.O.O. at Valley United Way praised the work of the committee, noting that making funding decisions when there is never enough money to meet the needs of so many worthwhile agencies and programs is never easy. 
"Our volunteers conduct a very comprehensive review of the agencies and programs and are very thoughtful and fair in their recommendations," he said. "The Board is thankful for their expertise and dedication in determining how best to make an impact which donors have earmarked for programs and services in the Valley."

Members of the Allocations Committee were Tom Christiano, Mark Daconto, John DeGray, Jim Geissler, Dave Grant, Jennifer Kalasardo, Rob Lesko, and Mary McNelis. Also serving were Ned Miller, Mary Ann Miskowicz, Allie Rafferty, Cindy Rinaldi, Brian Sexton, Michele Siu, Phyllis Sochrin, Bob VanEgghen, Rob VanEgghen, Ron Villani, and Tom Welch.

This is a press release from Valley United Way, the leading philanthropic resource for the towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton matching the needs of the community and the interests of donors to improve the quality of life in the community. United Way supports and creates initiatives addressing youth, families and people in crisis. Each year Valley United Way funds programs and organizations that make a measurable difference in the lives of people living and working in the Valley.