United Way
United Way
of DeKalb County
Issue: 5
February 2015
Impact DeKalb Newsletter
In This Issue
Give
Advocate
Volunteer
Upcoming Events
 
Thursday, February 19th 
6pm-8pm

Silver Screen Cinemas 
111 S. Randolph St 
Garrett, IN 46738
 
Friday, April 10th
Luncheon 11:30am - 2pm  Dinner 6:30pm

ACD Museum
1600 Wayne Street
Auburn, IN 46706

Tickets on sale March 16 at the United Way office.
Agency Allocations are Underway!
The United Way's Allocation Committees are hard at work this time of year! Committee members visit each partner agency on-site to learn more about the work they do to support DeKalb County in the areas of Basic Needs, Education, Income, and Health. These committees hold our partner agencies accountable for donor funds - ultimately insuring that the funds raised through the United Way's annual campaign are being used wisely to do the most good.
 
Diane Fogle is an employee at DeKalb Molded Plastics and a volunteer on an allocation team. We recently sat down with her to get her "insider insight" on the allocation process. She shared, "The evaluation process is to ensure accountability for the funding partner agencies are receiving from the United Way. The agency has the opportunity to present information on the community needs and demands, as well as their plan and budget on how they will have the optimal impact on these community needs."

If the United Way finds that there are elements incomplete or missing from the agency's financial documents, governance, community impact during the past 12 months, or plans for the future, it can provide the vision and support to develop our local non-profits into robust organizations.

Diane is confident that this process is a benefit to everyone in the community, herself included! "I have learned so much about the support agency's make available in DeKalb County. I've learned of the overwhelming needs in the community and the United Way's efforts in assisting so many agencies in providing the basic essentials to the community. Even in my small role, having the opportunity to make a positive impact on someone's life or assisting with their basic needs is very rewarding!"
From left: Dave Bunn, Secretary, Tony Bader, President, and Neal Blythe, Immediate Past-President
Volunteer Spotlight

The United Way would like to introduce our new President of the Board of Directors, Tony Bader! Tony has been employed at Steel Dynamics for 15 years, currently as a Technical Services Supervisor. With a wife, three children, and many interests -including camping, pre-1970's auto restoration, alternative fuel development, and woodworking - Tony keeps himself very busy.

 

Despite his full life, Tony makes volunteering and the United Way a priority. He says, "I started out in college building houses for Habitat for Humanity. As I began my career, I saw that my employer and coworkers give a significant amount of money to the United Way. I got involved because I felt it was important that my fellow employees' donations were being used properly. But my involvement has grown to so much more - it's become personal after hearing how far reaching the money we raise is able to impact our community for the better!"

 

With experience on Allocation Teams and the Day of Caring and Community Impact committees, Tony has seen many aspects of the work the United Way does and is excited to take up the challenge of Board President.

 

He explains, "The United Way has desired to become more actively engaged with the needs of the community and programming to meet those needs. We've assessed how we can best do that and I think we're ready to grow, implement, and reach out. Our goal is to meet with individuals from all walks of life: government leaders, business people, educators, agencies. We want to bring people together to meet the needs of our county.

 

"I think many people were like myself when I began serving the United Way. I didn't realize our Partner Agencies existed. I didn't understand the work they did or the United Way's role in the impact the agencies are able to make on our community. I have a gut feeling my experience is not the exception, it's the norm. How do we change that? I hope that's something I can help address during my tenure as President."

 

True to the call to Live United, Tony has an appeal for all members of our community, "Volunteer! Many of our agencies are looking for volunteers to read to kids, lend a hand in the food pantries, be a friend to the elderly who are too often lonely, tutor at the schools. The options are limitless. Steve Backley, author of The Champion in all of Us: 12 Rules for Success, said, 'There are three types of people in this world. Firstly, there are people who make things happen. Then there are people who watch things happen. Lastly, there are people who ask, "What happened?" Which do you want to be?' Let's be a county full of doers!"

Do YOU want to Live United?
It's a new year, full of new opportunities to Live United and to volunteer! Looking for a way to serve our community? Let the United Way of DeKalb County be your guide! If you want to know more about how you can get involved, contact the United Way at 260.927.0995 or check out our website so we can work together to find the right fit for you! Opportunities to consider:
  • Power of the Purse
  • Day of Caring
  • Annual Campaign
  • Committees
  • Allocation Teams
  • Partner Agency Volunteer Opportunities
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