This article was written by Jared Stonesifer and originally appeared in the Sept. 13 edition of the Beaver County Times. Used with permission.
HOPEWELL TWP. — More than 12 percent of Beaver County’s population lives below the poverty line, United Way of Beaver County Executive Director Michael Rubino reports, and those people are often in need of help from the community just to get by.
That’s why the United Way’s annual fundraising campaign is such an important aspect of the organization’s efforts.
This year’s fundraising campaign will officially start on Sept. 24 during a breakfast at the Club at Shadow Lakes in Hopewell Township. The event will start at 8 a.m., and anyone interested in securing tickets can visit the United Way’s website or call the office at 724-774-3210.
This year’s campaign hopes to build on the momentum from last year’s effort, which raised more than $816,000 to help the less fortunate in the area.
That money goes to good use, Rubino said, and helps people in every stage of life.
The United Way offers programs to pregnant woman and elderly citizens, and everything in between.
The list continues to grow. The United Way helps people with special needs, those with mental health issues, women’s shelters and even school-aged children who don’t have enough to eat.
Forty people on an allocations committee determine where every dollar goes, Rubino said.
“We’re very good stewards of the dollar,” Rubino said. “(The fundraising campaign) is a very efficient way to bring in dollars and distribute them to those who need it most.”
The kickoff breakfast will feature keynote speaker Lisa Micco, executive editor of The Times, as well as a testimonial from a woman who used a shelter financed by the United Way.
Rubino said his primary concern is gathering as much support as possible for the upcoming year.
“We need to keep the momentum going and build on the success we had last year,” he said. “We need to continue bringing the United Way of Beaver County back to the level it was at in the past and continue to increase the amount we bring it. The need is greater than ever.”
The executive director added he will announce the financial goal for the upcoming year at the breakfast. He wouldn’t specify the amount but added it will be higher than the $700,000 goal last year.
The kickoff breakfast already has 150 people slated to attend, but the facility “can hold quite a bit more than that,” Rubino said.
However, he stressed that tickets won’t be sold at the door and urged anyone interested to call the United Way or visit the organization’s website.
The event begins at 8 a.m. with a buffet breakfast, networking and socializing. The program begins at 9 a.m.
