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YMHA donates $25,000 to United Way
By kristine gill
youngstown
United Way of Youngs-town and the Mahoning Valley announced Wednesday its partnership with the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority.
YMHA donated $25,000 to United Way’s annual campaign with an oversized cardboard check.
“We’re just really ecstatic to be here and to extend our help,” said Clifford Scott, executive director of YMHA.
Scott said prudent use of federal-stimulus funds puts the YMHA in a position to contribute to the United Way’s campaign this year.
“We fund programs that help people in the most need,” said United Way President Bob Hannon. “That’s where this money will go.”
Tara Mady, director of marketing and communications for United Way, said the organization has raised about $841,000 of its $2.5 million goal.
“We’re ahead of where we were at this time last year,” Mady said.
The campaign will continue through Dec. 31, and money raised will be distributed for use Jan. 1, 2011.
“In the past, YMHA and United Way probably didn’t talk as much as they should have,” Scott said of YMHA and the United Way. “We realized we’re not an island.”
Of the many organizations to benefit from the campaign and this donation specifically, two were present at Wednesday’s press conference.
Members of the Potential Development Program for students with Autism and the Help Hotline Crisis Center said they are grateful for the donations.
Todd Marian, chief operating officer for the Help Hotline Crisis Center, said the organization answers 143,000 phone calls from the tri-county area each year. Seventeen of the calls received each day are suicide-related.
“I hope this is just the beginning,” Hannon said of the new partnership. “I hope we can do more together down the road.”
Other organizations benefiting from the YMHA’s gift are the Catholic Charities Regional Agency, Second Harvest Foodbank, Youngstown Hearing & Speech and Neighborhood Ministries.