The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON, Ind. —
The United Way of Madison County held its annual campaign kickoff on Tuesday and the organization hopes to raise $850,000, which is what it brought in last year.
To a community that is still in the grips of recession with not a lot of high-employment prospects on the horizon, $850,000 seems like a dream. But it’s not. That figure is down quite a bit from the years when raising $2 million was the norm. With individuals and businesses pitching in, $850,000 is not only doable but should be exceeded.
The United Way might be excused for being a little timid in trying to push the community too far and may have set the sum too low. But the nonprofit is basing its expectations on last year and, alas, the economy hasn’t improved too much since then. Still, Madison County has rallied for the cause before and there is no reason to think this year will be any different.
There has to be optimism involved any time an organization fans out in the community with hat in hand. That’s why the theme of this year’s campaign is “Better Tomorrows.” The people of the community have to believe in better tomorrows, and they are realistic enough to know that the worst off among them must also be able to count on a better tomorrow.
The nonprofits served by the United Way are important to the community. They include food banks, libraries, medical services, shelters and counseling services among many others. These all help Madison County residents search for and find that better tomorrow because they offer safety-net services that keep people from literally falling through the cracks.
That’s why it is so important to give to the United Way. Obviously, not everyone can give the same amount, but by giving what you can, the United Way inches toward its goal and maybe surpasses it.
How a community bands together in tough times defines its character. We already know Madison County has a lot of character so now it’s just a matter of showing others by contributing to the United Way.
