NOVEMBER 2010 MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” ~ John F. Kennedy

It was another challenging year for the nonprofit sector.  Despite these tough economic times, our donors  were very generous to the people of Monmouth County through United Way of Monmouth County’s annual campaign.  Thanks to you, we are able to continue our mission and work toward advancing the common good in our focus areas of Education, Income and Health.  Why Education, Income and Health?  It is because these are the fundamental building blocks of a good life.

Everyone deserves a quality education, a stable job with a decent income and good health.

Through our Community Impact Agenda, in Education, we will be working on early childhood development, after-school programs, and improving high school achievement.  Income programs focus on meeting basic needs and accessing emergency services, gaining and sustaining employment and ensuring housing for all.  Lastly, in Health, we will ensure people are aware of the services available to them, help residents understand eligibility and gain access to healthcare, and work to reduce the number of people involved in high-risk behaviors.

On September 14th, United Way of Monmouth County’s Board of Directors took a huge step forward to change the lives of the people of Monmouth County by approving the first grants for this new Community Impact model.  This agenda is aggressive and works toward creating long-lasting measurable change that addresses the root causes of key community issues.

Thanks to all of you, we are on the way to impacting Monmouth County, but we still have much to do. The grants mentioned above are only the first steps in addressing the critical issues facing our county.  With your continued support, we will be able to continue working toward advancing the common good.  I hope you will continue to be a generous supporter of United Way and its work, and together, we will make our community stronger.

Just remember, we all win when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable and when we all have good health. Together we will LIVE UNITED!