Mark Your Calendars

JC Penney Annual Fish Fry
Friday, October 3, 2008

20th Annual Holcim
United Way Golf Tourney
Saturday, October 4, 2008

Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, November 20, 2008

Thanksgiving Holiday
Thursday, November 27, 2008

Download the 2008-2009
United Way Brochure

Volunteers Needed
Visit our volunteer center to learn more about volunteer opportunities in your area and sign up to volunteer.

United Way of Lowndes County
Agencies & Programs
American Red Cross
Boys and Girls Club
Boy Scouts (Pushmataha Council)
Columbus AFB Youth Center
Community Resource Connection
Community Volunteer Center
CONTACT Helpline
Dial-a-Bus
Four H Clubs of Lowndes County
Girl Scouts of Northeast MS
Greater Columbus Learning Center
Helping Hands
Home Delivered Meals
Recovery House
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
The Salvation Army
YMCA

Community Outreach Programs
Disaster Relief Assistance
Affordable Transportation for
Low-Income Residents
Columbus-Lowndes Home Repair for
Low-Income Residents
Charity Tracker
Annual Food Drive
Annual Blood Drive
Annual Fan Drive
Annual Blanket Drive
Prescription Discount Cards
Emergency Food and
Shelter Block Grant
Community Soup Kitchen

2008-2009 Board of Directors
Marilyn Agnew
Lynn Atkins
Nick Ardillo
Susan Bell
Allegra Brigham
John Brady
Kathy Brown
Roger Burlingame
Whirllie Byrd
Beth Cook
Bryant Cook
Will Cooper
William Corder
John R. Davis
Learnard Dickerson
John Dowdle
Dennis Erby
Matt Fowler
Bobby Harper
Sarah Heinkel
Jason Heliniak
John Jones
Deborah Junkin
Frances Jutman
Brenda Lathan
Dr. Claudia A. Limbert
Dr. Stan McCrary
Stuart Phillips
Yvonne Sanders
Gerald Scallions
Scott Singley
Stewart Stafford
Sandra Stone
Alma Turner
Leslie Watkins
Jim Wilson

United Way Staff
Janice Ballard, Executive Director
Michelle Avant, Office Manager
Frances Tucker, Receptionist
Meagan Coughlin, Project Coordinator

Learn how you can make a difference. Donate today by calling 328-0943!

The goal is set. Ready, set, go! Help us reach our goal of $600,000! 

Watch the 2008-2009 Campaign Video Produced by WCBI

Community Campaigns

City of Columbus
City of Columbus Employee Campaign
Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau

City and County School Districts
Columbus Municipal School District Office
Lowndes County Schools Central Office

Commercial
Atmos Energy
4-County Electric Power Association
AT & T
Belk
JC Penney
IKON Office Solutions
Kroger
Newell Paper Company

Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (FIRE)
BancorpSouth
Cadence Bank
Citizens National Bank
Galloway-Chandler-McKinney Insurance
Regions Bank
Rhett Real Estate Agency

Industrial
Ceco Building Systems
DOMTAR
Holcim (US), Inc.
Omnova Solutions, Inc.
TRONOX
Weitzenhoffer/Seminole Foundation
Weyerhaeuser Columbus Cellulose Fiber
Weyerhaeuser Columbus Modified Fiber

Mississippi University for Women
Mississippi University for Women Employee Campaign
Mississippi University for Women Student Body Campaign

Professional
Mitchell, McNutt, & Sams P. A.
T. E. Lott & Company CPA's

United Way Agencies
American Red Cross
Community Resource Connection
Community Volunteer Center
CONTACT Helpline
Dial-a-Bus
Frank Phillips Memorial YMCA
Greater Columbus Learning Center
Helping Hands
Home Delivered Meals
Lowndes County RSVP
Pushmataha Boy Scout Council
Recovery House
United Way of Lowndes County

Meet Our Campaign Cabinet

Campaign Chair, Dennis Erby- Retired Highway Safety Patrol
Campaign Co-chair, William Corder - Cadence Bank
Pacesetters, Stewart Stafford - Rhett Real Estate
City of Columbus, Pat Mitchell - Human Resources & Mike Bernsen, CFO
Columbus Municipal School District, Marilyn Agnew - Columbus Municipal Schools
Communications Chair, Susan Bell - WCBI
Communications Committee - Garthia Burnett- The Commercial Dispatch
Communications Committee - Scotty D. & Christy B. - K94.9
Communications Committee - Chris Jenkins - Mississippi University for Women (MUW) Public Affairs
Communications Committee - Dr. Van Roberts - MUW Communication Department
Communications Committee - Yvonne Sanders - Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau
Communications Committee - Cathy Williams - Sunny 93.3
County Government, Lisa Neese - Chancery Clerk
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate (FIRE), William Corder - Cadence Bank
FIRE, Stewart Stafford - Rhett Real Estate
Industrial Committee, Nick Ardillo - NPA, LLC
Industrial Committee, Roger Burlingame - Ceco Buildings
Industrial Committee, William Corder - Cadence Bank
Industrial Committee, Laura Balentine - Columbus Lowndes Development Link
Industrial Committee, George Kerekes - PACCAR
Lowndes County Schools, Mary Phinisey- Lowndes County Schools
Mississippi University for Women, Dr. Mark Bean, Melanie Freeman, Amy Swingle, & Monica Riley
Riverine Society, John R. Davis - Cadence Bank
Special Events, James and Sandra Stone
State Agencies - Ann Harris, Ellisville State Schools
United Way Agencies - Lindy Thomason, CONTACT Helpline

Allocations Committee - Volunteers Needed
What is the allocations process? Volunteers from Lowndes County and representatives of the United Way of Lowndes County join together to visit various agencies which are seeking funds. Volunteers divide into groups and each group will be assigned to interview and visit with certain agencies on one specific date in January. We encourage board members of the United Way of Lowndes County who have not had the opportunity in the past to take part in the allocations process to join us in order to learn more about the agencies we serve and our allocations process.

Join the Riverine Society

Riv-er-ine: An adjective meaning living or situated on the banks of a river.

The Riverine Society is an extraordinary group of community leaders who comprise the leadership giving program of United Way of Lowndes County. Like the riverine environment that surrounds Columbus, their compassionate understanding and generous financial support sustain those in need in our community like the gently flowing waters of the Tombigbee. The river beckons our community to join together and follow its flow toward a brighter tomorrow. This goal is within our grasp if the leadership of this riverine area is bold and generous. The Riverine Society will help provide a human pathway toward this same goal. Download the brochure.

United Way contributes $20,000 in venture grants

United Way of Lowndes County (United Way) recently dispersed $20,000 in venture grants to local organizations.

Venture grants differ from United Way's annual allocations to agencies currently under their umbrella. Venture grants are smaller and may be provided to other organizations that meet United Way's funding requirements. And, that respond to special needs or enhance the services of their existing agencies. This year, three United Way agencies received supplemental special grants because of the increases in requests for services. The additional funding broadens the impact of annual giving to the United Way campaign.

"Our agencies are seeing a tremendous increase in the number of requests for food, transportation, and utility assistance," United Way Executive Director Jan Ballard said.

"Additionally, United Way agencies that provide transportation to area services are struggling to do so within their budgets," Ballard said. "Other agencies that were identified to receive the special grants provide services that support the mission of United Way of Lowndes County and address quality of life issues."

Venture grant recipients include United Way agencies Helping Hands, Dial-a-Bus, and the Community Resource Connection. Non United Way organizations include The Arc of Lowndes County (Association for the Rights of People with Disabilities), North Mississippi Kidney Foundation, Project Southside (Southside Missionary Baptist Church outreach programs) Saint Vincent de Paul Society, and Sally Kate Winters Family Services.

"We stepped outside our usual requirements for an agency to have a physical presence in Lowndes County to provide funds to Sally Kate Winters Family Services," Ballard said. "They are serving children from Lowndes County who previously were served by Mark Mitchell Children's Shelter."
Helping Hands
United Way provided additional funds to assist with increased demand for assistance with mortgages, utilities, and food.

Dial-a-Bus
United Way provided additional funds to help maintain services for Dial-a-Bus transportation recipients.

Community Resource Connection
United Way provided additional funds for homeless management, including transportation to shelters in other communities.

The Arc of Lowndes County
United Way provided funds to assist residents with developmental disabilities and their caregivers with transportation expenses to a state conference, Gutter Busters Bowling League, and other special activities.

North Mississippi Kidney Foundation
United Way provided funds to transport Lowndes County residents to specialized treatment in Tupelo, to assist with medications, and other needs.

Project Southside
United Way provided funds to assist with before and after school care, senior citizen day camp, and summer camp for children.

St. Vincent de Paul Society
United Way provided funds for travel reimbursement for volunteers who assist United Way agencies in providing transportation for low-income or disabled residents to medical and other life-sustaining and quality of life resources.

Sally Kate Winters Family Services
United Way provided funds to assist with the care of neglected and abused Lowndes County children formerly served by Mark Mitchell Children's Shelter.

Recycle Inkjet Cartridges and Used Cell Phones
The Community Volunteer Center (CVC) is an internal service of United Way of Lowndes County that matches people to volunteer opportunities in the area.

The CVC partnered with Planet Green in a fundraising effort to collect empty cartridges and used cell phones. It's a great way to raise money for the CVC while helping our environment!

Collection Location:

Just bring your empty inkjet cartridges and used cell phones to the United Way office located at 501 Seventh Street North, Suite 5, in the Plaza Building Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring your cartridges from home and work. It's that easy. Start collecting today!

For more information, please call Meagan at the CVC at 327.0807.

2008-2009 Board of Directors

* Thank you to Past Presidents who continue to serve on the Board of Directors.

**New Member Nominations