By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
As part of their 2021 fundraising campaign, representatives of the United Way of Southeast Alaska spoke to the Chamber of Commerce Wednesday about programs to assist those in need by distributing food, helping access healthcare, and providing other services.
United Way works with a host of local organizations from nonprofits to government agencies on a variety of projects, board member Warren Russell said in the virtual meeting.
“We all win when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable and when people have good health,” Russell said. “We work with our 34 nonprofit partner agencies through Southeast Alaska to create real, lasting change. We support community programs and initiatives that help those in need. We believe in prevention, so by addressing underlying social and family issues ahead of time, we ultimately strengthen our communities in the long run.”
United Way is involved in programs ranging from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and reading tutors for students to health insurance navigation and financial stability work, the UA website says.
In Sitka, United Way works in conjunction with Sitkans Against Family Violence, SEARHC, the Salvation Army, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, Southeast Alaska Independent Living and other organizations.
Russell said United Way works on “providing more children with quality childcare with our partners in the Association for the Education of Young Children; or perhaps providing senior citizens with hot meals and services through the Swan Lake Senior Center, or working with victims of domestic violence and physical abuse with our partners, Sitkans Against Family Violence, and finally supporting and training Southeast Alaskans to live as independently as possible through our partner SAIL.”
Loren Jones, a former Juneau assembly member and current co-chair for United Way’s 2021 campaign, said the pandemic has revealed many needs.
“COVID has really opened some eyes about some of our needs and people on the margins,” Jones said.
His Sitka counterpart, Shauna Thornton, said donations of any size are welcome.
“No matter how much you give, just $1 can give somebody a trip to the grocery store, a senior, or a trip to the doctor’s office, some of those things that, especially during the pandemic, have become very important for our elderly, senior people,” Thornton said. She’s the second co-chair for United Way’s 2021 fundraising campaign and works at First National Bank Alaska in Sitka.
A tremendous number of Americans struggle to make ends meet, Russell said.
“United Way is working to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and quality healthcare,” he said. “As many as one third of working Americans don’t earn enough money to meet their basic needs. Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, healthcare and education.”
Donations can be made online at unitedwayseak.org, or by mail to United Way of Southeast Alaska, 3225 Hospital Drive, Suite 106 Juneau, Alaska 99801.
