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Do good and give to United Way
November 30, 2007
Senior Danielle Krogh likes to help people. When a position opened up at United Way of Pierce County’s 211 call center last year, the social work major jumped at the opportunity.
Nearly a year later, Krogh still loves her job as an information and referral specialist. In her position, she connects people in need with the health and human services available to them in Pierce County.
When someone is struggling, it can be hard to navigate the system and determine where to go for help, she said. The call center makes it easy. The trained specialists analyze what services callers need and provide the appropriate resources and related information.
“Though I offer solutions, I’m not telling them what to do,” Krogh said. “It’s them being able to help themselves. I love to empower them, to give them the tools to advocate for themselves.”
Since its inception in 1991, the Pierce County call center has been funded primarily by United Way, a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to support their communities.
At United Way of Pierce County, the focus is on the community’s three most pressing needs: housing availability, child and youth development, and access to healthcare. The organization helps fund more than 116 vital programs, which support a variety of services from increasing dental care for low-income children to creating safe places for kids to go after school and provide housing for working families.
The PLU 2007 United Way Campaign is currently underway. The university’s goal is to increase last year’s participation rate and contributions by 15 percent, to 22 percent and $34,500 respectively.
“We went for something that we thought would be a little bit of a stretch yet attainable,” explained Teri Phillips, director of human resources.
As of last Friday, the university only met 42 percent of the contributions goal with about a 7 percent participation rate. The campaign ends on Dec. 7.
At a drop-in lunch on Wednesday, Dec. 5., faculty and staff can learn more about United Way, the programs it funds and the reasons to give. The lunch runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Chris Knutzen Hall West. Computers will be available for online giving.
“By giving to United Way, you do so much,” Krogh said.
She explained she is exposed to the all the good the donations are put toward through her daily interactions with community members at the call center. Without funding from United Way, 211 wouldn’t exist. And without 211, many of health and human service programs would remain inaccessible to those who benefit most from them, she said.
“You can put money into projects, but if no one knows about it, you’re not doing any good,” she said.
PLU’s Wellness Center in East Campus is another beneficiary of United Way funding. The clinic just received a three-year grant aimed at breaking down the barriers to healthcare and increasing the volume of patients seen at the clinic.
“When people give to PLU, they’re actually giving – in a way because we’re part of what the community funds go to – they’re giving to the Wellness clinic,” said Ruth Kohler, director of the clinic.
Donations can be made to the Community Solutions Fund or the United Way of Pierce County agencies. United Way is once again promising a 100 percent match to those who give to the Community Solutions Fund for the first time. For those who have given in the past, a donation that is larger than last year’s to the fund will also be matched 100 percent.
Donations can be made online, and can be paid by payroll deduction, cash, check or credit card. For more information, contact human resources at ext. 7185 or humr@plu.edu.
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu. Photo by University Photographer Jordan Hartman.
When someone is struggling, it can be hard to navigate the system and determine where to go for help, she said. The call center makes it easy. The trained specialists analyze what services callers need and provide the appropriate resources and related information.
“Though I offer solutions, I’m not telling them what to do,” Krogh said. “It’s them being able to help themselves. I love to empower them, to give them the tools to advocate for themselves.”
Since its inception in 1991, the Pierce County call center has been funded primarily by United Way, a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to support their communities.
At United Way of Pierce County, the focus is on the community’s three most pressing needs: housing availability, child and youth development, and access to healthcare. The organization helps fund more than 116 vital programs, which support a variety of services from increasing dental care for low-income children to creating safe places for kids to go after school and provide housing for working families.
The PLU 2007 United Way Campaign is currently underway. The university’s goal is to increase last year’s participation rate and contributions by 15 percent, to 22 percent and $34,500 respectively.
“We went for something that we thought would be a little bit of a stretch yet attainable,” explained Teri Phillips, director of human resources.
As of last Friday, the university only met 42 percent of the contributions goal with about a 7 percent participation rate. The campaign ends on Dec. 7.
At a drop-in lunch on Wednesday, Dec. 5., faculty and staff can learn more about United Way, the programs it funds and the reasons to give. The lunch runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Chris Knutzen Hall West. Computers will be available for online giving.
“By giving to United Way, you do so much,” Krogh said.
She explained she is exposed to the all the good the donations are put toward through her daily interactions with community members at the call center. Without funding from United Way, 211 wouldn’t exist. And without 211, many of health and human service programs would remain inaccessible to those who benefit most from them, she said.
“You can put money into projects, but if no one knows about it, you’re not doing any good,” she said.
PLU’s Wellness Center in East Campus is another beneficiary of United Way funding. The clinic just received a three-year grant aimed at breaking down the barriers to healthcare and increasing the volume of patients seen at the clinic.
“When people give to PLU, they’re actually giving – in a way because we’re part of what the community funds go to – they’re giving to the Wellness clinic,” said Ruth Kohler, director of the clinic.
Donations can be made to the Community Solutions Fund or the United Way of Pierce County agencies. United Way is once again promising a 100 percent match to those who give to the Community Solutions Fund for the first time. For those who have given in the past, a donation that is larger than last year’s to the fund will also be matched 100 percent.
Donations can be made online, and can be paid by payroll deduction, cash, check or credit card. For more information, contact human resources at ext. 7185 or humr@plu.edu.
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu. Photo by University Photographer Jordan Hartman.