As United Way of Island County kicks off its 2007/2008 Community Investment Campaign, we want to remind donors to designate back to their home county. For the 34 percent of our residents traveling out of Island County to work, it is important that they remember they can designate their United Way contribution back to Island County.

The reality is that service delivery is usually determined by residence, not where you give your United Way contribution. Support services for children and families and emergency services used by Island County residents would be served by those agencies that are located in Island County, not where your place of employment is.

Several years ago, United Way of Island County realized that many commuting Island County residents contributed to United Way through their workplace campaign, but did not designate their donation back to their home county. Since then, they have embarked on a local public awareness through media releases and the cooperation of other United Ways educating donors to give where they live. Their efforts have been very successful with steadily increasing donations returning to support Island County.

United Way helps provide lasting solutions to multiple problems facing our community by supporting partner agencies, printing of a Family Resource Guide, being a collaborative partner on many community solutions and advisory boards, 2-1-1 information and referral, Early Learning Initiative, and a new Mental Health and Substance Abuse Initiative. When you invest in United Way, you are meeting the needs of your community. And when needs are met, the quality of life is better.

So, remember when you’re filling out your United Way pledge form to take a moment to note that you want your gift to come back to Island County.

Cathy Niiro

Executive director

United Way of Island County