United Way meets campaign goal

ELKINS -- The Tygart Valley United Way announced that it has surpassed its fundraising goal of $625,000 for the 2022-2023 fundraising campaign.

The organization, which raised a total of $628,165, became the first United Way in West Virginia to reach its goal for the most recent campaign. It celebrated the accomplishment during an event held at the Robert Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont.

"Thanks to some last-minute donations, we were able to exceed our goal this year and be the first United Way in West Virginia to reach our campaign goal for the 2022-2023 campaign," said Angela Daniels, Regional Engagement Director for Tygart Valley United Way.

"We were so thrilled to be able to reach this goal for the funded partners that count on these dollars to operate. When you look at the more populated areas of our state with more resources to pull from, and then compare those to our less populated, more regional areas, and say that we met our goal, it is a true testament to the businesses, organizations, community leaders and individuals here."

More than 925 individual donors participated in the annual fundraising drive that featured 130 leadership gifts of $500 or more. Seventy-one businesses provided corporate gifts, including MegaCorp of Elkins, which contributed $15,000, and J.F. Allen, which donated $5,000.

"I would like to ask people to thank the organizations, businesses and individuals who give back to the community and support our United Way," Daniels said. "We could not have made it without their help. We appreciate every dollar given to us. We know that we have to Live United to be able to have this kind of impact."

Funding from the annual campaign helps support 46 programs at 32 health and human service agencies in Randolph, Tucker, Barbour, Marion, and Taylor counties.

Funded partners for this campaign included: American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, CASA of Marion County, Catholic Charities of Randolph County, Catholic Charities of Taylor County, Connecting Link, Disability Action Center, Family Service, Hero's Haven Child Advocacy Center, Heart and Hand House, Homestead Farm Center, HOPE, Learning Options, Literacy Volunteers of Marion County, Mannington Food Pantry, Marion County Child Advocacy Center, Marion County FRN, Meals on Wheels of Randolph County, Milan Puskar Health Right, NCWV Community Action of Marion County,  NCWV Community Action of Randolph County, On Eagles' Wings, Randolph County CLIMB, Randolph County Senior Center, Randolph County Family Resource Network, Randolph County Humane Society, Randolph-Tucker Children's Advocacy Center, RDVIC, Salvation Army, Soup Opera, Stepping Stone, Taylor Family Resources, West Virginia Caring, and the YWCA.

"We are the definition of true Appalachian people," Daniels said. "We pull together to help each other out and take care of each other. I could not be more proud to be a part of this region that Tygart Valley United Way covers."

Daniels expects the TVUW to have 35 non-profit organizations apply for funding for the upcoming year. She said the Community Review Committee will meet this spring and visit the organizations and decide which of the programs will receive funding from the next campaign.

For more information about the Tygart Valley United Way, call 304-636-4550 or visit www.tvunitedway.org.