July 12

July 12

June 16, 2004
United Way Honors Supporters, Volunteers

NASHUA, N.H. (June 16, 2004) - At its 74th Annual Dinner and Awards Presentation tonight, United Way of Greater Nashua paid tribute to several outstanding examples of company support and individual volunteerism during the past year.

Top firms were recognized for their achievements during the 2003-2004 campaign, and 31 volunteers were recognized for significant consecutive years of service. Close to 200 people attended the event, which was held at the Marriott Hotel in Nashua.

The "Heavy Hitter Award" was presented to companies that raised at least 1 percent of United Way's campaign total. Award recipients were (in alphabetical order): Anheuser-Busch, Inc; BAE SYSTEMS and BAE Employee Community Fund, Inc.; Benchmark Electronics - Hudson Division; Citizens Bank; Fleet Bank-NH; Intel Corporation; Kollsman, Inc.; Monarch Instrument; Nashua Corporation; Nashua School District; Nashua Teachers' Union; Public Service of New Hampshire; Raytheon; St. Joseph Hospital; Seaboard International Forest Products; Shaw's Supermarkets; Southern New Hampshire Medical Center; and UPS.

United Way continued a practice that it began three years ago by recognizing volunteers who have given five or 10 years of consecutive service. This year, nine volunteers were honored for serving 10 years:

Scott Comstock of ControlAir; Barbara Enterkin of Shaw's; Susan Hume of Saint Gobain Crystals; Rhonda Morris of Anheuser-Busch; Sharon Putney of Merrimack High School; Lisa Scontsas of IRT ScanMaster System; Dale Slattery of Pennichuck Water Works; Peg Wehner of Southern New Hampshire Medical Center; and Don Winn of Winn Microwave Sales.

United Way also recognized 22 volunteers who have served for at least five consecutive years: Karen Barry of Environmental Interiors; Linda Bourque of the Merrimack School District; Jim Chaloner of First Church of Nashua; Bob Demers of St. Joseph Hospital; Debbie Despres of Macsteel; Gary Diaz of the City of Nashua; Eric Facey of Seaboard International Forest Products; Gail Galipeau of Rivier College; Heather Hemdal of the Federal Aviation Administration; Kandi Hutchins of Windmill International; Pat Jewett of the Town of Litchfield; Lucille Jordan of New Hampshire Community Technical College - Nashua; Stan Juda of Sam's Club; Beth Kreick of Nashua High School; Jean Marie Prevost of Diacom; Dawn Renaud of Source Electronics; Sherry Surra, Nashua Resident; Shari Walton of Southeastern Container; Dan Wells of Alvirne High School; Linda Weston of AMCOR PET Packaging; Judi Zaino of Milford High School; and Ed Zraket of BAE SYSTEMS.

At a business meeting prior to dinner, Kenneth R. Ferron of Covenant Health Systems was re-elected as Chair of the Board; Ralph F. Jenkins, of Ernst & Young, as Treasurer; and Heather E. Hemdal, of the Federal Aviation Administration, as Secretary.

United Way improves people's lives by supporting innovative health and human service programs that have positive, measurable outcomes. United Way of Greater Nashua serves Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Lyndeborough, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, and Wilton.

June 21, 2004
United Way Invests in 42 Programs To Improve Lives

NASHUA, N.H. (June 21, 2004) - United Way of Greater Nashua's board of directors has approved funding for 42 health and human services programs, as recommended by committees of volunteers who evaluated proposals from United Way participating agencies this spring.

Funding for the programs will come from donations made during the 2003 Campaign to United Way's General Fund. Although donors contributed a record $3 million to United Way of Greater Nashua last year, just $858,400 went to the General Fund; donors designated the balance to agencies in Greater Nashua and elsewhere.

"Giving to the General Fund is the best way for United Way donors to help improve lives in our communities because the General Fund supports a network of services that are offered through proven, effective programs that achieve real, measurable results," explained United Way Campaign Co-Chair Ed Zraket, vice president of operations at BAE SYSTEMS in Nashua. "Programs that receive General Fund support must demonstrate how their clients' lives are improved. That requirement adds a layer of accountability that is missing from donations designated to specific agencies."

With program funding requests exceeding available General Fund dollars by about $450,000, Community Investment Committee volunteers had to make some hard choices, including the decision not to fund eight of the 50 program requests.

The 49 Community Investment volunteers, who represent 27 area companies, collectively logged over 1,000 hours of service in hearing proposals by agencies, reviewing program budgets and outcomes, and determining how program objectives align with priorities identified in Greater Nashua Measures Up: The 2002 Community Needs Assessment.

"We tried to invest the limited amount of available money in programs where we thought it would do the most good," said Nashua Corporation's Donna DiGiovine, who oversaw the community investment process. She noted that since the assessment showed that affordable housing and medical and dental care are among the most pressing needs in Greater Nashua, two impact areas - "Food, Clothing & Shelter" and "Promoting Health & Healing" - combine to account for 44 percent of available program funding this year.

With the contributions to the General Fund, United Way of Greater Nashua hopes to serve about 53,500 program participants this year. A complete list of funded programs will be available in United Way's annual report, which will be published this summer and available on United Way's website, www.unitedwaynashua.org.

July 12, 2004
United Way of Greater Nashua Focuses on Community's Most Pressing Needs.

New mission seeks to create lasting, community-wide improvements; affordable housing is first target

NASHUA, N.H. (July 12, 2004) - United Way of Greater Nashua (UWGN) has announced a plan that redefines the organization's role and seeks to align financial, human, and other resources with the community's most pressing needs while maintaining core services.

The move, which was preceded by two years of strategic planning by the 27-member UWGN Board of Directors, is consistent with efforts by United Ways across the country to shift their focus away from raising and distributing funds to improving people's lives by creating lasting changes in community conditions.

"While we will continue to help area residents meet basic health and human services needs, United Way's traditional role as a fundraiser in the non-profit sector is just not as relevant today as it once was, and we need to adjust to the conditions that are changing around us," said UWGN Chair Kenneth Ferron of Covenant Health Systems. UWGN grew out of the Community Chest formed 75 years ago in Nashua, and for a long time, its "one campaign for all" approach had wide appeal, Ferron noted. However, increasing needs for services and an influx of new non-profit organizations competing for donors' support have resulted in United Ways nationwide reshaping their efforts. Instead of just funding direct services, United Ways are taking on a multitude of roles by focusing on their communities' most pressing needs and convening a wide variety of partners to eliminate the root causes of problems.

"Funding direct-service programs is important, and United Way will continue to do that, but to really have an impact on community conditions, we as a community need to come together to address problems at their source," Ferron said. "We realize that some issues affecting Greater Nashua residents' quality of life are too big for one organization to address, so we want to mobilize resources -- people, relationships, time, talent, leadership, influence, as well as financial assets - and direct them to where the needs are greatest."

The UWGN Board of Directors has decided that the first "community impact initiative" should address affordable housing, which consistently has ranked very high among needs identified in Greater Nashua Measures Up: The Community Assessment Report. The board also voted to direct 20 percent of available General Fund (non-designated) dollars from the 2004 fundraising campaign to the Affordable Housing Initiative.

"For the past decade, the Community Assessment Report has helped guide UWGN volunteers in deciding which programs to fund, and it has proven a useful tool in developing our first community impact initiative," said Rev. James Chaloner, pastor of the First Church of Nashua and chair of the Community Assessment Committee. "Once the UWGN Board decided that we needed to align resources with our community's most pressing needs, it wasn't hard to pick the first issue to address. Lack of affordable housing affects our community in so many ways."

Chaloner cited recent studies by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority and the Nashua Mayor's Task Force on Housing that show dual-income families often cannot afford a two-bedroom apartment in Greater Nashua, where the average monthly rent tops $1,000. For those who do rent here, so much of their income goes to housing that there often is little left for other basic needs, such as food and medicine, Chaloner said. Demand for shelter and other services increases, placing additional strain on the human care safety net. And businesses that want to locate or expand here have to consider whether their employees can afford to live in the area.

Ferron said UWGN is looking forward to working with existing groups addressing affordable housing, as well as diverse stakeholders, including foundations, neighborhood networks, corporations, faith-based groups, and others. The initiative is likely to be a multi-year commitment, but its form has not yet been determined.

"We need the community to come together to decide how best to focus its resources on the affordable housing issue," Ferron said. "Some Affordable Housing Initiative money may fund direct services, but it's entirely possible that some or all of it could go toward another effort that is deemed by the community to be more effective in addressing the root causes of the problem." While the usual disbursement of General Fund dollars is limited to UWGN participating agencies, the Affordable Housing Initiative process will be open to all proposals. Ferron said UWGN hopes the initiative will encourage groups to collaborate on innovative funding proposals.

With 20 percent of available General Fund money earmarked for affordable housing this year, UWGN will re-double its efforts to increase giving to the General Fund, which supports needed services in other areas, said UWGN Vice Chair and Campaign Co-chair Ed Zraket of BAE SYSTEMS.

"Two years ago when UWGN decided to begin its move to a community impact focus, we placed our fundraising emphasis on the General Fund because programs supported by that source must demonstrate measurable results in how they improve people's lives," Zraket said. "We realize that other community needs are not going to go away as we re-direct part of the General Fund toward affordable housing, so we will do all we can to encourage donors to support the General Fund."

UWGN officially kicks off its 2004 Campaign on September 15, although some companies will conduct workplace campaigns over the summer.

July 12, 2004
United Way Changes Will Help Community

The Telegraph, Nashua, Monday, July 12, 2004

Every organization needs to adapt to the changes around it or risk becoming obsolete, whether a private business, government institution or nonprofit agency like the United Way.

The United Way of Greater Nashua is a vital organization for the community, and its continued vitality is important to the quality of life in southern New Hampshire.

Fortunately, the United Way at the national level and its leadership in our community realize that conditions have changed since the United Way model first emerged from the old Community Chest concept 75 years ago.

The concept was simple, and for nearly a century was an effective way to generate community support for social services and nonprofit agencies. The “one campaign for all” theme enabled contributors to make a single contribution, eventually with the convenience of payroll deduction, to support a wide range of charities in the community.

The charities for their part, agreed to meet United Way criteria and to avoid independent fund raising during the United Way campaign.

In many communities across the nation, Nashua included, that model isn’t working any more. In the old days, there were a handful of widely recognized charities that garnered most of the United Way support, Today, the number of non-profit organizations recognized by the IRS has exploded, with niche charities for every conceivable interest.

Contributions to the United Way general fund have continued to decline year after year, while designated contributions for specific charities continue to rise, undermining the principle of “one campaign for all.”

At the current rate, designated contributions would become such a large part of the United Way campaign that the organization would eventually be reduced to little more than an administrative agency coordinating payroll deductions for individual charities.

The United Way can do much more than that, and its volunteers, board members and paid staff have done a good job at developing a more relevant alternative. Their goal is to reshape the organization into an agent for change that rallies a community to address critical needs.

There are some problems that are just too big for one organization to tackle with any meaningful impact. Because of it’s history, culture, resources and stature in the community, the United Way is uniquely qualified to bring together the various elements needed to make incremental improvements leading to lasting change on issues like affordable housing, domestic violence and child abuse.

This change in philosophy, as outlined in an article in the Sunday telegraph, does not mean the United Way will abandon its role as a conduit of funds to individual charities. The campaign that starts in September will, as always, offer donors the opportunity to contribute to charities of their choice or to a general fund. A portion of the general fund will be used to finance initiatives on affordable housing – the area of greatest need according to the agency’s most recent community assessment report.

Contributors to the general fund can now be assured that their dollars will not only be used for specific nonprofit agencies, but will also go toward a critical community need that no single agency can address.

When you give to the United Way this fall, please direct some, if not all, of your donation to the general fund. You will not only be helping the charities you support, you will be helping to solve the problem of affordable housing.

And you will help reshape a community organization that has wisely chosen to update its strategy for the 21st century.

Reprinted with permission. Story originally published in The Telegraph of Nashua, NH. All Rights Reserved, nashuatelegraph.com

September 13, 2004
Day of Caring To Kick Off 2004 Campaign

NASHUA, N.H. (September 13, 2004) - Approximately 300 volunteers from 31 companies will spend this Wednesday, September 15, working at 34 non-profit agencies during United Way of Greater Nashua's 13th Annual Day of Caring. The event also serves as the kick-off for United Way's annual fund-raising campaign.

The day begins with a breakfast and brief ceremony at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, from 7:30 to 8 a.m., at which time the campaign goal will be announced.

Day of Caring volunteer opportunities include working with children, the elderly and disabled, preparing and delivering Meals-on-Wheels, and various cleaning, painting and landscaping projects. Volunteers receive a first-hand look at the services that agencies provide and the people whose lives are improved by United Way donations.

Once again this year, United Way of Greater Nashua will join several United Ways in New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts in conducting Day of Caring on the same date, thereby mobilizing thousands of volunteers across the region.

Day of Caring is made possible by financial support from: BAE Systems; the Dow Chemical Company Foundation; McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, PA; Public Service of New Hampshire; Southern New Hampshire Health System; St. Joseph Hospital; and UPS. In-kind sponsors include Aramark, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua, Dasani, Daniel Webster College, Nashua Wallpaper Company, Panera Bread, Wal-Mart, and Yoplait.

United Way improves people's lives by supporting innovative health and human service programs that have positive, measurable outcomes. United Way of Greater Nashua serves Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Lyndeborough, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, and Wilton.

September 15, 2004
United Way 2004 Campaign to Emphasize Community Impact Through It's General Fund

NASHUA, N.H. (September 15, 2004) - In kicking off its 2004 fund-raising campaign today, United Way of Greater Nashua (UWGN) entered a new era in how it seeks to improve lives in the 11 communities its serves.

The 2004 Campaign marks the first time that United Way will devote a portion of General Fund donations - contributions that are not designated to specific agencies - toward a community-wide initiative, while maintaining core services.

Earlier this year, the UWGN Board of Directors decided that the first "community impact initiative" should address affordable housing, which consistently has ranked very high among needs identified in Greater Nashua Measures Up: The Community Assessment Report. UWGN will work with other groups and individuals to mobilize resources -- people, relationships, time, talent, leadership, influence, as well as financial assets - and devise an affordable housing action plan.

"Two years ago when UWGN decided to begin its move to a community impact focus, we placed our fundraising emphasis on the General Fund because programs supported by that source must demonstrate measurable results in how they improve people's lives," Zraket said. "We realize that other community needs are not going to go away as we re-direct part of the General Fund toward affordable housing, so we are doing all we can to encourage donors to support the General Fund."

"We want donors to know that the best way to do the most good with a single contribution is to give to the General Fund," added Campaign Co-Chair John Fischer, general manager of Southeastern Container in Hudson. "Of course, we will continue to honor requests to designate gifts to specific agencies, but we hope that donors will see that their dollar goes a lot farther when they contribute to the General Fund."

UWGN's 2004 Campaign goal is to improve the lives of 56,800 General Fund program participants, which represents 3,300 more participants than who were helped through the last campaign.

Fischer noted that people who need help often require more than one type of service. For example, a family of three that needs transitional housing also may need subsidized childcare, counseling services, and reduced-cost health and dental care. United Way's General Fund supports all of these programs and many more that help improve lives in its 11-community service area.

A successful United Way campaign will improve the lives of thousands of people in Greater Nashua in many ways. For example:
- Meeting more basic needs - such as food, clothing, and shelter - for individuals and families in crisis
- Helping children learn and nurturing their emotional, social, and physical development
- Delivering more services that increase access to affordable health and dental care for individuals of all ages
- Providing violence prevention and personal safety programs

Once again this year, United Way will display large signs in prominent locations with the people-oriented message: "Help Improve Lives in Our Communities. Support United Way."

For information about supporting United Way of Greater Nashua, call 603-882-4011.

United Way improves people's lives by supporting innovative health and human service programs that have positive, measurable outcomes. United Way of Greater Nashua serves Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Lyndeborough, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, and Wilton.