For Immediate Release: May 27, 2008

UNITED WAY OF FRONT ROYAL/WARREN COUNTY
PLANS FUTURE, MOVES TO BE INDEPENDENT.

Front Royal, VA – After a three-month period of extended discussion and future planning, the United Way of Front Royal/Warren County’s Board of Directors is announcing a major realignment and increase in its efforts to become the leader in health and human service funding in Front Royal. Among the changes made to the agency’s future direction are the increasing of staff hours and the launching of an independent, Front Royal-managed fund-raising effort along the industry-heavy 522 corridor.

Prior to now, the fundraising efforts along the 522 corridor have been managed and processed by the neighboring United Way of the Northern Shenandoah Valley, with fees being charged to the United Way of Front Royal for this assistance. This year, the United Way of Front Royal’s Board of Directors has chosen not to renew that contract, in effect making it totally independent from the United Way of the NSV, and responsible for all fundraising in the town of Front Royal and the County of Warren.

“The United Way of the Northern Shenandoah Valley has been a true lifesaver to our small United Way during the last several years. As this agency attempted to develop its infrastructure, hire and manage appropriate staff, and raise awareness of the positive aspects of United Way, our neighbors to the North have been essential in their assistance. Now, however, with the hiring of a new Executive Director, a revitalized Board of Directors and a distinct increase in local community identity, we are pleased to report that our future in Front Royal is looking significantly brighter,” commented Executive Director Lee Smith-Osina.

“We feel it is time that we struck out on our own and managed all the campaigns in our geographic area.”

Changes for the agency, which hired a new director in March of 2007, will include making the position full-time, increasing office hours to 9-5 each weekday. In addition, large numbers of volunteers are being recruited to develop a local presenter corps, a localized slide show for campaign presentations, recruitment of volunteer Division Chairs for the various divisions making up a United Way campaign, and an all-out effort to solicit EVERYONE in Front Royal to assist in the upcoming campaign.

“United Way, when it is operating correctly in a community, is the appropriate partner to local government efforts in meeting the health and human service needs of the community in an organized fashion,” Smith-Osina stated. “The mission statement of the organization says it all…United Way is charged with “…improving the lives of Front Royal/Warren County residents by increasing the capacity of people to care for one another WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY”.

This role includes coordinating and managing the operations of all member health and human service agencies in Front Royal with the least duplication of services possible. United Way also serves as the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for local nonprofit agencies so that donors to agencies can be assured that all legal and reporting requirements are met and the community can count on these United Way member agencies being efficient, effective, and worthy of the scarce donation dollar.

Finally, the United Way develops a campaign so that many agencies, all of whom have good causes, do not continue to solicit the public time and time again with their individual fund-raising needs. They conduct the campaign for the sole purpose of passing on money raised to their member agencies, a process called “allocating” the money raised. Each fall’s campaign helps to fund more than 14 local agencies, thereby saving the community and the smaller agencies from the onus of separate, expensive individual campaigns.

All of this effort is placed into a framework of community needs. The established list of community needs, as determined by a needs assessment of our community, provides a priority list of where the money will go each year. Because each community is different, the more local a United Way can be may well result in more money being given to those agencies which best serve JUST OUR COMMUNITY.

“As with many United Ways, your United Way of Front Royal is only one county large…all its efforts are expended in helping Front Royal citizens. NO funds go out of the community in a United Way campaign…virtually 100% of what is raised is utilized right here in Warren County…and the funding is based on what our community members say is important, “ added Smith-Osina. “As a result, there is no agency or fundraising effort that does more for the local citizens than United Way.”

This is an ambitious effort for such a small United Way, and the efforts of many local people will be needed to see that it succeeds. The Front Royal United Way is now soliciting for volunteers to help with every task, from campaign bookkeeping to presenters for the campaign proper. In particular, the United Way is looking for Spanish-speaking individuals to complete our presenter corps, and someone with a graphic talent to develop a local slide show that will tell the United Way’s story this year.

If anyone is interested in assisting with this effort, please contact Lee at the United Way office, 540-635-3636 or email at: frwcuway@shentel.net .

“We are excited, but at the same time focused on the size of the task. We know the community deserves the best efforts we can manage, and the Board, agencies and staff are 100% committed to success,” Osina concluded. “Now we need the community…one and ALL of you…to embrace our efforts and join with us, especially in this time of greater economic need. Please help your United Way succeed…either by your annual donation, volunteering your time, or simply passing the word. Your United Way…now solely YOURS…needs your help to succeed.”

For further information, please contact:

Lee Smith-Osina
United Way of Front Royal/Warren County
540-635-3636