The United Way Needs Your Help to Empower Those in Need in Southern Indiana

A good way to think about the United Way's 2021 local campaign is to remember the old Chinese proverb, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” The goal of the United Way of Southwestern Indiana is not simply to raise money to give to people in need but to find and support programs that help those in need to help themselves - to make them more self-sufficient. What a gift that will be, to help get folks into a position where they won't need to rely on the help of others. It's hard to think of a more worthy cause.

The United Way of Southwestern Indiana wants to really narrow its focus this year, to help people in poverty and the working poor improve their economic situation - in other words, to help them become upwardly mobile. Using research from Harvard University, the United Way has identified four important aspects of communities that are upwardly mobile. They are:

1. Mental Health
2. Empowering Employment
3. Thriving NextGen
4. Social Stability and Growth

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The theme of this year's campaign is Unity Builds Community and 'Unity' Begins with YOU. So, how can YOU be a part of this campaign? First, you can check with your employer to see if you can donate through your paycheck each month. If you just want to make a donation on your own, just text UNITY21 to 41-444. Of course, you can also give online. And once again this year, the United Way has a sweet incentive for donors. The Heritage Federal Credit Union Donor Incentive is a whopping $10,000 cash! New donors of $50 or more get one entry to win that money, while new donors of $100 or more get two entries. Previous donors get entries for maintaining or increasing their gift. Donations or pledges must be made by December 31^st and three finalists will be drawn on January 2022.