MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
United Way of Reno County has officially reached its $1.35 million annual fundraising goal, securing funding that will support dozens of local programs and thousands of residents across the county in the year ahead.
Carla Stanfield, director of marketing and communications, said the milestone carries extra significance as families and service organizations continue to feel the strain of rising grocery, utility and housing costs.
“People are feeling the pinch right now,” Stanfield said. “But our community still showed up.”
She credited the organization’s flexible giving model for helping donors at every income level participate. While businesses and large contributors play a key role, many gifts come from small payroll deductions — sometimes as little as one dollar per paycheck.
“We offer an opportunity for anyone at any level to be charitable,” Stanfield said. “Not everyone can write a check with a couple zeros at the end, but they still want to give back. Those smaller gifts really add up.”
Where the money goes
The funds will be distributed to 37 programs across more than 20 partner agencies, serving nearly 19,000 residents throughout Reno County. Programs address needs across the lifespan, including youth services, health care, crisis support and financial stability.
Stanfield emphasized that United Way closely tracks how those dollars are used. Agencies must provide detailed reports outlining the number of people served and the impact of services delivered.
“We ask for a year recap, and this last season we started asking for quarterly reports,” she said. “We want to know what those dollars are really doing in the community.”
Community-led allocations
With the fundraising campaign complete, the organization now shifts into its allocations phase — a process Stanfield says sets United Way apart.
Rather than staff members deciding how funding is distributed, volunteers from the community help determine where the money goes.
“This isn’t just a couple of us in the office making those decisions,” Stanfield said. “We open it up to the community to put their name in the hat and serve on one of our panels.”
Volunteers choose from four focus areas — youth opportunity, healthy community, community resiliency and financial security. Panelists review applications, examine budgets and interview agency leaders before recommending funding levels.
At the end of the process, each committee determines how dollars are dispersed within its category.
Stanfield described the system as a transparent, hands-on approach that ensures donor dollars are invested wisely and locally.
For more information on serving on an allocations panel or learning more about the process, contact the United Way of Reno County.