United Way of Central West Virginia is happy to announce the launch of its redesigned website! The new site will give United Way partners, funded agencies, community members, donors and volunteers easier access to information through the enhanced user-friendly capabilities. The new design of the site features the 2011 - 2012 campaign theme - GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE!



Visitors will receive up-to-date information from the homepage through the Mark Your Calendar section that highlights upcoming agency and partner agency events as well as an In The News section which features the most current United Way of Central West Virginia newsletter.

A new feature of the website is a Share Your Story page. This provides an opportunity for volunteers to share why United Way is important and how they have volunteered their time to make a difference.

“Love the new website, particularly the December feature in Newsletters,” said David McFarland, Executive Director of Kanawha Valley Fellowship Home.

Check out the new site at www.unitedwaycwv.org!

Donald McKoy and Moya Doneghy prepare food during Operation Holiday Outreach.

The holidays can be a difficult time for many people, but one local group helped make the season a little brighter for those less fortunate. On Saturday, December 10, a group of national service members known as the LifeBridge Vet Corps, in partnership with First Baptist Church, served approximately 350 meals to fellow veterans, the homeless, and shut-ins. This Operation Holiday Outreach was an effort to provide veterans, their families, the homeless, and anyone else who wanted to attend, with a little holiday cheer.

Nearly 50 volunteers gathered at the First Baptist Church on Shrewsbury Street in Charleston to prepare the holiday meal, which consisted of turkey, potatoes, beans, dressing, rolls and dessert. The volunteers also coordinated a clothing giveaway, visit with Santa, holiday crafts for children, and a memory tree for veterans, which are being displayed in the lower rotunda of the Capitol Complex through Christmas.

The AmeriCorps members plan to make Operation Holiday Outreach a yearly event and the first event was held last year. This year, members saw an increase in the number of individuals coming in to get take-out orders for family and friends who could not travel. Food left over from the event went to three local shelters and leftover clothes from the clothing drive went to Covenant House and Sojourners.

“The event is important to the LifeBridge Vet Corps because we know that veterans have given their time and service to ensure the safety and security of our country,” said Elvin Campbell, a Peer Support Specialist for the Roark Sullivan Lifeway Veterans Program and a veteran himself. “Before we were veterans, we were citizens. We see the needs in the community and we want to help as much as possible.”

From left to right, Lacinda Fresquez, Todd Goddard, Darnitta Elswick, Missy Parsons and Nadir Mirza

LifeBridge Vet Corps is an AmeriCorps*State program in West Virginia dedicated to addressing the issues of health and human services. The program’s members are all veterans who provide mentoring, life and job skill training, information and referral services as well as financial literacy guidance to veterans, the homeless, people with disabilities and other individuals needing services. The program serves four counties in central West Virginia.

Volunteers prepare the food for the Mountain Mission food distribution.

Crowds started gathering before 6 a.m. Saturday for the annual Mountain Mission food distribution.
With help from about 150 volunteers, Mountain Mission gave out frozen turkeys, fruits, vegetables, all of the traditional Christmas foods including dessert.  "This is no small task," said Mountain Mission Executive Director John Roberts. "It takes the community to put this together."

People line up to receive food from Mountain Mission.

Last year, Mountain Mission handed out 953 Christmas food baskets. This year, that number has jumped by more than 300 to almost 1,300 Christmas feasts.  "That really speaks to the need in our community, and we could not carry out this work if it weren’t for community and corporate partnerships” said Roberts.

First Lady Joanne Tomblin stopped by the Charleston non-profit to help hand out pies.  "This is the season of giving and sharing," said Tomblin. "We always have to remember those that are less fortunate."

Mountain Mission also delivered 300 of these baskets to shut-ins on Monday. “What an experience, to share the spirit of Christmas and celebrate the birth of Christ in this manner” said Roberts.

Mountain Mission is a United Way Partner Agency and receives donations through the Community Impact Fund.

The United Way Christmas Bureau gets calls from many families who are searching for a toy provider to help them with Christmas.

The Bread of Life Ministries brought their bus to United Way on Dec. 21 to distribute toys to area children.

This year the Bread of Life Ministries, a ministry of the Davis Creek Nazarene Church, agreed to assist the Christmas Bureau by providing toys to over 140 children. Pastor Kelly Frazier and her volunteers brought their huge bus to United Way on December 21 to distribute the toys to the families.  The families knew they were getting toys but Kelli and her volunteers also surprised the families with food to anyone who needed it.

Children visited with Santa after receiving toys from the Bread of Life Ministries.

The United Way staff got in the holiday spirit also! Santa Claus (John Ballengee) was there bearing treats for the children. Other staff members served hot chocolate and cookies to the families while others assisted in with the toy and food distribution. 

The Christmas Bureau consists of many churches and area agencies who work very hard to provide a wonderful Christmas for as many families as possible. More information about the Christmas Bureau can be found at www.unitedwaycwviandr.org

United Way and central West Virginia are blessed to have a number of outstanding individuals who serve as United Way board members and community volunteers. The United Way Newsletter (UWN) will profile all of these individuals in this and future editions.


STEVE HEWITT

BOARD MEMBER SINCE 2010
MEMBER, COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE
CHAIR, FUND ALLOCATION COMMITTEE


Steve Hewitt is a graduate of Parkersburg High School and received a BS degree in Communications from Southern Illinois University. After working in radio and television in Illinois and the Parkersburg-Marietta area, Steve joined Parkersburg National Bank for two years and then moved on to the West Virginia Credit Union League as the Education Director. He has since worked in marketing and management positions for credit unions in Huntington and Charleston.

Steve currently holds the position of Vice President of Business Development with Star USA Federal Credit Union. Star currently has offices throughout the Kanawha Valley and in Huntington, Beckley, Teays Valley and Buffalo, WV. Steve’s duties include developing new markets for the credit union as well as marketing, training, and lobbying.

UWN: What does LIVE UNITED mean to you?
SH: "LIVE UNITED personifies the true nature of community. For a community to prosper and grow, residents must take an active role in caring and providing for those in need. We must freely share what we have been blessed with and, when united in those efforts, the benefits will enhance the lives of the giver and the beneficiary while strengthening the entire community. As we share common goals and purpose, LIVE UNITED allows us to give and serve for the benefit of our neighbors."

UWN: Why do you volunteer with United Way?
SH: "I have been involved with United Way of Central WV as a volunteer for seven years. It is very satisfying to be a volunteer and my association with United Way has brought me into contact with people that truly care about this community. Sometimes people volunteer for the exposure but I find those giving of themselves in United Way projects are more interested in positively impacting those in need and not concerned with what they receive in return"

UWN: Was charity a part of your upbringing?
SH: "Growing up, charity was never really discussed in our home. While not poor, my parents struggled at times like everyone else. In spite of those struggles, my father was first to respond if someone had a problem or needed help. Most of our garden produce was given away to those who needed it more than our family. So, in our home, charity was evidenced by my parent’s willingness to give of their time. I have tried to pass this on to my children so they will understand the importance of commitment and sacrifice as it relates to those in need."

UWN: Why are you so committed to making sure United Way makes a positive community impact?
SH: "I can't understand how individuals can stand by while there is so much need in our community. United Way is an organization that allows people from all walks of life to work together to help neighbors in need. Financial contributions, volunteering time as my parents did, helping support those in need are all ways in which the community can work together through United Way. As a result of these multiple methods to improve conditions in central West Virginia, I look forward to continuing to do what I can to help and remain committed to assist United Way in all that they do."