45 nonprofits benefit from United Way grants

After more than 12,000 donations in 2014 from programs like the workplace campaign, the United Way of Northwest Louisiana announced earlier this month that 45 local nonprofit agencies will benefit from the $2.2 million raised.

Some of the local nonprofits funded by the United Way grants are: the American Red Cross of Northwest Louisiana, Center for Families, The Food Bank of Central Louisiana, Goodwill Industries of Northwest Louisiana, Holy Angels Residential Facility, Inner City Entrepreneur Institute, Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling, Project Celebration, Sadies Arms Inc., Volunteers for Youth Justice and YWCA of Northwest Louisiana. (For a full list, go to theforumnews.com.)

The 45 nonprofits that will receive funding administer programs in the areas of health, education, income and basic needs. Approximately 101,579 people benefitted from the work of these nonprofits.

“United Way works to address the whole problem to find the solution,” United Way of Northwest Louisiana President and CEO Bruce Willson said.

Willson said some of the funds generated were from more than 600 companies that ran United Way Workplace Campaigns. The campaign is set over a period of time and allows any company to offer workers the ability to pay United Way pledges through payroll deduction.

“We are proud of what we see everywhere – empowering individuals taking resources and employing them in the most effective ways possible,” Willson said.

Among the nonprofit representatives at the announcement was Angela Henderson, Project Celebration sexual assault prevention and response executive director, who accepted a grant check of more than $3,000.

Henderson said it was good to be in a room of nonprofit professionals seeking a way to better the community.

“I was a big sap. All of us being in that room and being together as one voice made it come together,” Henderson said. “Our grant will go toward supplies like food and cleaning items for our survivors [of domestic violence].”

BHP Billiton hosted the grant announcement and also gave $15,000 of in-kind donations to United Way in 2014.

“We are very grateful for [BHP Billiton],” Willson said. “They have adopted the ‘power of one’ and we are excited to be a part of that family.”

Clint Poche, of BHP Billiton, said the company is happy to serve as a partner with United Way. “We have a deep commitment to our community,” Poche said.

Willson said pacesetter campaigns aid the general United Way campaign and help keep the pace of the overall goal.

“Businesses that sign up as pacesetters are challenged to increase their campaign, provide a corporate match, contribution or sponsorship,” Willson said.

To learn more about the United Way of Northwest Louisiana or to sign up for a workplace campaign, go to www. unitedwaynwla.org.

– Lydia Earhart

more inside:

See more from the United Way announcement on Page 8.