By Rucker Snead

The United Way of Prince Edward County has launched its annual campaign with a goal of raising $45,000 to support our local organizations and programs.

Through your generous support, over the past five years we have raised and distributed nearly $40,000 annually to our 19 partners that provide a multitude of vital services in our community. This year, we are honored to support 20 local organizations involved in everything from feeding the elderly to educating our youth.

We have already started our fundraising with some great news. We recently received a $10,000 grant from the Payne Foundation. With that grant plus other donations we are already over a third of the way to our goal of $45,000. 

Our community partners serve a cross section of the community — with no regard to age, race or gender. We just try to help meet their needs. Some of our partners include: Farmville Area Community Emergency Services (FACES), Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity, Heart of Virginia Free Clinic, Piedmont Senior Resources, SCOPE/Meals on Wheels, Farmville Area Boy Scout Service Organization, Southside Pregnancy Center, Farmville Girl Scouts Service Unit, Southside SPCA, Southside Virginia Family YMCA, Camp Loud and Clear, Jolly Glee Senior Citizens Club and Madeline’s House.

With your help, we hope to not only meet our campaign goal but to increase the dollar amount each partner receives as they each work to fulfill their mission because the more we are able to raise the more we are able to distribute to our partners. 

To learn more about the partners our United Way serves, please visit our website at uwprinceedward.org.

The United Way is now sending out letters to potential donors.

Also, you can visit our website to access our new online option and click the orange “give” button or send your donation to The United Way of Prince Edward County, P.O. Box 122, Farmville, Va. 23901.  All donations are tax deductible and go directly back into our community to help make Prince Edward County a better place in which to live and work.

Please join us in donating so that we all can make this year’s campaign a great success.

Rucker Snead is the director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest at Hampden-Sydney College. He is the president of the local United Way. His email address is rsnead@hsc.edu.