A comforting touch. An inspiring word. A reassuring smile. Simple gestures like these can mean so much to those whose lives are shadowed by poverty, disease or discord.
These simple kindnesses are also among the many services that United Way-funded agencies have been providing to people of all ages living in nine towns in the Greater New Haven area.
In the City of New Haven alone, an estimated 95 percent of all residents are currently served by organizations that receive support through the United Way Campaign. And in the other eight towns -- Bethany, East Haven, Hamden, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, West Haven and Woodbridge -- from 23 percent to 70 percent of the population is aided by these agencies.
Those who have been helped by United Way/ Combined Health Appeal (CHA) agencies include senior citizens; children, from infancy to young adulthood; families in crisis; people with mental retardation; individuals suffering from mental illness or substance abuse; victims of domestic violence; and chronically ill patients. The aid provided to these individuals includes (but is not limited to) counseling, medical care, crisis intervention, legal assistance, vocational training, child care and housing services. Many of these organizations also offer diverse social, recreational and educational programs.
To ensure that these vital services continue to be available to their neighbors in need, members of the campus community are urged to give generously to the 1997 Yale Employee-United Way/CHA Campaign, which has as its theme "Touch a Life: together we can make a difference."
The University's annual appeal -- which is Yale's only campus-wide fundraising drive -- began in September, when Locals 34 and 35 of the Federation of University Employees launched their "Pacesetter" campaign, designed to inspire early giving among the unions' membership. The Yale Employee Campaign began its second phase last week, with the mailing of thousands of brochures and pledge forms to faculty members and managerial and professional staff.
In a letter that accompanied the mailing, President Richard C. Levin wrote: "In the wake of massive cuts in government funding for health and social service programs, our support is vital to meeting critical community needs. Our contributions help single mothers find affordable child care, provide sliding-scale treatment programs for depression, fund value-building team sports and social programs for our young people, and enable many elderly residents to live independently with in-home nursing services."
There are three ways that Yale community members can choose to "invest" in their communities through the United Way Campaign:
* When contributors give an undesignated donation, the funds are divided among the 30 member agencies of the United Way of Greater New Haven. Experienced volunteers allocate the monies to the programs that will have the most impact and monitor those agencies to ensure that the funds are spent wisely. (It should be noted that, of every dollar pledged, only 15 cents is used to cover administrative costs, such as campaign advertising.) In addition, a certified public accounting firm audits the United Way each year; copies of those findings are available through the United Way.
* By choosing the Field of Service option, Yale donors can channel their gifts to United Way/CHA agencies addressing six specific areas of need: "Nurturing Our Children," "Promoting Positive Youth Development," "Promoting Independence for People," "Strengthening Families," "Meeting Basic Needs" and "Protecting Our Health." A gift to the "Nurturing Our Children" area, for example, would support agencies offering programs in child abuse prevention, early childhood development, foster care/adoption, prenatal/wellness care and infant/child care.
* Donors can also choose to channel their contribution to one specific United Way/CHA organization, or to another outside agency that provides direct and substantial human health and social services. The latter must meet certain eligibility requirements, which are listed in the campaign brochure.
Yale employees can also choose to send in their donations in one lump sum, or they may authorize the University to make a monthly payroll deduction. The latter option is designed to allow employees to make substantial gifts without straining their budgets.
"For many years, the collective contribution of University employees has helped to sustain the quality of health care and human services in Greater New Haven ...," noted President Levin in his letter to the Yale community. "The support of the Yale community will continue our history of caring, and your contribution will make a difference. ... Please give generously."
To learn more about the Yale Employee-United Way/Combined Health Appeal Campaign, or to receive a pledge form, call 432-4488.